# 190 gallon vertical Build



## Llama (Dec 18, 2011)

It's been a while since I've had the chance to build something new. I recently had an opportunity arise to start building my biggest terrarium yet, a 190 gallon 4'x30"x30" terrarium. This thread will be a slow one as I progress on the project, but for now I've started working on the base for it. Here are some in progress photos.


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## Apoplast (Mar 17, 2020)

That's a nice looking base! Wish I had your woodworking skill. I'm currently trying to figure out how to create wooden cover for a wire rack assembly. I grow all my carnivorous plants on them, but they are restricted to the basement grow rooms I've purpose built for them. I want the frogs to be in the house, and my wife is less than enthusiastic about me replacing a planted aquarium on a nice stand with an exposed wire rack. This is all to say, that I'm inspired by the base you are building! Also, seeing your door with bars on it and those characteristic bricks makes me miss Tucson. Great town! Looking forward to seeing your progress on this build.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Gonna be a real challenge to light that adequately for most plantings, and I see you are in a 'hot state' as well.


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## Llama (Dec 18, 2011)

Stand finished. Was initially going to have hinged doors, but it was too much for my patience/skill lol. Curtain it is!!! To the comment on lighting, I already have it all. Two ai prime lights that I had used previously on another build. They're brighter/stronger than hell and don't get noticeabley warmer than other lights. I think their built in fans help with that. They should do the job. 

A photo of the finished base in it's corner.


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## Llama (Dec 18, 2011)

No progress to post on the build yet, but I've got all my supplies and I'm all stocked up on broms. Going to have a couple Aechmea 'Roberto Menescal' as the focal point of the terrarium. (The big red brom.)


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Whoa, that's quite the brom


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## Woodswalker (Dec 26, 2014)

I think that if you expect a lot of shadows at the bottom, and plan a more epiphyte dominated environment, it won't be so difficult. Expecting good lighting, and lush growth at the bottom could prove to be a real challenge. Your layout will make all the difference. 

If anything, having it be shadowy in the bottom, and placing the plants higher up is probably more like their natural environment, which includes (mostly) dense leaf litter on the forest floor, rather than dense greenery, anyway.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

^ Agree. I would def hardscape the sides.


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## Llama (Dec 18, 2011)

I normally use matala as the base to keep my builds from being waterlogged, but I recently found an awesome alternative to matala. It's cheaper and much more dense, so you don't have to fuss with substrate barriers. I think my plants are going to love rooting into this stuff, excited to try it out. Should have some progress photos on the build by tomorrow


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Llama said:


> I normally use matala as the base to keep my builds from being waterlogged, but I recently found an awesome alternative to matala. It's cheaper and much more dense, so you don't have to fuss with substrate barriers. I think my plants are going to love rooting into this stuff, excited to try it out. Should have some progress photos on the build by tomorrow
> 
> View attachment 281590
> 
> ...


What's the name of this stuff? It looks interesting


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## Woodswalker (Dec 26, 2014)

Yeah, I'm also curious about where you got that roll. It looks a lot like Epiweb, which I like quite a lot for use around corner ponds.


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## Organics (Jan 17, 2020)

I believe it’s the same material Troy Goldberg uses, you can look up his YouTube to see more about the properties about it. Amazon search of black filter may should pull it up. 










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## Llama (Dec 18, 2011)

Different brand than what I got, but I'm sure its all the same. I got mine from a local shop. To the person who commented about epiweb, you're right. The consistency of the material is very similar to epiweb.


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## gonzalez (Mar 28, 2018)

I’m using the stuff on my most recent build. It’s great in so many ways, it’s cheap, lightweight, holds water, plants root into it, and you can shape it any way you want to make water areas and form landscape. I’m gonna use it on all my future builds.


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## Llama (Dec 18, 2011)

Ayo... update time. I'm all stocked up and ready to go. This thing fits like a charm, super stoked to start putting it all together. I live in a great frog community and I had friends give me all sorts of cool little plants, leaves and wood for my build. Thanks guys, I owe you one! I start my 3 day work shift tomorrow, and the last few things I need should arrive while I'm working, so the real fun begins Sunday.


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## Llama (Dec 18, 2011)

Almost ready to start- Background stuff came in the mail. Going out on my day off Sunday to collect some more wood and then the hardscape begins


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## Llama (Dec 18, 2011)

Playing around with a couple different hardscape designs... I like this one so far. Ill sleep on it and decide for sure tomorrow.


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## Llama (Dec 18, 2011)

Finished for now. Just needs a couple big plant packages and it'll be ready for some inhabitants. When the misters turn on, a pretty cool little waterfall runs down all the rocks. There's a small water area in the front as well. It needs more orchids!


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## Llama (Dec 18, 2011)

A couple different viewing angles. Still waiting on my plants.


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## dartboard (Jan 30, 2011)

Looking great man, fun piece to have in a main room


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## Broseph (Dec 5, 2011)

I was scrolling through my Instagram ‘explore’ feed and saw your viv... weird how that stuff works. 

Looking good, bro.


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## minorhero (Apr 24, 2020)

Really nice! 

Did you make the vivarium yourself or did you have someone else build it? How thick is the glass on a critter that large? 

I like the look of your rocks in the back. I am guessing they are not actually rocks though, what are they?


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## Llama (Dec 18, 2011)

I've added a lot of stuff to this build. Things have started to grow in a bit too. Here are a bunch of photos.if you want to see the far less grainy versions of these photos you can go to my Instagram, ekzotas.


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## Llama (Dec 18, 2011)

minorhero said:


> Really nice!
> 
> Did you make the vivarium yourself or did you have someone else build it? How thick is the glass on a critter that large?
> 
> I like the look of your rocks in the back. I am guessing they are not actually rocks though, what are they?


I normally make all my own terrariums, but this one was already made and established by a friend. It's design matches all my own exactly, because we both have our glass cut by a good mutual friend. He had to let go of it and I happily snatched it up and reset it up. The glass is 1/4" glass, and you are correct, most of the rocks in this build are not real.


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## Llama (Dec 18, 2011)

An 8 month update 
This thing has really grown in and all it's plants and inhabitants seem pretty happy. 
Home to a 1.2 trio of redheads and a colony of 7 sphaerodactylus difficilis


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## Elsongha (Dec 19, 2013)

It beautiful bro. Nice job!
4 ft. is quite the distance for light to get to. What lighting setup are you using? Thanks!


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