# 12x12x18 Exo Terra Vivarium Build Log (Picture Heavy)



## Teckdragon (Apr 9, 2011)

Here it is, all finished! For those of you who are antsy scroll down to the bottom and see the final result, or take your time and read the log. I know it's not as technical or as fancy as what's been posted before, but I'm sure you all can at least appreciate the work put into it. Either way, I'm very happy with the end result.










This was the old frog tank. A little run down. That's a peace lily which had gotten a bit overgrown.









Emptied and cleaned.









Various accents I had lined up to incorporate into the background.









The silicone wouldn't stick properly, so I just ended up propping the wood against the glass and foaming in from there.









First layer of foam. Still wet.









Foam expanded WAY more than expected. Took me several hours to trim off the excess. Also had to re-bore out a hole in the resin "root" that I was planning on using as a planter.









Added 3rd planter.









Applying the coco fiber to the background took me forever. Had to go very slowly and then do lots of touch-ups over the next few days.









First look at my finished background.









The foam shrank way more than I was expecting. I was really worried about it coming dislodged. 









I shot an extra bit of foam into the cavity for support. Then trimmed & re-siliconed the excess.









Final result profile view. I didn't paint the sides or back because from where I'm keeping it, no one would be able to see it.









Trimmed with a razor and wiped down the glass.









All the possible plants I had to use. All were purchased from Black Jungle Terrarium Supply, New England Herpoculture, or my local Lowes.









Moss for humidity. Cheaper than live moss, considering the size of my tank.









Expanded clay balls for drainage layer.









First layer.









Mesh screen laid to prevent second layer from seeping into bottom.









My soil mixture. Composite Coco fiber, peat moss, sphagnum moss, fir, and trace amounts of other organic materials.









Moss.









All planted!









From bottom left: Cattleya Orchid, Bromeliad (Neoregelia gorrion), Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila), Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), Baby Rubber Plant (Peperomia obtusifolia), Lemon Button Fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia 'duffii').









Fern and some species of Neoregelia.









aby Rubber Plant (Peperomia obtusifolia) in center.









Neoregelia bromeliad.









Lemon Button Fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia 'duffii') plus stump looking dish. Probably use this for cricket food (to keep them from eating all my new plants).









Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila) in the background.









Aerial view.









Back in its old spot next to my (hopeful) future chondro tank!





























These were my leftover plants. Sadly I just didn't have room for them. The back right one is actually a carnivorous pitcher plant which I will certainly find a use for.









The middle one is a very small Neoregelia that I'm going to try and get to grow. The very front one is an arthurium that I would have loved to use, but it was incredibly small so I decided to try the orchid instead.


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## Dartfrogfreak (Jun 22, 2005)

Id redo alot of that honestly.

for one. the flowered Vriesia rarely do well in vivs.
the Neoregelia is shaded way too much and thats a very high light plant.
the Pothos you have in there is eventually going to get way too big and you wont have roomn to enjoy it growing. It will eventually be wout of balance with the viv.
The orchid planted on the bottom will most likely rot out.. they dont like having their roots wet constantly(You would have to let this tank get bone dry between waters for that to even possibly work long term)

The plants you left out of the viv are honestly probably going to be much better choices for your tank.


Todd


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

Dartfrogfreak said:


> Id redo alot of that honestly.
> 
> for one. the flowered Vriesia rarely do well in vivs.
> the Neoregelia is shaded way too much and thats a very high light plant.
> ...


I agree with all of this. I know it sounds a little harsh but most of the plants you chose aren't the best viv plants IMO. Also planting more lightly in the beginning will look much nicer in the long run IME.


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## Teckdragon (Apr 9, 2011)

'Twas my first one, so the info is appreciated. Good thing I have the other plants on retainer should anything go south.


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## Dartfrogfreak (Jun 22, 2005)

Ill also add.... that Sarracenia (Looks like S. purpurea possibly) is an outdoor plant!!! It WIL NOT do well in a viv long term .. it needs a winter dormancy since it ranges the whole way to eastern Canada!


Todd


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