# Turning a iMac into a vivarium



## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

I have decided to make a vivarium out of an old iMac we had in the garage. This will be a *frog-free vivarium* so don't freak out please. Only plants and moss and at MOST a water feature will be implemented into this project. What I want to do is make it so that the blue backing will lift off and maintenance can be done, and all other pieces will be attached together. So It will be only 2 pieces. I am putting glass where the screen should be. (Or I may leave the glass out and have an open front).

A few questions I have are... 

Would you suggest putting glass in to keep humidity up, or leaving the glass out?

Sub-question, glass in: Would I need a fan in there to keep condensation down, or extra holes or something?

What would you use to permanently glue all the pieces together? Silicone?

How should I put a light in it?


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## edwing206 (Apr 9, 2008)

Wow, that should be cool! Will the front be clear?


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

edwing206 said:


> Wow, that should be cool! Will the front be clear?


Thanks.

Yes, glass. to keep the bending down that I've experienced with acrylic. (If I choose to go with a frontal piece at all)


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

neat idea... id think silicone would work or gorilla glue


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

Alright. I'll give them all a try. Thanks guys. Any tips you can give I'd love to hear!


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## MeiKVR6 (Sep 16, 2008)

Very cool idea. I'd use plexi for the front honestly... Hot glue to hold it in place while the two-part bonding agent (or gorilla glue) cures. If it's 100% held in place tightly with the right stuff it really shouldn't be able to warp - and that way it'll actually be bent to the contour of a computer monitor. 

Either way - it'll be VERY cool. Nice idea for sure.


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## Jellyman (Mar 6, 2006)

You could put a milk frog or some other tree frog in their??


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## Nate (Jan 5, 2009)

Ha, you took my idea except I was going to put some imitators in their and use a cheap pc monitor for it. I would like to see how this turns out so I can hopefully improve on the design... keep on going, I know it will be awesome.


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## JoshK (Jan 5, 2009)

Jellyman said:


> You could put a milk frog or some other tree frog in their??


 
I guess you could. . . You could also put small kittens in there but I wouldn't recommend it. I am not sure if you have any knowledge of tree frogs but I would never put any tree frog in an enclosure that size, certainly not one the size of a Milk frog (Trachycephalus resinifictrix_)._


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

I mean, it is pretty big...1 dart would fit fine. Prolly ~10g i would guess.

don't worry. no darts will be in this...


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

should be a nice project, reminds of the tv aquariums


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

put a tarantula in there, or a mantis


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

frogparty said:


> put a tarantula in there, or a mantis


Don't care for tarantulas, what about anoles?


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## bobberly1 (Jul 16, 2008)

I'd say one of those smaller, rarer geckos. It'd make a really nice display.


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## MeiKVR6 (Sep 16, 2008)

chinoanoah said:


> Don't care for tarantulas, what about anoles?


Anoles will make a mess... (poo on the glass etc)...

I'll prob get flamed for this - but if it averages roughly 10G - you could put a thumbnail in there.  People put 'em in 12X12 exoterras - I'd imagine that monitor is even bigger.


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## Haroldo (Mar 14, 2006)

chinoanoah said:


> Don't care for tarantulas, what about anoles?


You might be able to get away with one of the smaller species of Anolis, but then how would you ventilate and heat the thing?



bobberly1 said:


> I'd say one of those smaller, rarer geckos. It'd make a really nice display.


Same concern as above. How would you make it escape proof. I keep a few species that are under 2" full grown. I built custom cages just to keep them in. How secure would they be in something like this? Maintenance?



MeiKVR6 said:


> Anoles will make a mess... (poo on the glass etc)...
> 
> I'll prob get flamed for this - but if it averages roughly 10G - you could put a thumbnail in there.  People put 'em in 12X12 exoterras - I'd imagine that monitor is even bigger.


Not necessarily. I keep some of the smaller bush and grass eco-type species like A. krugi and A. ophiolepis. They aren't particularly messy at all .

I have one of these older iMacs in my garage and am not sure they are even 10g. I've taken these apart also for repair and even with the guts removed, I'm thinking somewhere in the middle of a 5g and a 10g.


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## MeiKVR6 (Sep 16, 2008)

Haroldo said:


> Not necessarily. I keep some of the smaller bush and grass eco-type species like A. krugi and A. ophiolepis. They aren't particularly messy at all .
> 
> I have one of these older iMacs in my garage and am not sure they are even 10g. I've taken these apart also for repair and even with the guts removed, I'm thinking somewhere in the middle of a 5g and a 10g.


^^^ Ohh yeah if you are right about the size then never mind what I said. I always thought those things were huge!

Anole... I always think the "green anole" or whatever they are called. Sorry! My mistake.


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

Well I guess any animal that needs heating will be a no-go. I'm trying to keep it as "stock" looking as possible. Maintenance will be done by removing the large blue backing of the computer. 

how would you light this? I want to find the flattest flourescent light (6500k) and attach it to the top of the blue backing.

How do you all drain your exo-terras/custom vivs? I was thinking of putting in a valve I could open to let out excess water

False floor or not?


