# PVC trim board vivarium



## rmelancon (Apr 5, 2004)

I constructed this similar to the big enclosure in the thread below but on a much smaller scale. This one is 44 x 20 x 22.

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/me...370-gal-viv-indoor-greenhouse-const-jrnl.html










I went with sliding glass doors, just cut slots the width of the saw blade.









Added drainage, you can see the patch I had to make after drilling too low. That's pond liner in the bottom, stapled and "glued" with silicone to the sides.









Top pretty much same as the other one.









Bulkheads for misting heads.









May add some t5 lighting inside or just use something overhead.


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

very nice, what are you planning on putting in there?


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## EverettC (Mar 9, 2004)

Great start Rob! Between this post and your larger construction journal, you've brought me out of hiding haha. I really like this idea, I can't wait to get out of school so I can start building tanks again. I'm definitely going to "copy" a lot of your methods, but I'd feel like I would be cutting it short without doing a background (harmless nudge for you to do a background on this one ).

The pond liner is a great idea, I'm willing to bet you could seal off an entire wood tank with it, although I'm not sure how cost effective it would be....

My question, however, is if you're going to do internal lighting (which I've always figured much more efficient), how do you prevent the frogs from going and "investigating" the lights. I've had every frog I've ever kept, from pumilio to tincs and azureus, always explore the entire space of my vivariums at some point or another. They usually do this during the first few weeks of being in the enclosure, before they settle to an area they like, but I'd be extremely worried about them getting burned. Also, how do you keep springtails confined within the tank? I'm going to seed my next setup heavily, but I'm terrified of the female wrath that may follow such a choice.

Best of luck with the tank, I'm sure it will be excellent 
Everett


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## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

EverettC said:


> Also, how do you keep springtails confined within the tank? I'm going to seed my next setup heavily, but I'm terrified of the female wrath that may follow such a choice.


From my experience springtails aren't anything like fruitflies, they want nothing to do with the outside world.


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## SmackoftheGods (Jan 28, 2009)

Springs seem to be pretty tropical. They don't venture beyond humid places. I've been keeping my cultures in 12 quart Sterilite tupperware, the lids have plenty of space where they can crawl right out but they choose not to. I wouldn't worry about the spring thing.


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## MeiKVR6 (Sep 16, 2008)

Really nice so far! PVC is the way to go with stuff like this. 

edit: Honestly I'd strongly consider a larger drain hole... Is that 1/8"? We did one of our early vivs with a 1/8" drain. It clogged after awhile.  DrsFosterSmith has cheap 3/4" bulkheads...


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## rmelancon (Apr 5, 2004)

MeiKVR6 said:


> Really nice so far! PVC is the way to go with stuff like this.
> 
> edit: Honestly I'd strongly consider a larger drain hole... Is that 1/8"? We did one of our early vivs with a 1/8" drain. It clogged after awhile.  DrsFosterSmith has cheap 3/4" bulkheads...


They are 1/4 inch. I have these in a lot of my tanks and with the substrate I use I don't have any clogging problems.


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

This is awesome. I love this idea, and I think it's the most reasonable if you want something custom outside the sizes of standard aquariums. Great work, I'm tuned in!


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## ray1taylor (Nov 15, 2008)

Looks really smart so far.


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## rmelancon (Apr 5, 2004)

EverettC said:


> Great start Rob! Between this post and your larger construction journal, you've brought me out of hiding haha. I really like this idea, I can't wait to get out of school so I can start building tanks again. I'm definitely going to "copy" a lot of your methods, but I'd feel like I would be cutting it short without doing a background (harmless nudge for you to do a background on this one ).
> 
> The pond liner is a great idea, I'm willing to bet you could seal off an entire wood tank with it, although I'm not sure how cost effective it would be....
> 
> ...


The internal lights I will use are t5's and although hot, they will not be scalding hot. It's not like a metal halide where if they happen to touch it they will instantly be burned. 

With spring tails I usually add them continually throughout the year depending on how many froglets are in the tank. Some will set up shop but I've never gotten them to "boom" consistently in a tank. Once in the tank they aren't like fruit flies where you find them everywhere outside of the tank later.


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## rmelancon (Apr 5, 2004)

Another bit of info, the price of materials is under $50 so far. Now the t5's will raise that considerably but I could just as well throw a couple shop light over top.


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## Swords (Mar 4, 2009)

These PVC builds of yours are inspiring. 

Are the boards solid plastic or are they hollow? I'd love to try this idea but I live upstairs of someone else so I have to make sure my projects don't leak. Have you had any leakage issues thus far with these constructs using pond liner? Do you use one or two layers of pond liner?

How come you don't do the spray foam & peat/coir background, does it not adhere well to this material or is it simply due to personal preference?


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## Fishman (Jan 16, 2007)

I have been following your PVC builds and am interested in seeing them as final products.


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## rmelancon (Apr 5, 2004)

Swords said:


> These PVC builds of yours are inspiring.
> 
> Are the boards solid plastic or are they hollow? I'd love to try this idea but I live upstairs of someone else so I have to make sure my projects don't leak. Have you had any leakage issues thus far with these constructs using pond liner? Do you use one or two layers of pond liner?
> 
> How come you don't do the spray foam & peat/coir background, does it not adhere well to this material or is it simply due to personal preference?


The boards are solid, if you have a Lowes or Home Depot close you can check them out first hand. No leaks, only a single layer of pond liner. As long as you don't puncture it you should not have any leaks. I have bulk head drains and have them sealed with silicone though they seal pretty well against the rubber on its own. I also seal the top of the liner against the trim board.

I have done the foam backgrounds and just have never liked the results. I like what others have achieved with it but mine never seem to come out like I want so I just use vertical driftwood etc. I would think it would adhere just fine.


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