# rubberbandman's 18x18x24 Zoo Med Build Log(56K Warning)



## rubberbandman3291 (Feb 10, 2010)

Hello all, my name is Gary and I have been lurking for a little while. I posted this in a the wrong forum the first time. After some time gathering ideas, planning, etc..etc... I decided to build another vivarium. I currently have a 12x12x18 Zoomed, with two American Green Tree Frogs, one Big Eye Tree Frog, and a few Tilandsias. I want to do a bigger tank with a water feature, a bunch of plants and down the road 2-4 PDFs. Petco(?) had a special on the ZooMed 18x18x24 tank, so that is what I will be using. So instead of telling what I have done I will show. Any and all ideas, comments, complaints, suggestions are MORE than welcome, as there will be living animals and plants in here. Thanks. I will post as more work gets done.
Idea list
1. Water fall left rear corner, going into a small, shallow pond.
2. Great stuff/coco back and maybe side.
3. Logs going from right side glass to rear and left side glass to right side.(Try to make 'real estate' for future residents.
4. 4-8 pots in the background. for plants.









This is a wet test to ensure the pump and tank are up to snuff.










After drilling the glass, I installed the 1/2" bulkhead. The brass fitting is a 1/2" pipe thread going into a 3/8" barb, installed with teflon tape. The pump/filter is a ZooMed 501. I bought the hole saw from glass-holes.com. The pump/filter is from a LPS.









Water test with prototype false bottom. I still need to notch/drill the stand offs, and trim the bottom so that I can slip it in with the background in place.

Hopefully next week I will get more done.


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## Arizona Tropicals (Feb 15, 2010)

Looks like a good start to a nice project, I look forward to seeing it progress!


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## rubberbandman3291 (Feb 10, 2010)

Update
Finally got around to spending some time with the tank. This week I picked up some Fluker's driftwood for the project. I placed them in the tank and still playing with where I would like them to be. The large piece is very nice, has a couple of knots for placing plants along with a nice arch way. I think I will run a small water fall into a small stream that run through the archway and then into a pond. The other piece of wood I just keep playing with the placement. Trying to do things once. So that's where the projects at. I will keep browsing the forum's for more ideas and information. Thanks for the great site.
Gary



















http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad171/rubberbandman3291/Vivarium/Wood005.jpg


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## rubberbandman3291 (Feb 10, 2010)

Update
Friday I put the waterfall and circulation/drain tube in. I used brown silicone to adhere both into the corner. Also not pictured, the stand offs for the false bottom have been siliconed into place and a half inch elbow for the bulk head installed on the inside. BTW A lot of this is just 'winging it', so if anyone see's something wrong or something they would change, please let me know. 









Pictured is the waterfall and circulation/evac lines siliconed to the corner.


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

That looks like grape wood... someone should have chimed in earlier, but it's not a good wood to use in vivs. It tends to mold up and rot out.


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## rubberbandman3291 (Feb 10, 2010)

Update
I would like to thank Occidentalis for pointing out that I was using grapewood. I went to the Long Island Reptile Show this past weekend and picked up some Mopani wood, a Zoomed 18" light hood, 5.0 CFB, 15 or 25 watt Heat/Light/UVA bulb. Today I siliconed fiberglass screen to my false bottom and great stuffed the tank. Thanks

Gary


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

No problem. I think you'll be much happier with the moopani. Good luck - it's looking great.


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## McBobs (Apr 26, 2007)

Looking real nice and clean! I like how it looks so far! 

Just gotta finish the background and toss in some plants and frogs now.

-Matt


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

Looking good so far.


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## rubberbandman3291 (Feb 10, 2010)

Update
Near finished with siliconing the coco into place. Need a couple of touch ups. I am very happy, as this is the first time I am doing this. Made the false bottom come out as three separate pieces, and made the stream receiving area. Still pondering if I should do another side or half a side. I'm thinking of like wavy vine from the bottom to the top rear. IDK....getting a head of myself...or not. Thanks for the comments. Please feel free to make suggestions.

Gary


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## ashb (Dec 9, 2009)

The false bottom looks good, your first vivarium is looking pretty clean so far!


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## rubberbandman3291 (Feb 10, 2010)

Update....
Been a little while since I posted an update. Stream construction/testing is finished. Made a change to the false bottom. I put down the substrate. It consists of Zilla Jungle mix(Sphagnum/Fir), coco, and charcoal. Picked up some plants from New England Herbetoculture. Mike has some amazing stuff, to say the very least.









Begonia 'Rex', somesort of Ivy(can't recall the name), Neoregelia "Eoz", N. Ampullacea, N. Wee Willy, I believe the other guy in there is some sort of Peperomia(can't recall name)

I also picked up a springtail culture. Waterbeing used is distilled from Pathmart.


















Pic of the stream. The front vent of the enclosure has been siliconed shut, to prevent escape.










I am going to take one of the pups and put it in the background. To fill in a little.

Very excited to see something living in there. 
Thanks all. So where did I screw up...LOL...no seriously. Thanks


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## Froschkoenig (Mar 5, 2010)

What exactly did you use for silicone? You said it was brown. I am only aware of black and clear aquarium safe silicone.


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## rubberbandman3291 (Feb 10, 2010)

GE Silicone II Window/Door/Attic/Basement 100% Silicone. Is that a problem?


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## Reefer420 (Oct 18, 2009)

looks good.. you should remove those broms from the substrate or they will rot, mount them to the background. also add some leaf litter. GE II silcone is fine that's what most of us use.


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## MeiKVR6 (Sep 16, 2008)

rubberbandman3291 said:


> GE Silicone II


That (arguably) is safe. Do a search on dendroboard for silicone types... If you get nervous - try and find an example of someone having issues with GEII involving frogs. 

That's Peperomia clusiifolia, btw. Looks like it's coming together!

edit: Check your PM.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Any updates on this viv?


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## rubberbandman3291 (Feb 10, 2010)

Been a while. A couple of changes and a bunch of problems.

I added a Heart Fern(?). My broms are doing well...loosing a bit of color but the pups are coming in very nice. Took the Zoomed 5.0 CFL out and put a daylight(6500k) cfl in. Should I keep or replace that daylight bulb with the Zoomed 5.0? Should I keep or change the "heat"(zoo med daylight neodymium) bulb with a cfl?

The begonia is not doing well. For lack of better words it is slightley "weeping". Any suggestions? 

I can't seem to keep the humidity up during the day when the leaf littter is in, so I took it out which raised the humidity. I have been using a spot lamp out side(15" away) to help raise temps, because it was a little low this morning.
What are some good heat/humidity numbers?

Made another tank to house some plants.

Any thoughts.

Thanks


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