# New build 1300 liter/350 gallon tall-style vivarium



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

My Exo Terra quickly became too small after plants started growing and multiplying. All the structures disappeared it just looked like a collection of greenery.
The new vivarium has the measurements 140 cm W x 60 cm D x 170 cm H. It is made from plastic and I will be able to use all three sides for cork and plants. 
For structures I intend to use pine for the most part. The pine was collected from a large river close to where we live. River drift wood I suppose.

The wood, ready for assembly.









The vivarium is expected mid week


----------



## bulbophyllum (Feb 6, 2012)

Wont the pine break down really quickly?


----------



## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

I have the impression that the pine is very well cured. I have a large chunk in the home garden that has been out in the open for years and holds up perfectly! Submerged it may rot but with some daily fogging, I think you will not have problems!
I really want to see the result. You are sure to do something amazing with all that space!
Good luck!👍


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

bulbophyllum said:


> Wont the pine break down really quickly?


Thanks, yes it is certainly not as durable as mangrove root for example, but as Leite says it has been cured for many, many years. It seems quite dense at least. Hopefully it will last a good while. Given the choice though I would have preferred some real hard wood of course.


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

It has begun.


----------



## aussieJJDude (May 13, 2017)

Is this terrarium built out of PVC board? As for the opening/front panel, are you using glass or plexi?

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk


----------



## minorhero (Apr 24, 2020)

Pretty cool build! My only concern is ventilation. I see some slits cut up top in the back and some more in front under the door but I would think you would want 5 times as much at a minimum.


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

aussieJJDude said:


> Is this terrarium built out of PVC board? As for the opening/front panel, are you using glass or plexi?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk


It must be PVC, although I'm not 100% sure. The front is Plexiglas right now, but I will most likely change to glass. Especially if these ones scratch easily.


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

minorhero said:


> Pretty cool build! My only concern is ventilation. I see some slits cut up top in the back and some more in front under the door but I would think you would want 5 times as much at a minimum.


Thanks for the heads up, there will definitely be some trial and error before conditions are right. I have 4 fans on top that can either blow or suck. Timer or hydro-controlled. If not enough, the construction material is easy to cut and I can make some extra ventilation on the sides or in the back.


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

Moving on.
























View attachment 295657


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)




----------



## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

I like it very much!
If you allow me a tip, be daring with the placement of the wood, give it visual depth, try combinations even on the ceiling, to test. When you have the final placement, you will know instantly!


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

Yes thank you, I definitely will and I think it will become clearer as more things are added.


----------



## dwllama (Aug 29, 2020)

That's a really neat piece of wood!


----------



## Hylomantis (Mar 20, 2014)

Looks very promising!

Sent from my SM-A105FN using Tapatalk


----------



## Woodswalker (Dec 26, 2014)

I'm following. Your cork background looks really good. Where/how did you come by such flat panels that still have such interesting texture?


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

These are 60x90 cm pressed cork panels. I ordered them online, they should definitely be available in the US? As time passes, they develop even more texture.


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

My son picked these fungi in the woods this summer, they look nice and made a difference to that right piece.
Now planting!


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

Around 60 plants added. A bit messy for sure. I expect some to die off and some to thrive, making it more uniform as time goes by. Some more bromeliads will be added later.


----------



## Ray McCooney (May 6, 2018)

Sweet Jebus, that's zoo-grade stuff there. Looks great.


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

Not quite I suspect, but thanks Will add more photos as it develops.
Those pieces of wood were a real positive surprice. Picked free of charge, very dense and absolutely bug-free. I gather that the logs being alternately dry and wet have not allowed for any colonization, neither terrestrial nor aquatic.


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

Starting to fill in a bit. Added moss mix..... waiting.


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

Desperately trying to grow some more moss. 
The kids thought it best to keep the springtsils out...


----------



## Harpspiel (Jan 18, 2015)

Looks great! What's the plant in the first planted pic, on the ground, left side, with the dark purple flowers?


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

Thanks, work in progress.
I believe it is named _Epidendrum capricornu. _I had to move it to the upper right hand corner next to the _Vanda sp_. It was collecting water in the crown down there and did NOT like it.


----------



## Daniel559 (Sep 28, 2018)

This is my dream set up!


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

Daniel559 said:


> This is my dream set up!


Note that I am a beginner, so please read my comments accordingly:

The actual physical setup works well, easy access through hinged glass doors and the overall size is good for me with lots of room for plants.
I made one critical mistake though, I might have used the wrong type of wood for the centrepiece (old pine) and that has to be resolved somehow.

When having such a tall tank, lighting becomes an issue. I am currently running 3x90w Jungle Hobbies lights and an additional 3x50w grow bulbs. So over 400w to heat the tank from above. I live in a cold climate, but still I need 4 fans (2 blowing and 2 sucking) to constantly exchange the air. In addition there is an internal circulation fan. To accommodate the massive air exchange I have 22 nozzles that spray for a total of 6 minutes per day. Maybe 5-6 liters per day?
All in all this results in a tank with large temperature and humidity variation. It would work great for geckos for example, but not sure about frogs.

The question that I would like to find the answer to without experimenting with actual frogs is whether they would stay away from the warm and dry top 1/4 of the tank?


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

Just an update, still growing in. No frogs yet.


----------



## Anda (Jan 18, 2020)

Frogs are in, I see them once in a while. Seems I have too much vegetation again. Can't stop myself from buying more plants...


----------

