[Pumilo]

This one's for you Itsott! I've been asked if I could share the dimensions of each piece of glass in my slope front viv constructions. I'm going to try to keep this short and sweet.
Here are the measurements.
"Singles" 12" x 24" x 24" These are made with 1/8" or DS glass Actual size is 11 3/4" x 24" x 24". The 11 3/4" wide allows 4 to fit under a 4 foot light fixture. Viv size is approximately 25 gallons.

Bottom 11 3/4" wide x 24" NOTE: Bottoms are made with 3/16" glass for extra strength.
Back 11 1/2" wide x 23 5/8" tall
Front 11 1/2" wide x 7 1/2"
Front Screen 11 1/2" wide x 2 1/2"
Top 11 3/4" wide x 12 1/2"
Top Screen 11 3/4" wide x 2 1/2"
Slope front lid 11 7/8" wide x 16 7/8"
Side 24" x 23 5/8" tall. See attached picture for angle.

"Double Wide" ALL pieces of glass are 3/16" glass. Actual size is 24" x 24" x 24" but the lid assemblies will hang over that just a bit. Viv size is approximately 50 gallons.

Bottom 24" x 24"
Back 23 5/8" x 23 5/8"
Front 23 5/8" wide x 7 1/2"
Front Screen 23 5/8" wide x 2 1/2"
Top 24" wide x 12 1/2"
Top Screen 24" wide x 2 1/2"
2 Slope Front Lids 12 1/8" wide x 16 7/8" I chose to use double lids to cut down on the risk of escapees while working in viv.
Side 24" x 23 5/8" tall. See attached picture for angle.

 

[Pumilo]

Pictures of the built vivs and also pics of some scaped can be found here. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/60340-my-first-clay-backgrounds.html

Screen vent how to here. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/63781-screen-vent-construction-how.html

Drilling glass here. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/58594-how-drill-your-glass.html

Drain assembly here. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/76581-pumilos-75-corner-viv.html

Silicone gasket for the lid here. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/general-discussion/71913-diy-door-closing-gaps.html

General construction techniques here. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/63870-building-glass-vivarium.html

A bit on cutting glass here. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/62833-best-handheld-glass-cutter.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/69457-cutting-glass.html

 

[Pumilo]

All pieces mount ON TOP of the bottom piece. Front and backs get sandwiched between the side pieces. Top sits on top of the sides and back.
Smaller vivs up to 25 gallon can be taped together and then just run beads of silicone in to join them together. Larger vivs I put a bead between every surface and then add a "fillet" bead in afterwards.
After everything dries, tape the slope front lid securely in place and glue the hinges on. Metal hinges will hold better with silicone. If you use acrylic hinges, you might want to try Weld On 40.

 

[frogparty]

Extremely helpful and a valuable resource. Thanks doug

 

[ckays]

Doug,

Pro's and Con's of these vs. a standard cube with hinged front door? I've been meaning to ask you about these since you posted the Escudo tanks. Great info as always...

 

[Pumilo]

Doug,

Pro's and Con's of these vs. a standard cube with hinged front door? I've been meaning to ask you about these since you posted the Escudo tanks. Great info as always...

Pros: They are very easy to reach into your viv to work on plants, collecting eggs, checking on tads etc. It provides a nice big opening to reach into, much like a Euro style front opening viv. Front opening vivs, however, are pretty much open at ground level, making accidental escape easier, while these have a good 4 or 5 inches of glass and/or screen that your frogs would have to climb over to escape. Saves on having a startled frog shooting out the door. There is the wow factor if that is a bonus. Most people haven't seen them and think they are pretty cool. They give a nice, partial, top-down view that you don't get with most vivs.
Cons: Biggest con first. The slanted front lid is at an angle such that it fogs over more than a completely vertical surface does. If you use internal circulation fans, this is not really an issue as they can do a nice job de-fogging. Next, there is nothing holding that lid open when you work so you have to do something about that. I have a small hook just above each viv with a loop of thin white rope on it. I slip the loop over the door and put the other end on the hook to hold the door wide open for me. Problem solved? Not quite. It takes 2 hands to hold the door and remove the loop to close it up. If you happen to have a frog in a frog catching tube it's a little tricky. I think I need to switch to an elastic band and that would solve it.
The only other real con I can think of is that they don't mix and match well with other square/rectangular vivs. You don't want to just grab another cube to throw in beside them if overall looks are important. You'll really want to do a full rack in slope fronts for the best appearance.
Oh, one more possible con. It is very easy to light the back 2/3 of the viv but the front third ends up being a little lower intensity because you can't put a bulb blocking your door. I tend to do a clearing at the front anyway so it does not bother me in the slightest. You could also put some lower light plants there like ferns or low light orchids.

 

[ChrisK]

I was always thinking about those slant fronts since I saw this clip http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/47877-our-frog-room-video.html
like you said, I would probably need to get a bunch at once though.

 

[Pumilo]

I was always thinking about those slant fronts since I saw this clip http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/47877-our-frog-room-video.html
like you said, I would probably need to get a bunch at once though.

Those are Mike's. He's in Colorado too. He is actually still working with some of my frogs from my first trip through the hobby. He still has offspring from my Sens imitators and offspring from my Kelly Amazonicus. I wondered for a minute if he ended up with my old slope front vivs but mine had white bottom corner trim on them and Mike's don't. Then I saw that he said he built them. Dimensions look a little different than my old ones too. Of course you can always change the dimensions around to whatever you need. My 2 foot tall ones might be kind of a waste of space for terrestrials.
Actually, all of my original ones are still supposedly in use, here in Colorado. Coincidentally being used by a different Mike.

 

[itsott]

Thanks doug ive been racking my brain on these for awhile now. These will more than likely be used for growouts.

 

[Pumilo]

I had the camera downstairs today so I grabbed a couple shots of how I keep the doors open.

 

[ckays]

Any chance for some full rack and tank shots from straight on? I'm interested to see how these look from the front as far as depth, height, etc..

Whenever you get a chance, I know this might be getting OLD...

 

[Pumilo]

Any chance for some full rack and tank shots from straight on? I'm interested to see how these look from the front as far as depth, height, etc..

Whenever you get a chance, I know this might be getting OLD...

Sorry bro, just these for now. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/60340-my-first-clay-backgrounds.html I've just got too many project vivs going right now and the room is a mess. It is not the right time for a photo shoot. I'll get some full rack and full room shots for you as soon as I can.

 

[ckays]

Ahh good man. Exactly what i was looking for. Thanks for the link.

I'm very intrigued by these things, I can't decide if I love em or hate em.