# Large custom plywood vivarium, a few questions from a newbie



## Guest (Jul 12, 2006)

Hello everyone! My name is Mike and I've been reading and researching posts for a few weeks and now I have a few questions. I'm making a large terrarium out of oak plywood (30" tall x 17" deep x 42" long). I'm planning on coating the inside with fiberglass resin (the two part resin, epoxy hardener type) to waterproof it. I plan on making at least one water feature that would incorperate a waterfall and a stream that empties into a small pool. 

Ok, so here are a few questions. First, is using fiberglass resin the best way to water proof it? My father and I have made aquariums this way, so I thought it made logical sence in a terrarium too. 
Second, I've read a lot about different concrete primers (such as flevopol). Would you guys recomed this for a running water feature and how would you recomend to shape it into the desired contours?
Third, I've been looking at lighting, and have decided on using compact florescents. I'm making a wooden hood similar to those shown on the A.H. Supply website: http://www.ahsupply.com/finished_enclosures.htm
Can I run the screw in type compact floresennt bulbs in this enclosure, or will they get too hot and pose a fire hazard? If I use these type of bulbs, how tall should the light hood be? How much light should I use for a vivarium of this size?

Sorry for the really long post, but I really want to get this terrarium to be as nice on the inside as it is on the outside. Any other hints that you veterans can give a begining tropical vivarium maker would be greatly apreciated, as would any helpful links to websites that talk about DIY vivarium projects as well as links to vivariums that are underconstruction, as well as final products to get some more ideas. Thanks a ton in advance!

Mike


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

Epoxy is a really good idea for water proofing the inside. I'm going to say it's a safe bet that anything that you read here about making plywood tanks was first done with aquariums. 

Once cured, the concrete binder is, from my limited testing, water proof. I have a water feature to build this weekend and I'll be using hydraulic cement mixed with some other stuff to create the stream bed. Many people have used silicone to seal a GS stream bed, and for what ever reason, they've have problems with it not working. 

I'm going to stick my neck out and take a guess that since wood is the primary ingredient in paper, that the temp at which wood begins to burn is 451F. Now there are some assumptioins in there, but what it says is that you need to get it really hot to burn it. There are ways of reducing the hazard like metal heat sheilds, vents, fans, and so on, but it seems pretty inefficient to use screw in CFs for this application. A 30" tall tank is going to need double the ammount of light as a 15" tall tank to acheive the same illumination at the surface of the substrate. 

Exactly where are you at in the Dayton/Columbus area? I'm always trying to network with people in the area.


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## Guest (Jul 12, 2006)

Thanks for the reply. What other stuff do you use for the water feature? Do you mean like putting river rocks into the cement to give it a natural look, or another concrete material?I thought I read someting about concrete raising the pH of the water. Is this a problem? 

I was thinking of putting 3 or 4 of the screw in type compact floresents in the 55-65watt range and monting a refector over them. Would this make sence, and if not, what would you recomend?

I live in Oakwood when I'm at home (in Dayton) and live in Bradley Hall (12th avenue) on Ohio State's campus in Columbus.

Thanks!

Mike


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

From what I've gathered from recent conversations, pH is only a problem as the cement cures. This is a big deal if you're working with thick layers of cement, like rocks for aquariums. I'm going to be using a thin layer of cement, around 1/2", for the stream bed. The current though is to comdine rock, cement, peat, and charcoal (for black color) for this stream bed and see what happens. Most of the time, I make stuff up as I go along, so I'm not sure what will end up in the tank. I'll have to do some tests and see what I think and go from there. 

I'm not a light junky, so I really can't be sure about this, but even four 100w equivelant screw in CFs are going to be way too little for a tank of that height. For my tanks, I do everything I can to keep it simple and work around standard flourescent light sizes. Usually four-six 40w, 4' lights for however many tanks I can fit under them, like a 75g tank or tanks that fit on a 4' wire rack. 

Very cool, my aunt lives in Oakwood. I currently live North of campus on the weekend, between Summit and Indianola near Maynard, and in Troy during the week.


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## Homer (Feb 15, 2004)

If you have had luck with using the fiberglass resin on fish aquaria, it should be fine for a terrarium, as defaced pointed out. He's got some nice construction pics going on around here somewhere.

I never had luck with fiberglass resin, as it always had pinhole leaks from bubbles curing in the resin. I finally had to coat with marine epoxy. My last few tanks were just painted with 3-4 coats of epoxy paint over the plywood.

Keep us posted on how things progress. It sounds like you have some good experience to build upon.


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

Here's the journal if you haven't seen it. It'll be getting a massive update tonight. I'm getting ready to head out and get the power supply for the fans. So this update will include everything -fans, misting, background, plants, everything- except the doors and the top. Glass should be ready for me to pick up at the end of this week. 

http://www.dendroboard.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=16569


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## Guest (Jul 12, 2006)

sounds like Mike is helping you out pretty good here. 

id like to chime in on lighting though. the spiral compacts are great for smaller tanks, but *i dont know* how efficient they are for taller tanks. the higher wattage ones have a wierd shape to them. it looks like to me they need to be mounted vertically (with the socket on the top) and wont really be effective of you mount them on their side. this makes efficiency a problem, because the only way to reflect them, is with a cone shape (like a clamp lamp). this makes space an issue because of height. they take up about 6 more inches that a conventional CF. with standard CFs you can get them within a few inches of the top of the tank with a regular reflector and have a pretty low profile hood/canopy. with the screw ins youll prolly need something in the 10" tall (guestimation) range.

FWIW, i am kicking around the idea of using these when i reset up my 110. its 48x18x30 tall, and i was thinking of running 12 of these lamps, or running 6 combined with 2 or 4 conventional style 65w CFs. i dont know what i will end up doing, but i really like the idea of using these lights. ive now seen them up to 40w and i love the fact that i can build a high wattage set up (with bulbs) for way cheaper than standard CF or HO lighting. 

the other reason i really like the idea of so many bulbs is the fact that i can get some thing really realistic going on as far as sunrise and sunset. if i run 12 bulbs there will prolly only be a few hours a day that all are on at the same time. i can cycle the rest on and off in pairs and get the cycle i want.


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