# My first Exo Terra build, Dendroboard inspired.



## Devo (Mar 20, 2012)

I’ve recently completed the construction of my first Exo Terra enclosure!

When starting this project, I searched the web for ideas / techniques and came across posts from this forum...so I joined up...then spent heaps of time reading up on the construction posts  The photos & info here were fantastic, & really made me raise the bar on what I had originally intended to do!

As I gained so much from the info here, I thought I would take pic’s of my build project, and then share them for everyone to enjoy. Please add any comments, as I’d be interested in your feedback.

Here is the starting point, a standard Exo Terra, 24 x 24 x 18.










The viv will sit in a corner, so the back & right side are lined polystyrene. I made up a cavity in the right corner for the filter pipes, and then started marking out the position for my main driftwood piece. This driftwood is to be the focal point, so I wanted it to sit just right of centre, and then everything else could be set up with this reference in place. 










Jump forward to the next major stage; Driftwood is in place, a few planting pots have been added, & all the foam work is complete. Now I mark out the right rear corner where the waterfall will be created.










Now the background is just about complete, and it’s positioned back into the viv. I made up a number of fake rope vines, and then also added groups of natural roots to give a nice link to the driftwood. The making of these vines, and blending them with natural wood was a key learning curve.










Water is added, and the waterfall is now up and running in the right rear corner. This is just a minor step in the process, but a major one in the overall design, as the water area is to be home to fish, I had to make sure the water circulated well, plus I wanted more of a trickle effect rather than a full on waterfall torrent, so had to play around the flow & spread of water until I was happy with the result.










After a few weeks to let everything settle in, I started on the planting. I have a pond outside, so was able to source portions of established java moss, and club moss. A friend gave me a couple of clumps of live sphagnum moss, & this adds a nice fresh green colour to the viv (back left corner). I grow & hybridise 1000's of bromeliads, but I’ve limited my other planting to just 2 types of broms, a nice green leaved tillandsia, and I had to include the best mini neo, Neoregelia lilliputiana! For me, the smaller size of these broms helped to keep the set up in scale.



















Now it’s finished (well, I may still play around with some minor adjustments), I can sit back & enjoy it! But I must say…this project has given me the desire to do a few more….

Hope you like my set up…I’ve got plenty more pic’s if you want any more info / detail.

Thanks for the inspiration!

Cheers, Andrew.


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## drutt (Oct 4, 2011)

Nice build looking good, a lot of water for dart frogs. What are you planning to put in there?


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## Devo (Mar 20, 2012)

Thanks Drutt,

No Dart Frogs in this set up unfortunately 
Dart Frogs are illegal here in New Zealand  We do have a few native frogs, but they’re endangered, so are not allowed to be kept either! The only frogs we can have in captivity are 3 species of frog introduced from Australia.

In this viv, I have 12 Whistling Tree Frogs, Litoria ewingii. They’re a neat little tree frog, only growing to about 2 inches. My daughter got them as tadpoles, and we decided to set up the viv to make a nice habitat for them. In the water, we have a school of the gold form of White Cloud Mountain Minnows, they add a nice splash of colour & movement. You can see them in the last pic above.

Here are a few pic’s of the frogs:-
Can you spot the frog here?









Hunting for food.


















Just chillin out...


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## Zorloc (Apr 6, 2011)

ABSOLUTELY AWSOME build


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## ndame88 (Sep 24, 2010)

Very nice, one question, how did you make your vines? Rope, silicone, and eco earth/coco fiber?

Thanks


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## Taron (Sep 23, 2009)

Nice litoria

dart frogs, fish, plants, and tons of other critters


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## frograck (May 1, 2005)

Great work! I wish my first tanks were done so well!


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## Dev30ils (May 1, 2012)

Excellent job on the viv! Interesting to hear about New Zealand's herp rules and regulations too.


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## beefyg (Dec 15, 2011)

That looks incredible! Nice job!


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## volsgirl (Mar 29, 2012)

Great job!!!!

I Like It .


