# first build 47g cube



## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

I have been admiring all of the vivariums on the site and decided to make one of my own. I first found this site while looking for ideas for a 5g vivarium, but after seeing the pdfs I decided to make a tank large enough to hold several. Today while at the pet store looking for an exo terra 18x18x24, I found this 47 gallon tank with stand for the same price as the exo terra. I plan on making a false bottom and back made from great foam, as well as a water feature. Here are my initial pictures of the tank, and I will add more when I make some progress. Wish me luck, and any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks Derrick


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## Vinicam (Sep 13, 2008)

Cool tank, but gonna be hard to work without a front door!


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

I know, I am already looking for a set of steps so I can reach inside. It is about 30 inches deep, so after I make about a 4 inch false bottom I should be able to reach the bottom ok (while standing on steps). I am excited about it being a deep tank though other than that.


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## jdart16 (Jun 5, 2008)

Have the same tank a very fun size to work with!

Working on it does pose a challenge though...

Justin


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

Jdart16, have you got any pictures of how you have your tank set up? I'd love to see what someone else had done with a tank with these dimensions.


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

i like that look! do they make bigger ones?


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## loogielv (Nov 28, 2008)

this is gonna be sweet. I love the look of long slender tanks like that where there's no front door. the only way to fly..or frog...i guess


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## clwatkins10 (Nov 15, 2008)

I'm lookin' forward to the build


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## jdart16 (Jun 5, 2008)

Heres mine I don't like how the floor turned out so I'll most likely change that.




























There you go

Justin


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

pretty nice!! can you post some larger pics?


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## jdart16 (Jun 5, 2008)

If that is directed towards me I can work on that tomorrow if not...oops

Justin


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

I would love to see bigger pictures of your tank also jdart. I am trying to find the flora for my tank now. I saw some stuff I really like at t and c terrariums. Does anyone have any ideas.


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## jdart16 (Jun 5, 2008)

You could always get plants from me

Here are the bigger pics

























Justin


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

Does the light fixture in this link look ok? it is a 65w 6500k flourescent bulb in it.

EFI's Store for Lights of America | LOA Fluorex™ Flood Light


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## carbonetc (Oct 13, 2008)

The Fluorex is what I'm going to use on my viv.


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

I found the flourex light with the 65w bulb at home depot for $43, and I am planning on starting to create my vivarium. I bought the eggcrate, a couple of cans of gs foam and 2 tubes of black silicon. I am planning on making a false bottom then cover it with the screen, and then i got a few bags of the clay balls and an orchid mix that is mostly bark. I bought a small bromeliad some moss and a staghorn fern as well as a couple of small orchids and mounted them on cork. I also plan on setting up a water feature using tubing and a minijet powerhead. 

I am trying to decide what inhabitants I want to get for the tank. I am torn between tincs, and imitators, but haven't decided anything yet. I want active, bold darts, and the tank has a small footprint, but is 30 inches tall. This seems from what i have read to suit the imitators more than the tincs.

I would appreciate anyones input and opinions. I am not planning on getting the darts until January, in Atlanta at show, but I hope to research the species I am going to get extensively before then. Although these are my first darts, I have a background in biology and I am in the process of finishing up my masters degree. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

With a small footprint like that, you'd be much better off with the imi's. You could a fair sized group of 4-6 in there comfortably.


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

OK, so I have ordered some more plants for my terrarium. I am listing them below.

Neoregelia lilliputiana X fireball
Neoregelia 'Red Waif '
Neoregelia 'Fireball'
Pilea microphylla (Artillery Plant)
vriesea fosteriana var. seideliana
p. green star (jewel orchid)
enc. tanpensis var. alba
bc. maikai "louise" am/aos
club moss "gold" selaginella kraussiana
and a small staghorn fern

any other suggestions


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## McBobs (Apr 26, 2007)

I highly suggest going with the imitators. With the dimensions of the tank, it will suit them much better than the tincs because of all the height. I have a 37 column that i'm 90% finished with. I'll post some pictures when i'm done. The only thing that i dont like about the column is that the footprint is an awkward size when it comes to lighting it. Either everything is too big to fit on top without hanging over, or its all too small and doesnt give good enough coverage. Anyways, tomorrow is payday and i'll be hitting up Home Depot to check out the fluorex light. Right now, i just have two CFL dome lights that are sub-par IMO. Anyways, good luck with your project and keep us informed! 

-Matt


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

Ok, Here is an update with some pictures. I siliconed the back of my tank and it has been curing for 36 hours. I started making a background from eggcrate. The right rear will give access to the pump for my water feature, and the diagonal piece going from that to the center will be the top half of the drip wall. It will have a piece of slate on it, and there will be another piece of slate going from a small pond down to the right floor where I plan on cutting out another pond in the 4 inch false floor. Any input will be appreciated.