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## Nate (Jan 5, 2009)

chinoanoah said:


> Well I guess any animal that needs heating will be a no-go.


You can always put in a thumbnail like people have suggested! 


chinoanoah said:


> how would you light this? I want to find the flattest flourescent light (6500k) and attach it to the top of the blue backing.


I figure that you use a strand of LED's (like the new ones they sell at christmas to light the viv, they use little energy and are bright! Because a thumbnail (if you decide to put some in) would need it to be warm in their you could use a under tank heater or whatever they are called, the adhesive ones. It won't raise the temp by much but it will raise it significantly.


chinoanoah said:


> False floor or not?


I recommend no false bottom, it would take away to much of you precious space... just use pumice or clay balls for it and then siphon out the excess water when you desire.

I am so going to do something like this when I finish my 29g....


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

Siliconing it waterproof...! Looks kinda funny.


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

Peace said:


> I figure that you use a strand of LED's (like the new ones they sell at christmas to light the viv, they use little energy and are bright!


It doesn't seem like these would be able to grow plants... Would they?


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## Nate (Jan 5, 2009)

Err... good point, I assume that if the tank is getting some natural light it would be okay then... I'm no expert on lighting so I don't know what LED's are missing that plants need but hopefully you can find a small bulb you can fight in their...


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## Jenga (Mar 17, 2009)

this is such a great idea! keep posting pics and updates please! can't wait to see the finished project.


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

Progress.









Switched out the wrong silicone for correct silicone. That took a whole night.

Now I'm trying to figure the best way to have a removable top. Thinking of changing which two pieces i go with. I think the base will be one piece and the blue top and face will be the second. I have epoxy to tighten those together.










*Where should the fans go? Will I need fans?*


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## fraser2009 (Jan 4, 2009)

as far as i know christms lights will do nothing. there is specialist led grow lights you might want to look into but they are expensive. there are cheaper ones used in hydrophonics if you google led grow light but i have never tried them.


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## MeiKVR6 (Sep 16, 2008)

For money's sake... I'd look into a 100W equivalent (around 26W) CF light... They don't get that hot - and they aren't as big as a florescent... They can grow plants like mad too.  All my moss is under a bunch of 100-150W CF lights.

Maybe you can rig up a little shroud in the blue part...? Worth a try imo since it's the cheapest and easiest way to do what you are trying to do.  

Lowes had a 4-pack of 100W 6500K CF lights for $11.99 last weekend...


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## Cnfessions (Feb 27, 2009)

Any more updates?


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

Unfortunately not -- Sister got married, it was a HUGE deal -- hoping to continue working on it! I'm a sucker for forums, so as soon as any worth while pics surface, you all will see them first!


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## clifford (Oct 17, 2008)

MeiKVR6 said:


> For money's sake... I'd look into a 100W equivalent (around 26W) CF light... They don't get that hot - and they aren't as big as a florescent... They can grow plants like mad too.


That was exactly my thought too, the problem is that you're not going to be able to fit the 23w bulb without it sticking out like a soar thumb. Same problem with the 20w, the flat "Double D" series bulbs, or the flat 55watts, or the GE LE bulbs...they're all close, but they stick out like a soar thumb (either from the front or back, depending on how you position it) when on. 

You can't really tell from the angle of the photo, but the 13w bulb fits behind the top rim of the case perfectly-- but is only 800 lumens. The 26w is 1600 lumens, but the bottom of of bulb is clearly visible when looking into the front at a natural angle.

Now that I know I have to finish before chinoanoah does, I'll kick things into high gear and see if I can sneak 2-4 more of the 13w's in somehow.


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## Morgan Freeman (Feb 26, 2009)

chinoanoah said:


> *Where should the fans go? Will I need fans?*


The blue (are they speaker vents?) at the bottom would be a cool place to have two small fans.


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

chinoanoah said:


> Don't care for tarantulas, what about anoles?


why anoles? anoles are food for snakes


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

clifford said:


> Now that I know I have to finish before chinoanoah does, I'll kick things into high gear and see if I can sneak 2-4 more of the 13w's in somehow.



You're definitely going to pass me.. Mine is in the trash in CA, I'm out at school in KY.


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## winyfrog (May 30, 2009)

Thats disapointing, I was excited to see how this turned out.


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

winyfrog said:


> Thats disapointing, I was excited to see how this turned out.


Yeah. Me too. I did it all wrong. I should have fiberglassed the bottom instead of trying to silicone it.


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## maverick3x6 (Jul 31, 2008)

in related news... 

(don't mean to steal your thread, just find this awesome!)


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## laylow (Apr 6, 2009)

chinoanoah said:


> Yeah. Me too. I did it all wrong. I should have fiberglassed the bottom instead of trying to silicone it.


How thick is that plastic? In my experience with fiberglass is it will heat up quite a bit as it cures, I would be really cautious as it could very easily warp the heck out of that plastic.


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

Haha, I dunno. It really doesn't matter anymore though! Maybe another time!


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

chinoanoah said:


> You're definitely going to pass me.. Mine is in the trash in CA, I'm out at school in KY.


nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo


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