# FF Proof Exo Terra conversion



## Frognut (Jan 31, 2005)

Just finished some modifications to a new Exo Tera Viv. 








The screen is a stainless steel mesh with a hole size of .0017". It feels like stiff silk. You can use regular scissors to cut it.








I first removed the front screen plate from the Exo Tera. There are 3 clasps that you push in and then lift up. Make sure that the doors are all the way open. I then cut a 1/4" strip of mesh the length of the vent. Run a very fine beed of silicone around all edges, you may need an extra finger to hold it in place.








This is Spooky, She helps with everything :roll: 








I then used a very fine file to remove excess plastic from the door openings, so they would fit tighter.








I then cut black electrical tape the length of the door X 2. Tape the hinge side of the doors wrapping the edge in a U shape. The larger the space in the hinge will determine the amount of excess U you will need.








I then cut 2 pieces of glass to cover the top leaving a 1/2" gap for the vent in the back. Make sure the gap is in front of your background. I then cut a 1" pice of wire mesh and siliconed it in place.








One small step for man One giant leap for frog.


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## MattySF (May 25, 2005)

I've had my eye out for an attractive mod for these tanks. Can we please see a couple of big pics of the tank as a finished product?


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## Frognut (Jan 31, 2005)

Im still testing it out but so far it seems to be FF proof, and the front doesn't fog up so bad (vs. seeling it off completly) I may still need a small fan for air circulation. If anyone else has conversion ideas please post them!


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

The stainless steal mesh rocks... a bit pricy but I use it on all of my tanks. Can I ask where you got it from? Id like to compare prices to my source.


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## Frognut (Jan 31, 2005)

Im glad I found the stainless mesh. It is a bit pricy though I will send you a link. Watch out for slivers!!! Ouch!!! I found out the hard way. A sliver less than half the size of a hair is not fun to get out.


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## Homer (Feb 15, 2004)

kyle1745 said:


> The stainless steal mesh rocks... a bit pricy but I use it on all of my tanks. Can I ask where you got it from? Id like to compare prices to my source.


Why use stainless steel mesh instead of the nylon mosquito netting? The nylon is much cheaper, and every bit as effective . . . although I wouldn't use it for cricket cages.

Another question: why place the screen near the back of the terrarium? I have found that placing the screen over the front glass creates an airflow across the viewing area and prevents fogging. The tanks I have tried with a vent on the back wall just fog up on the front.

Nice modifications, though.


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## JoshKaptur (Feb 17, 2004)

Can both of you please post your source and price for the mesh.


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## Frognut (Jan 31, 2005)

I Like the stainless better due to how ridged it is and its easier to work with, it also allows for more airflow (smaller thread size). I am going to place the screen in the front of my other Exo Tera and compair the difference. 
The link is http://www.mcmaster.com/


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## dmartin72 (Oct 27, 2004)

That is where I get mine!

http://www.mcmaster.com


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2005)

Frognut said:


> I Like the stainless better due to how ridged it is and its easier to work with, it also allows for more airflow (smaller thread size). I am going to place the screen in the front of my other Exo Tera and compair the difference.
> The link is http://www.mcmaster.com/


Does it say on the package who makes it or is it generic packaged by McMaster Carr? I've used them a lot and they repackage items and resell them for quite a bit more than the original company or distributors would. They usually try to conceal the Mfg. however. They are very good at it.

Mac


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## Frognut (Jan 31, 2005)

Mark up is where they get paid for their trouble of first ordering a large quantity, holding it in a warehouse untill someone decides to buy a small pice, repackage the items, and so on. And they have thousands of products. I would much rather pay 2x the sqft price for a small section than spend thousands on a whole roll. If you were to purchase a whole roll what would you ever do with it all?


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2005)

Frognut said:


> Mark up is where they get paid for their trouble of first ordering a large quantity, holding it in a warehouse untill someone decides to buy a small pice, repackage the items, and so on. And they have thousands of products. I would much rather pay 2x the sqft price for a small section than spend thousands on a whole roll. If you were to purchase a whole roll what would you ever do with it all?


