# Scrap vivarium



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

This is what I started with









And a broken window screen, more to come....


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

Did this last night


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

Oh here is a pic of the cutter I used








And this is an old exit sign I converted for lights


----------



## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

Edhurl said:


> Oh here is a pic of the cutter I used
> 
> 
> 
> ...


this is an awesome idea lol
So all Exit signs are like this or just the old ones?


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

Pretty sure hou cant buy them, new ones we buy at work are led or candlebra base, I just love the fact that im doing this with "garbage" cause thats where this stuff was going


----------



## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

Edhurl said:


> Pretty sure hou cant buy them, new ones we buy at work are led or candlebra base, I just love the fact that im doing this with "garbage" cause thats where this stuff was going


yeah I love to freecycle and I was thinking about checking out a scrap yard or something for some old exit signs like that.
I figured they didn't make them like that anymore.
I use Annie Chung noodle bowls for my cultures lol and I try to use anything I can instead of throwing it away. 
Before I go to throw something away I ask myself can this be used for anything.
I hate throwing stuff away lol so I recycle as much as possible


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)




----------



## rsain (Nov 5, 2011)

Looks good!

- ryan


----------



## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

Edhurl said:


>


haha you used a knob for the pull.
I like your style man 

what are you using for the top of the door for the latches to catch?
looks almost like a corner strip or something used to slide on the end of paneling


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

Top part is silicone, made just like the living hinge, so tight of a fit dont really need the latch, but defniatly need the "knob" lol.


----------



## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

Edhurl said:


> Top part is silicone, made just like the living hinge, so tight of a fit dont really need the latch, but defniatly need the "knob" lol.


so you made it yourself with silicone or it is made out of the same material as the living hinge


----------



## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

no, a lot of people make living hinges out of silicone
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/20402-silicone-living-hinge-how.html


----------



## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

motydesign said:


> no, a lot of people make living hinges out of silicone
> http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/20402-silicone-living-hinge-how.html


lol um the pics on that thread don't show up 

like this > http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/57871-custom-silicone-hinged-glass-top.html


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

Yup thats it


----------



## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

yeah I tried that haha but it didn't work too well so I decided to make a lip on the inside where the top of the rests to seal mine up good.
I kind used the same method with the tape tho.
I want to try this design you have tho cause I like the use of the window screen latches.

Can't wait to see more of this viv


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

So, ran into a small problem I had gaps where the door butted up, I tied making a gasket by running silicone on the door and putting electric tape on the tank, let dry while butted up and pull tape. Still had some gaps, so I get fustrated and just siliconed it shut......and then today I cut it so it could open and voila nice, tight seal


----------



## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

Edhurl said:


> So, ran into a small problem I had gaps where the door butted up, I tied making a gasket by running silicone on the door and putting electric tape on the tank, let dry while butted up and pull tape. Still had some gaps, so I get fustrated and just siliconed it shut......and then today I cut it so it could open and voila nice, tight seal


yeah I was gonna try this but I was like well I don't wanna chance my viv not opening back up haha....this is what I came up with...
I just put tape on the back of the vent and just keep laying silicone till I got it to where the glass touched and then added a couple more layers and then smoothed it out real good and now I have a silicone lip and the top is sealed 









as you can see in this pic it is a nice fit and you can see my pull....it is just a marble I spray painted black and siliconed it on there 









not trying to hijack or anything just wanted to show ya my silicone lip design lol. 

I can't wait to see more of your build


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

tha flash makes it look bad


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

planning on putting a Hawaiian umbrella plant schefflera arboricola
on the left side of the cliff and pinch it to keep it small and let the roots go crazy on the side of the cliff, ill put moss at the bottom of the cliff, behind the cliff will be filled with media and ill prabably throw in a brom or two and some othe misc plants


----------



## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Great thread! Looking forward to seeing it planted


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

forgot to add these, put these befor the last set of pics, lol
















these were put in for some structure


----------



## bristles (Jan 19, 2011)

Is that clay in the previous pics ? what's your recipe ? you have some cool stuff going  given that you haven't even got your first frogs under your roof LOL


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

1 red bag kitty litter, one coco brick, water and alot of muscle to mix it, works pretty good, no frogs going in this one for a few months, now my 37 is getin some at the end of the month


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Ed, for your next door gasket. Wrap your door with waxed paper. Lay in a nice bead of silicone around the lip in question. Close the door. Wait 24 hours. Carefully slice away enough of the waxed paper so that you can open the door. Peel off the waxed paper and Walla! You have a perfect gasket.