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## Devo (Mar 20, 2012)

Thanks for your comments 

The vines idea came directly from Raf’s amazing build, and from Grimm’s “The Peninsula”. Mine were made from nylon rope. I just separated a few stands to mix up the size, then put together a group to make a “vine”. Then I added a length of florist wire to the main rope to allow it to be shaped when added to the background. As I didn’t want the vines to dominate the driftwood, my vines were typically made up using just one central rope, with 3 – 4 smaller vines coming off it. The rope vine was then coated in a silicone sealant. I used a brown colour, & used it straight from the tube, so no mucking around with trying to dilute, or thin it. Once a good portion of the rope was covered in silicone, I would press dry peat (used good old NZ peat) into it, then carried on like this until it was all covered. Each vine took about 20 – 30 mins to complete. After a couple of days drying, I could go back & touch up any areas I’d missed.

Here’s a before & after pic’ of one of the vines.

















These were a couple of earlier prototypes, using a fine potting mix, & some dried sphagnum moss. While I preferred the dry peat, I did end up using these prototypes in the build.









This pic shows how the vines were added in to the background. The lighter coloured roots are natural aerial roots produced by one of our native trees. My idea was to add them in groups to link with the driftwood, and create some depth, then I cut away any that didn’t work. 









Cheers, Andrew.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Beautiful work Andrew! And someone has to say it...
Are we not men?
We are Devo!
Are we not men?
D-E-V-O!


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## Devo (Mar 20, 2012)

They tell us that
We lost our tails
Evolving up
From little.....tadpoles


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## Devo (Mar 20, 2012)

When my build was complete, I went out & got some blue LED’s for a night light. I’ve seen a few night / moon light set up’s on the forum, and I liked the look of them, so I had to try it out! 

I typically have this strip come on late evening, just before the main lights go off. The LED’s are on a dimmer, so they can be turned right down to a subtle glow. The frogs I have in here are semi nocturnal, they seem quite happy coming out to hunt for food under the night light, and it gives off enough light so I can just make out what’s going on. Here are some pic’s:-

LED’s on full & the fluro lights still on.









Just LED’s.









LED’s dimmed down, they do go down more than this…but then it’s too dark for a photo 









Blue LED’s seem to be the colour of choice. I have thought about adding another strip, may be in red? What do you think, should I stick with blue, or is a colour combo a good option?

Cheers, Andrew.


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## jermajestyg (Jan 28, 2012)

I would say just stick to the blue, the animals and plants dont need any light at night and the blue looks the best aesthetically.. 

-Jeremy


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

Oohhh... that's beautiful.


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## Devo (Mar 20, 2012)

Thanks Jeremy & Jacobi.


One thing I really enjoy on this forum is seeing pic’s of viv’s especially, the micro views that are created inside an enclosure.

Here are a few of mine:-









Mossy epiphyte branch over the water.









I wanted this area to look like an eroded stream bank, so the water just trickles down around the exposed roots.











As well as the mosses, my planting has Neo lilliputiana, a favourite mini neo 









I’ve also used Tillandsia somnians. I thinks it’s a very underrated brom, & great from this sort of set up as it does not like to be planted, so can just be tucked in where required.









And thanks to seeing all the orchids on here, & have added a couple...now I just have to wait for them to grow..










Cheers, Andrew.


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## Devo (Mar 20, 2012)

I’ve been amazed at how fast these frogs have grown! They’ve gone from this size on morphing…










To this, in just over 2 mths...











Eating like this probably has something to do with it…










I must say I’m having trouble keeping up with their live food demand  and at this rate I'll need to build another viv


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## ndame88 (Sep 24, 2010)

Great build, seriously, one of the best I have seen in a small enclosure!


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## jeeperrs (Jan 14, 2010)

Wonderful work!


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## Cfrog (Oct 28, 2011)

Amazing, sorry you can not keep dart, but the frogs you have are super cute.


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## a-ha (Jun 20, 2012)

Very nice build! I'm trying to make a background based off of this one and I am wondering what type of foam you used and how did you make it look darker? Like did you use silicone and add some coco fiber onto it? Thanks a bunch!


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## crested (May 15, 2011)

Nicely done!

- What kind of misting schedule are you using? T

hat moss is doing really nicely!

I ask cause I have an exo and find getting the humidity right to be a pain. 
- have you sealed up the top or left it screened?
- have you sealed front bottom air vent?
- have you sealed door hinge area or font crack?


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## Devo (Mar 20, 2012)

a-ha said:


> Very nice build! I'm trying to make a background based off of this one and I am wondering what type of foam you used and how did you make it look darker? Like did you use silicone and add some coco fiber onto it? Thanks a bunch!