Why do you assume that I'd buy a whole roll? 1. You are underestimating their typical mark up quite a bit. 2. I'm a Purchasing Manager at a large company. I R no how tu by stuf. In fact I'd get mine as a free sample! :twisted: 

Mac


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## Frognut (Jan 31, 2005)

I also am in charge of Purchasing for my company. I didnt mean to offend you. I had also thought of the free samples, But didnt want to waste alot of time in reserching who the mfr was.


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2005)

Frognut said:


> I also am in charge of Purchasing for my company. I didnt mean to ofend you. I had also thought of the free samples, But didnt want to waste alot of time in reserching who the mfr was.


Not offended!  I was trying to be funny. Sorry about that. I don't want to research it either... I was just hoping for an easy answer!

Later,
Mac


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## Frognut (Jan 31, 2005)

Mac Are you working on an exotera? If so I would like some input on other ideas for the hindge side of the door

thanks


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2005)

Frognut said:


> Mac Are you working on an exotera? If so I would like some input on other ideas for the hindge side of the door
> 
> thanks


No... I'm messing around with a 10 gal as a test case. I did see an exoterra at my local Petsmart. 49.95 for the 18" cube cause the box is water damaged. Still trying to run that one past the wife as I have 2 10's, a 29 tall, and 2 75's that are empty already. She'll kill me. Thought about them.. but so far, no go.


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## Frognut (Jan 31, 2005)

Here is a link for a sample they charge $8 per sample
http://www.twpinc.com/twp/jsp/product.jsp?type=12&itemId=236&page=sample


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## Guest (Dec 22, 2005)

Thanks for sharing the links. All I found was the second one posted w/ the sample, and they have a $75 min. 

What size mesh is used for fly proofing? 

Thanks again!

EDIT: 


Nevermind, You have it listed in your post. .0017


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## Guest (Dec 22, 2005)

If you dont want to use stainless you can get noseeum screen pretty cheap

54" wide x 5 yards package $20.00

http://www.nettingworld.com/virtual/index.htm


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## Frognut (Jan 31, 2005)

I found that http://www.mcmaster.com/ was the least costly and do not have a minimum. Look under plumbing/woven wire cloth/.0017/type 316 stainless. I think it was about $15sqft. Thats the one I ordered, There are alot of choices so price is dependent on how fine you want it. I dont think that a springtail will fit through the mesh I have.


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## Guest (Jan 12, 2006)

Has anyone found another way of stopping ff and hatchling crickets from escaping through the top mesh of the exo-terras? I cannot get hold of the fine mesh you guys have used anywhere over here in the UK, although if anyone from the UK knows of somewhere with mesh that fine please do let me know. 

I am going to be working with 4 exoterras, possibly 5 in february and would love to find some different ways to make them escape proof. I was wondering if there was maybe some way to keep the front mesh on the top panel as it is to allow for the airflow, but then the back half of the mesh to remove it and replace with glass. Do you think this would work with stopping things getting out? Or do you think that the fruitflies and things could still climb along the silicon seals etc and climb out through the mesh at the top of the exoterra? 

Hope thats clear enough lol... if not I can re-formulate it later when I have some more time, but if I didnt ask now it'd be bugging me all through my psychoanalysis lecture in 15 minutes lol.

Thanks a lot in advance for any responses... especially if someone knows of any of that fine mesh in the UK, so that I can do some similar mods to those in this thread with the front vent etc.


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

Kus, have you tried asking in the UK PDF forum? They might be able to recomend a similar product, or something that at least does the job. If Paul (MJ) can't answer that on here, I'd check out the Dendroworld.co.uk frog forums and ask.


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## Guest (Jan 13, 2006)

Ok cheers, for the hint I'll check... its just I've looked all over and found a tried a few different things but none are good... They've always either been too open or have warped etc.


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## themann42 (Apr 12, 2005)

I just saw my first Exo-Terra's in person and I really want to get a few. Prolly 12x12x18 for some smaller frogs like thumbs, leucs and dwarf tincs. 

Did you ever figure out a better way to seal the sides of those doors? Without re-reading everything you said that the electrical tape slowly peals off because of moisture right? This seems to be the only problem with them. If I can find a good solution I think I'm gonna get some.

