Hey guys, I recently started working on my vivarium and thought I would share my progress!
Through this thread, I also hope to also provide a step by step guide to my thought process and build; your input and critique is encouraged and appreciated.
ROUGH SKETCH:
A. FALSE BOTTOM (Egg Crate Method)
Materials:
-Plaskolite @ Home Depot ($15)
-Zip ties @ Home Depot
-Weed blocker @ Home Depot
Steps:
-Cut into desired shape
-Hold over stove or use a heat gun to bend and shape (optional)
-Connect via small zip ties
-Cut weed blocker a bit larger than egg crate pieces and attach using zip ties.
Tip:
To prevent from seeing your false bottom from outside your tank, or having to use black contact paper to cover the bottom half of your vivarium, simply leave a ½” gap between the egg crate false bottom and the glass. Fill this gap with an aquarium substrate of your choice; I decided to use Fluval Plant & Shrimp Stratum. More on this substrate in a future post when discussing the pond.
B. BRANCHES
Materials:
-PVC pipes of varying sizes
-ASI Silicone @ NEHERP ($9)
-Hot glue gun
-Gorilla Glue
-Gloves
Steps:
-Use stove or heat gun to weaken PVC (Use thick gloves!!!)
-Bend, twist, and pull into desired shape.
-Test fitting with my sketched background:
-Apply hot glue to PVC, and attach rope (This is solely meant to aid in applying the more permanent gorilla glue).
-As per Gorilla Glue instructions, damped rope and pipe, and apply glue sparingly along side rope, where it touches the pipe.
-Let cure for 1-2 hours.
-Cover pipe and rope in a layer of silicone (apply about 1 ft. at a time).
-Immediately roll on and press the background substrate (described in section D, below).
-Hang for several hours until dry.
C. ROOTS/VINES
Materials:
-Ropes of varying thickness
-Screw with thick head
-2 Washers
-1 (wing) nut/fastener
-Same materials listed in section B.
Steps:
-Repeat steps used for PVC pipe in section B, and instead use rope.
-For a more vine-like look, apply gorilla glue to only a few spots rather than entire length of rope.
-I plan on anchoring one of my vines to the mesh roof of the terrarium.
-To do so, attach ropes around the head of a screw using hot glue first, and then gorilla glue.
-Follow silicone and substrate steps listed in section B.
-This is simply to show you how the washers and nut will be used.
-One washer will be below the mesh top, and the other, above.
D. BACKGROUND SUBSTRATE
Materials:
-Miracle Gro Sphagnum Peat Moss
-Coco Cradle (10 quarts) @ Josh's Frogs ($9): https://www.joshsfrogs.com/josh-s-frogs-coco-cradle-10-quarts.html
-New Zealand Sphagnum (500g) Moss @ NEHERP ($18): NEHERP - Substrates For Live Vivariums
Steps:
-I made my mix with 1/2 peat moss and 1/2 coco cradle.
-I then shredded some sphagnum moss by hand and added it to the mix (you can eye this out, just don't add an excessive amount as this will make it tougher to adhere to background).
Through this thread, I also hope to also provide a step by step guide to my thought process and build; your input and critique is encouraged and appreciated.
ROUGH SKETCH:
A. FALSE BOTTOM (Egg Crate Method)
Materials:
-Plaskolite @ Home Depot ($15)
-Zip ties @ Home Depot
-Weed blocker @ Home Depot
Steps:
-Cut into desired shape
-Hold over stove or use a heat gun to bend and shape (optional)
-Connect via small zip ties
-Cut weed blocker a bit larger than egg crate pieces and attach using zip ties.
Tip:
To prevent from seeing your false bottom from outside your tank, or having to use black contact paper to cover the bottom half of your vivarium, simply leave a ½” gap between the egg crate false bottom and the glass. Fill this gap with an aquarium substrate of your choice; I decided to use Fluval Plant & Shrimp Stratum. More on this substrate in a future post when discussing the pond.
B. BRANCHES
Materials:
-PVC pipes of varying sizes
-ASI Silicone @ NEHERP ($9)
-Hot glue gun
-Gorilla Glue
-Gloves
Steps:
-Use stove or heat gun to weaken PVC (Use thick gloves!!!)
-Bend, twist, and pull into desired shape.
-Test fitting with my sketched background:
-Apply hot glue to PVC, and attach rope (This is solely meant to aid in applying the more permanent gorilla glue).
-As per Gorilla Glue instructions, damped rope and pipe, and apply glue sparingly along side rope, where it touches the pipe.
-Let cure for 1-2 hours.
-Cover pipe and rope in a layer of silicone (apply about 1 ft. at a time).
-Immediately roll on and press the background substrate (described in section D, below).
-Hang for several hours until dry.
C. ROOTS/VINES
Materials:
-Ropes of varying thickness
-Screw with thick head
-2 Washers
-1 (wing) nut/fastener
-Same materials listed in section B.
Steps:
-Repeat steps used for PVC pipe in section B, and instead use rope.
-For a more vine-like look, apply gorilla glue to only a few spots rather than entire length of rope.
-I plan on anchoring one of my vines to the mesh roof of the terrarium.
-To do so, attach ropes around the head of a screw using hot glue first, and then gorilla glue.
-Follow silicone and substrate steps listed in section B.
-This is simply to show you how the washers and nut will be used.
-One washer will be below the mesh top, and the other, above.
D. BACKGROUND SUBSTRATE
Materials:
-Miracle Gro Sphagnum Peat Moss
-Coco Cradle (10 quarts) @ Josh's Frogs ($9): https://www.joshsfrogs.com/josh-s-frogs-coco-cradle-10-quarts.html
-New Zealand Sphagnum (500g) Moss @ NEHERP ($18): NEHERP - Substrates For Live Vivariums
Steps:
-I made my mix with 1/2 peat moss and 1/2 coco cradle.
-I then shredded some sphagnum moss by hand and added it to the mix (you can eye this out, just don't add an excessive amount as this will make it tougher to adhere to background).