# Exo Terra Doors vs Fruit Flies



## npaull (May 8, 2005)

Hey everyone,

For those who have them, how do the exo terra tanks' doors do against fruit flies? Are the seams pretty tight?

Thanks for the info.


----------



## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Normally the doors are fine, and rarely need a touch of silicone to help seal them a bit. The lower edge needs some anti fly work and have heard of using fish filter.


----------



## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

I have hardly any escaped flies since switching from Hydei to Melas.
The Hydei would start climbing the minute they hit the substrate, I would find them everywhere except in the damn viv.
No escapes with the Melas.

John


----------



## Lance (Sep 8, 2008)

The largest area where the flies get out is on the bottom right where the door meets the black ventand the left and right sides of the glass. The door is made to move so if you look right where that hing is and the glass on the sides you'll see a hole just enough for a FF to dance through. Im still trying to figure out how to completely FF proof an exo with the least amount of work and prep work but with each one I do I find a new way to proof it.


----------



## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Here is what I do but I am not completely worried about FFs in the basement:


Replace top with glass and better screen
Seal any sizable gaps with Silicone
When I build some for uptairs I will do some more to the bottom vent.


----------



## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

You can see some of the new tanks here:
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/47392-exo-terra-6.html


----------



## D3monic (Feb 8, 2010)

Cover the Vent with 200 micron mesh or something?..only prob is mesh is usually white. Not sure if cross stitch material would be small enough to keep a FF in. I got some of that in black.


----------



## D3monic (Feb 8, 2010)

Kyle looking at your vivs...where did you get those tops? Did you make that? Looks alot better that what I was planning in my head.


----------



## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Yes I made them. Had glass cut, then purchased stainless steal mesh and put it into window frame. Then siliconed it all into place.

So far it is working well, and I have more tanks I am about to start after I get more glass cut.


----------



## Arrynia (Dec 27, 2009)

I recently finished my exo and was faced with an issue where the left door was placed in the frame off-centered which left me with a larger crack at the bottom where the doors meet and a larger crack at the top of the door where the hinge is. Someone here on the boards advise me to use silicone air tubing (the tube used for aquarium air pumps). I picked up some from my local pet shop and cut 3 pieces long enough to fit the doors. Next i simply cut a slit in them and slipped them over the edges of the doors (only one is needed for the middle). This worked great and completely sealed all of the cracks. I also covered the screen mesh on the top with clear overhead projector sheets. For the front vent, I removed the inside cover and stuffed pieces of black trash bag that I cut out, then placed the cover back on.


----------



## npaull (May 8, 2005)

Thanks for the replies guys. Sounds good.


----------

