# Score! 1960's Vintage Terrarium



## Dragonfish (Mar 23, 2012)

So yesterday I was browsing craigslist like I do every few days looking for a good deal on an aquarium. I searched my local ads for the word terrarium and expected to get 0 results like usual. To my surprise a guy a few blocks away was selling a vintage 33 gallon chrome aquarium for $5!!! Yes, $5!!!! I snatched that thing up as soon as I got home and it's in surprising good shape. Some previous owner had replaced the slate bottom with glass and resealed the whole thing. There is some surface rust on the chrome (stainless steel?) but that will clean up easy. 

So on to the challenges! First the tank has no lip around the top so I'll have to make a lid that sits right on top. It came with a galvanized top with a screen but it's really dull and I'd like something nicer looking. If nothing else I'll replace the screen with glass and paint the frame black. Also any ideas how to design the top (door, vents etc...) The tank dimensions are 36" x 20" x 12". I'm going to have an internal fan and a fogger but no auto misting. 

Second, I want a nice background on this one but due to the 12" depth it has to be slim. I considered a cork mosiac but I would like some live moss growing between the cork. How would I pull that off?

Here's a pre-cleaning pic for now.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Pic isn't working for me. In any case, nice score, I've always liked those tanks. For a back ground, I've done the cork mosaic with clay between instead of sphagnum. It grew moss very well.


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## Dragonfish (Mar 23, 2012)

Weird, shows up for me. Let me try again.


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

so how are you going to "clean" the foggy glass....'cause I have the same issue.....


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## Dragonfish (Mar 23, 2012)

Vinegar and a brand new razor blade work very well and frog safe.


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## radiata (Jul 24, 2010)

Woo Hoo Dragonfish!

Does that classify as a genuine *antique* tank?

50 year-old cars qualify for cheap "Historic License Plates" here in NJ...


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## usctom (Mar 30, 2013)

I love those old tanks. They were so heavy especially with the slate bottom.


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## Dragonfish (Mar 23, 2012)

Believe it or not, this tank is actually now in progress. I have finished the stand and the egg crate false bottom with a drain tube. I'm working on the background using cork bark and will be filling in the gaps with Josh's Frogs moss (I picked up a huge bag of it cheap at NARBC). Here's where I'm a little stuck. 

The tank is 36" x 12" and the top of the tank has no "lip" for a top to sit on. It can only sit right on top of the stainless steel rim. I'm trying to figure out the best configuration/materials but also how to attach it to the tank? I was thinking the simplest would be three sections 12" x 12" with the center being hinged on one of the other two, and attaching the outer two panels with silicone to the tank trim. The part I don't like about that is I have to take my lights off the tank every time I want to open the top. I also want the opening big enough for me to reach all parts of the tank for maintenance. Now, no hurry as I'll just use saran at first when it's just got plants in it. 

So any ideas?


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Cool, I think eventually I'm going to get one of these...








Terrariums/Planters: Eames Era Panton Base


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## Dragonfish (Mar 23, 2012)

That cool, I've never seen something like that before!

It's just occurred to me that I also have the original screen top it came with. The metal is an ugly tin but if I paint it to match the stand it would look okay, and I could put glass over the screen, leaving a small gap for a vent. I think I can live with that, but I'll still have to open the whole thing every time I feed.


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## Dragonfish (Mar 23, 2012)

I took a closer look at the screen cover last night and it's almost complete garbage. The frame is flimsy and the screen is so course FF's could escape by the dozens. Back to the drawing board.


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## Trickishleaf (Jun 29, 2012)

I have one of these as well. Subscribed and looking forward to progress. I broke mine down, but it did look nice for a while!


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

Cover the steel rim with a smooth layer of silicone, once that cures, rest the glass on top and measure a line on the glass JUST INSIDE the frame and put a bead of silicone on it. It'll stop the glass from sliding off, and is easy to take off.


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## Dragonfish (Mar 23, 2012)

Progress! Built an egg crate drainage layer and cork bark mosaic background, got the substrate in and seeded with iso's and springs. I picked up that driftwood at an LFS and sterilized the hell out of it (boiling water, baked and exorcised) then mounted some Josh's frogs sheet moss, tilandsia's and Pilea 'Jobe's Tears'. The right side cork piece is a big half round that I filled with dirt and planted a Creeping Fig "oak leaf" in, hoping it will trail down. Got some leaf litter in but I still have some space on both far ends that I want to grow some moss and a spikemoss on. There is one cutting I just don't know what to do with, a Peperomia Japonica. For now I have it laying against the spag that is stuffed in the cork wall. I'm hoping it will grow up it but I really don't know how to accomplish it. 

Lastly I picked up a Current Satellite LED Plus and I love it! Puts out a lot of light and the dynamic light modes are fun to play with. Vid included!


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## Trickishleaf (Jun 29, 2012)

Looks good!


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## Dragonfish (Mar 23, 2012)

The Philodendron scandens leaves are yellowing. I have it on the floor on the right side, it doesn't get directly misted but the tank is very high humidity. I have a fan for circulation, but it's not installed yet. The other plants look nice and green. Any idea what it could be? location? Moisture? Light?


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## fullmonti (May 10, 2013)

When I was in high school I had tanks just like that. When you first filled them the black putty between the frame & glass would squeeze out for a long time. I have wondered in the passed if there were any of them still around. 

In keeping with its time, groovy man!


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## Dragonfish (Mar 23, 2012)

I added some broms, a fern and an unknown that might be some kind of orchid? It's on the back ground right over the coco hut. Also the new occupants finally got to move in and explore! They look a bit skinny to me, but they are eating well and very bold!


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## Dragonfish (Mar 23, 2012)

Any suggestions on plants I can use to fill out the substrate some more? I like ferns and begonias, but I don't know what pants to get that will do well and not grow out of control.


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## Dragonfish (Mar 23, 2012)

I heard calling for the first time last night!


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Those frogs look really skinny to me. Did you qt them and run fecals before putting them in there?


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## Dragonfish (Mar 23, 2012)

I thought the same when I got them. Based on the state of the viv I got with them (everything was saturated with water and algae growth everywhere) I'd say they hadn't been getting proper care previous to me purchasing them. I got them from a member of this forum who had been selling their offspring here too so I trusted them to be healthy. I am encouraged by their behavior since I got them and they have already put on some notable weight and they are constantly hunting springs and flies. I did not quarantine them as this tank will only ever contain this trio. 

I haven't had fecals run yet but plan to once they put on a bit more weight.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

Your viv has a layout that I like! Do you have an internal fan?


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

What kind of wood is that?


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## Dragonfish (Mar 23, 2012)

I do have a fan, but have not installed it yet. I prefer squirrel cage fans. I'll post an update when I get it installed. 

To be honest, I don't know what kind of wood it is. I found it in my local pet store. I do know it's old! The board it was mounted to was totally rotted and the nails were all rusty. Of course I removed all that before putting it in the viv. Over the last couple days mushrooms have been sprouting from it too, really cool.


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