----------



## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

Pumilo said:


> Ed, for your next door gasket. Wrap your door with waxed paper. Lay in a nice bead of silicone around the lip in question. Close the door. Wait 24 hours. Carefully slice away enough of the waxed paper so that you can open the door. Peel off the waxed paper and Walla! You have a perfect gasket.


kinda what I did with mine but I used Grimm's electrical tape idea.
I have wondered about wax paper. thanks for the info I know you was talking to Ed but I learned from it as well lol


----------



## Andy_Panda (Dec 5, 2011)

its looking great and really neat that you are using scrap parts for it showes more style , creativity, and saves the use of landfills


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

much better with the light fixture on


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

and mostly planted, cant wait for my "tree" to root some more








and its hard to see, but at the bottom of the cliff is java pressed in and the bright white spot is water, it will eventually get some gravel


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

now i wait and keep it happy and hopefully find a piece of driftwood that will work with it


----------



## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

looks good 
I like the clay wall you made to hold the substrate.
I hope it holds up


----------



## Alegre323 (Sep 2, 2011)

[email protected] claywall. looks good. I see you have the same style on diff. tanks.


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

Alegre323 said:


> [email protected] claywall. looks good. I see you have the same style on diff. tanks.


I dont understand, what do you mean by style? Ive only made 2 tanks and to me they are different...


----------



## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

Alegre323 said:


> [email protected] claywall. looks good. I see you have the same style on diff. tanks.


well it is a clay wall lol

is it not Ed?


----------



## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

Coco fiber makes a terrible substrate. It'll get waterlogged and nothing will want to grow in it if it can't have it's roots basically fully submerged in water. Also, is that kitty litter you used?


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

Yup its kitty litter, all I can find in my area


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

Mitch said:


> Coco fiber makes a terrible substrate. It'll get waterlogged and nothing will want to grow in it if it can't have it's roots basically fully submerged in water. Also, is that kitty litter you used?


I changed oit the coco for an orchid mix, huge difference!


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)




----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

small update, really love the fact that im getting arial roots....








fts


----------



## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

looks great...loving the 2 levels


----------



## bristles (Jan 19, 2011)

I agree with dragospirit the two level look is awesome, the frogs will enjoy the varied terrain  can't wait to see it in a moth or two when it's more grown in....frog on Ed


----------



## BethInAK (Jul 12, 2011)

Pumilo said:


> Ed, for your next door gasket. Wrap your door with waxed paper. Lay in a nice bead of silicone around the lip in question. Close the door. Wait 24 hours. Carefully slice away enough of the waxed paper so that you can open the door. Peel off the waxed paper and Walla! You have a perfect gasket.


I'm having trouble visualizing this: wrap it with the waxed paper, how?


----------



## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

BethInAK said:


> I'm having trouble visualizing this: wrap it with the waxed paper, how?


with tape 
You cover the door in wax paper so when you lay down your bead and then shut the door when it dries it whould bull away from the silicone.
I am about to post a vid on my thread that shows this method but I ude electrical tape and let it cure for the most part except for what was touching the tap and then just smoothed it out with a flat tool.
It will be HERE(<link) when I get done editing the vid. When I show off the viv and go to close it I take the camera around that lip and show the silicone seal I made.
Still working on the vid so keep checking back


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

BethInAK said:


> I'm having trouble visualizing this: wrap it with the waxed paper, how?


I have outlined the process, with pictures, in this thread. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/general-discussion/71913-diy-door-closing-gaps.html The OP had problems but did not make it clear what she did wrong. If you follow the instructions, it has worked beautifully for me on about 50ish vivs.


----------



## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)




----------