Btw I had a hard time doing a search for this topic because you spelled Exo Terra wrong in the title :wink:


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## Frognut (Jan 31, 2005)

Adam
The tape peals a bit but not that bad. I did put the vent in the front of the top in the second one I built and it seems to still fog up a bit. Its either that the vent below the doors isnt big enough or I need to increase the vent size in the top. The next one I bulid will have a 1" vent in the top instead of 1/2"

Scott


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## Darryl (Dec 2, 2005)

Kus I am based in the UK. I have used both of these Co. for projects other than dartfrogs, but they both produce a range of different mesh sizes.
Try them for some samples...  

http://www.wiremesh.co.uk/cloth2.htm

http://www.wirecloth.uk.com/speciality.html


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

For my hinges, I siliconed a piece of bridal veil (the mosquito net looking stuff) from a craft store to one side to the door, the other to the wall, do this while the door is open. Also before you glue, mark where the glass ends up meeting when it is closed, put no glue there or the door will not be able to close all the way. If you take you're time doing this, when you are done, the mod is not noticable unless you look at it.
Works good...


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## themann42 (Apr 12, 2005)

i use black bridal veil netting too, works great. i'm sure crickets could eat right through it though. it's rediculously cheap. i think i payed like 47 cents for my last tank lol.


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## Guest (Jan 29, 2006)

I was thinking of a way to seal the doors on these before I got mine,(and didn't have to...  ), But I was going to put tape on the inside of the door as a stopper. Then use clear silicone and fill the gap all the way down the door. Let it dry , then cut the silicone along the sides of the viv with a razer blade all the way through. I don't know how this would have worked out, but I think giving it a shot would be worth the try, if you have a gap that needs sealed.
Just an untested idea, but let me know how it worked out, if any one tries/tried it. :wink:


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## Guest (Jun 6, 2006)

Hi everyone!!! I modified a large exo terra and just wanted to share with everyone what i did... as far as the hinge goes, take some clear siliconeII and run a line down the entire length of the hinge (from the inside with the door closed) now open the door - this spreads the silicone out a bit so the crack is filled in but allows for the door to be opened and closed easily. use a razor blade to trim any excess and you're done. The great thing about silicone is you can remove it if you messed up!


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## MattySF (May 25, 2005)

I will need to modify the right side of mine. Would you be able to post a picture of what you have done?


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## sierraaquarium (Mar 4, 2006)

Anyone have pictures to show yet?? I'm a visual person and I'm lost when reading this stuff to make exo-terra's fly proof.


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## mystah (Jul 17, 2006)

*thanks for the mod help*

I have an exoterra as well and appreciated that someone posted their modifications


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## Frognut (Jan 31, 2005)

Any other modifications done with these?


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

Rad3Dad said:


> Thanks for sharing the links. All I found was the second one posted w/ the sample, and they have a $75 min.
> 
> What size mesh is used for fly proofing?
> 
> ...


The last stuff I ordered, I went with 32x32 count, which has .025" holes.

I tested it by putting a good amount of end of culture (smaller) wingless melagonaster and simulans in a container, covered it with the screen, put that container in a ff culture container with fly bait (beer) and not one fly wiggled through.

The first stuff I ordered was a little finer (I think 40x40), and doesn't really seem to exchange much, unless there is a gentle breeze blowing accross it, which can actually be an asset, if you wanted to rig a fan to a thermostat, timer, etc.


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## Frognut (Jan 31, 2005)

Hey Brian!

The mesh I used is a bit fine and should be replaced with something more corse. Thanks for going through the trouble with the test. 

there is a small gap under where the front vent fits. I dont want to silicone it in. I would never get the thing back out again. has anyone came up with any ideas? Also the latches on the top are where I see the most FF escapes. I just electric taped around the seems of the whole top.


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## mystah (Jul 17, 2006)

*My Mods ti exoterra 18x18x18*

As far as my mods go

I just used a clear silicone to go around all edges of the doors then closed the doors and let it dry for a couple of days. I then Cut the silicone using a sharp thin knife...worked well

as for the vent at the bottom below the door
I cut a srtip of "NYLON" for old girlfriends stockings. and used hot glue to attach it to the black vent

the top screen
I simply used a clear piece of plastic the kind you'd see in a photo album covering or protecting pictures i cut it to the approprate size and taped it to the outside mesh...my tank is consistantly above 90% humidity even after I have not misted for several days

everything works like a charm


Jeff


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