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

It's looking good so far!

Any updates on this at all?


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

I got my plants that I ordered from t and c terrariums today! Here are some pictures of them. I can't wait to finish the tank so that I can put them in.


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

I also got off work early and spent the afternoon working on my background. It was my first time with great stuf, and let me tell you, it wasn't as easy as all of you make it look with your backgrounds on here. Anyways, here are some pictures of my efforts so far.


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## clwatkins10 (Nov 15, 2008)

Nice! I love all the little platforms!


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

Here are some update pictures of what I did this morning. I finished the gf last night, and carved out excess. I also went ahead and siliconed the water feature area. I am drying out the coco fiber and soil. and planning on applying it in a little while. Let me know what you think


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## clwatkins10 (Nov 15, 2008)

Awesome waterfall! Stick the coir in the oven at 350 for 30 mins if you want it to dry faster


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

Well, I am over half way done with the silicone and coir, so I thought I would add some more pictures before I go out and finish the job. I bought a few pieces of slate the other day and have chipped them into thinner pieces to lay into the waterfall. I am planning on placing some small stones in the pool half way down the waterfall to keep the water there very shallow, and I plan on doing the same with the pool I am going to cut out in the false bottom.


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## clwatkins10 (Nov 15, 2008)

Wow, I really like the little planting areas. This is really shaping up to be great!


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

Well, today after work I put the screen on the false bottom, and then added the slate to the water feature. I added some more gs foam to the sides of the slate so to hold the water on course. Tomorrow I hope to put in the false bottom and work on securing the back to the tank. I bought some of the small sticky backs that you run tie wraps through, and was planning on sticking them to the back of the background and using that to hold it there while I silicone the sides. Here are a bunch of pictures of what I got done today.


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

Well, it looks like I am finally on the home stretch. I got tested the water feature, then put the background in the tank. I haven't added the plants, or finished the substrate, but need to find someone to help me carry it in the house first. I used half inch pvc to make a canopy for the 65w lights of america fixture. I have added a bunch of pictures to show what it looks like now. Any comments or suggestions?


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## gold3nku5h (Jul 24, 2008)

Thats so cool that you got a silver squill.* Do you know the scientific name for that?* I have two varieties that i've gotten now, and couldn't ever figure out what they were called.* I remembered they both started with s but couldn't remember.* I love them because they look like miniature banana plants, and pup just like them.* They seem to be pretty quick growers, and i feel like they wont mind one bit being in a humid terrarium.* Let me know how it goes.* I have a short squat one with a base about the size of a quarter or half dollar, then another thats the kind like yours.


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

I got the tank up to my room tonight, and put the plants in it. here are some pics. What do you think about my ideas for arranging the plants? I am adding the substrate tomorrow, but not sure exactly what mix I will use. I have sphaghnum, orchid bark mix, and coco fiber. what do you all suggest? I have 2 small leaks under the pool that is suspended that drip drip, and I was thinking of not fixing them, and just putting a few river rocks under them instead of substrate. I am going to have to get a fan hooked up somehow. it hasn't been hooked up 22 hours and all glass is fogged up. Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I know I keep putting up a lot of pictures, but I am doing so in the hopes of getting some input from others here. Thanks to those who have commented so far.


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

Ok! I planted the terrarium, and I am going to add a load of pictures of it. I'm pleased with how it turned out. Now if I can just keep the plants alive I will be fine. I added a nice computer fan that I got for $5.95 from coolerguys.com and wired it to an old ac adapter from a printer that happened to have the same voltage. I hope that it will keep the condensation off of the glass. I have about 4 inches of water under the false bottom, and a 50w aquarium heater in there set to 74 degrees. I wasn't sure if that was enough to keep the temperature up at night when the lights go off, but this morning the temperature read 74. I have ordered a thermometer/hydrometer that should be here in a couple of days so I will be able to get an idea of the humidity level. I had a couple of drip leaks under the suspended pool, and thought of taking it out and patching it, but decided to just use pebbles as substrate under thepool and make a sort of cave and plant the moss under there. We'll see if it lives. When I unpotted the jewel orchid there were 2 more small ones in it so I spread them around the tank. I love the way the leaves look on them. Hopefully I will get some feedback from you guys, because it seems like I am the only one posting on this thread. Any advice would be appreciated.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Very nice. Love the tiered effect. I use it as well.

Keep in mind whatever species you put in there is going to be hard to service and remove....DEEP tank, no doors.....


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

Believe Phil I know! I had a heck of a time getting everything in there in the first place. I can forsee some major headaches in the future with this tank.


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## nanoviver (Nov 30, 2008)

Just an update, I got a thermometer/hygrometer, and the temp is staying between 69 and 75 degrees F in the tank, and the humidity is staying between 80 and 92 percent also, so I think that I am in good shape.


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