Hi a-ha. Thanks for your comment 

Have a look at the first post, 2nd & 3rd pictures. I just used standard white poly, & then a mustard coloured expanding foam. This was painted with a black pond paint, I used about 3 coats to seal it, then added a 4th coat with dry peat pressed into it. Also added some silcone in places, with the dry peat pressed in as well. From there I just touched up as required. Here's a pic showing the painting, peat stage.










Then I added the home made vines, & some natural roots to add depth, and again, just touched up as required using more paint / silicone & more peat, & more paint, & more peat...you get the idea ;-)












Cheers, Andrew.


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## Devo (Mar 20, 2012)

crested said:


> Nicely done!
> 
> - What kind of misting schedule are you using? T
> 
> ...



Thanks Crested!

I didn't install a misting system (but now wish I did), so I just spray once every couple of days using a spray bottle & pond water.
The tree frogs I have actually dont like too much humidity...plus the broms dont like it too humid. This set up has the standard screened top, & vents are open.
The moss just has to be kept moist, & it does fine. One thing I did was to have a layer of sphagnum moss under the java moss, I've found this retains moisture well, and the moss seems to like it.

Cheers, Andrew.


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## a-ha (Jun 20, 2012)

Thanks and how did you set up your waterfall? 
Did you just put a pump with tubing to the top of the waterfall?
How would you access the pump if it needs fixing or something?
And how did you separate land from water?


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## dazza32 (Oct 28, 2011)

Hey Andrew awesome tank set up and nice pictures of your SBTF I'm am too setting up a new tank for whistlers ATM.


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## Devo (Mar 20, 2012)

The waterfall is powered by an external Fluval canister filter, so I can access & clean it when required.

I didn't like the idea of a solid divider to separate water & land, as it could have created areas that may become anaerobic, and smell. So I used foam towards the back of the viv, which helps to filter the water, & keeps the open water areas to the front.



dazza32 said:


> Hey Andrew awesome tank set up and nice pictures of your SBTF I'm am too setting up a new tank for whistlers ATM.


Hey Dazza, are you in NZ or Aussie?


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Really nice setup!


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## dazza32 (Oct 28, 2011)

Devo said:


> The waterfall is powered by an external Fluval canister filter, so I can access & clean it when required.
> 
> I didn't like the idea of a solid divider to separate water & land, as it could have created areas that may become anaerobic, and smell. So I used foam towards the back of the viv, which helps to filter the water, & keeps the open water areas to the front.
> 
> ...


Hey Andrew, i'm from wellington NZ


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## jejton (Sep 3, 2006)

Great job. What did you use to attach the styrofoam to the glass? Did you then just use Great Stuff and black silicone on top of it ?


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## a-ha (Jun 20, 2012)

Devo said:


> The waterfall is powered by an external Fluval canister filter, so I can access & clean it when required.
> 
> I didn't like the idea of a solid divider to separate water & land, as it could have created areas that may become anaerobic, and smell. So I used foam towards the back of the viv, which helps to filter the water, & keeps the open water areas to the front.


Ok that makes a lot of sense, thanks! I give your viv more than two thumbs up!!


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## Devo (Mar 20, 2012)

Hey Dazza, great to see another kiwi here 



a-ha said:


> Ok that makes a lot of sense, thanks! I give your viv more than two thumbs up!!


Thanks for the thmubs up ah-ha!




jejton said:


> Great job. What did you use to attach the styrofoam to the glass? Did you then just use Great Stuff and black silicone on top of it ?


I didn't actually attach the styrofoam to the glass...I just cut it so that it fits in tight enough. I wanted the option of removing it if I want to without too much drama.

The Great Stuff (expanding foam) was applied on top of the styrofoam, and then I used a dark brown silicone in places sealant as required. Since I had used the black pond paint, I wanted a different colour silicone. I'm happy how the dark brown silicone turned out, as it gave a 3 tone effect with the black background, the brown silicone & the peat.

Cheers, Andrew.


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## dartfrog1 (Jun 19, 2012)

Wow looks incredible!!!!! great job


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## dart8888 (Oct 22, 2013)

Very Nice.
In your pre-plnating pic, there were no holes for planting plants.
How could you plant bromeliads in you viv?


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## 30994 (Oct 19, 2013)

Love it! Great Job!


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## Bigsease30 (Jul 11, 2014)

I love the way your vines look. I will definitely use this in my upcoming build! Thanks for posting your photos.


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