# 100 gallon terrarium build journal



## btu83 (Oct 9, 2013)

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## ndame88 (Sep 24, 2010)

Can't wait to see this, don't worry that it's not PDF, a lot of us keep various species of tree frogs as well, good luck, don't rush the build, think it through.


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## btu83 (Oct 9, 2013)

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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Great job on that stand!


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## btu83 (Oct 9, 2013)

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## mfsidore (Oct 10, 2012)

Nice... Want a 55 and 40 gallon too...?! keep us updated.


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## LongPig (Nov 7, 2013)

Very nice. Just set one up this size myself.


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## btu83 (Oct 9, 2013)

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## Nismo95 (Jul 30, 2011)

im gonna make a trip up to seattle just so you can build me a stand.. that is a wonderful piece of work! When I try to work with wood my brain shuts off. lol. When we build our big living room display viv, I am gonna have you over for a weekend to work your magic on a stand haha. Hope you like the tri cities and nice dry weather! haha


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## btu83 (Oct 9, 2013)

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## btu83 (Oct 9, 2013)

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## Nismo95 (Jul 30, 2011)

btu83 said:


> Thank you Nismo95 I appreciate the compliment. I can't take all the credit however. I designed the stand and handed it over to my friend who owns a commercial cabinetry business. My parents and I own a small business and his company does all the interior work for us. They do really amazing stuff and although he doesn't take on small projects he did this for me. If he's open to taking on more small projects I will definitely passes the info along!


very cool! it really did turn out great! look forward to seeing more of your build!


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## simonphelps (May 29, 2012)

I'm looking forward to see what you do...How big is the centerpiece wood? Maybe take a picture of it by a well known object like a 12 oz can


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## btu83 (Oct 9, 2013)

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## btu83 (Oct 9, 2013)

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## Dlanigan (Nov 13, 2013)

Great looking piece of wood there and smart putting in the soda can for scale. Good luck!


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## btu83 (Oct 9, 2013)

Dlanigan said:


> Great looking piece of wood there and smart putting in the soda can for scale. Good luck!


Thank you Dianigan I appreciate it!


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

I like this piece of wood and your stand. I made my rack with the same stuff, but of a darker color. A tip: make sure the terrarium does not leak; even goes over the bottom with a bead of silicone. I think you have potential to make a masterpiece! Any idea about frogs?


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## jrodkinsey (May 27, 2013)

rigel10 said:


> *I like this piece of wood and your stand*. I made my rack with the same stuff, but of a darker color. A tip: make sure the terrarium does not leak; even goes over the bottom with a bead of silicone. I think you have potential to make a masterpiece! Any idea about frogs?





I second that. You did a great job on the stand and that piece of wood is amazing. Can't wait to see more.


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## btu83 (Oct 9, 2013)

rigel10 said:


> I like this piece of wood and your stand. I made my rack with the same stuff, but of a darker color. A tip: make sure the terrarium does not leak; even goes over the bottom with a bead of silicone. I think you have potential to make a masterpiece! Any idea about frogs?


Thank you for the compliment. I would like to purchase phyllomedusa bicolors or vaillanti. If I decide to go reptile I am considering a few different chameleon species or electric blue day geckos. My goal when selecting a species here is to deviate from the usual wet and high humidity vivarium suitable for dart frogs and instead produce something more tropically arid, with a humidity around 60 to 70 percent, a smaller and self contained water feature with no false bottom, and a rocky substrate. If you have any animals suggestions send them my way.


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## btu83 (Oct 9, 2013)

jrodkinsey said:


> I second that. You did a great job on the stand and that piece of wood is amazing. Can't wait to see more.


Thank you I really appreciate it.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

btu83 said:


> Thank you for the compliment. I would like to purchase phyllomedusa bicolors or vaillanti. If I decide to go reptile I am considering a few different chameleon species or electric blue day geckos. My goal when selecting a species here is to deviate from the usual wet and high humidity vivarium suitable for dart frogs and instead produce something more tropically arid, with a humidity around 60 to 70 percent, a smaller and self contained water feature with no false bottom, and a rocky substrate. If you have any animals suggestions send them my way.


You'd likely find that the viv works better with a false bottom and a water feature that shares the false bottom reservoir. Self contained water features tend to evaporate quickly (thus constantly needing to be topped off) and/or wick up walls of the container into the substrate over saturating it. 

You can see how I do my ponds in my flickr galleries in signature.


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## btu83 (Oct 9, 2013)

Dendro Dave said:


> You'd likely find that the viv works better with a false bottom and a water feature that shares the false bottom reservoir. Self contained water features tend to evaporate quickly (thus constantly needing to be topped off) and/or wick up walls of the container into the substrate over saturating it.
> 
> You can see how I do my ponds in my flickr galleries in signature.


Thanks for input. I watched your YouTube videos really nice. I agree with the evaporation issue. I will find a creative solution.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

Maybe some gecko. No suggestions about other animals. I only know (and a little) dendros.


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## hughjass5976 (Mar 12, 2012)

btu83 said:


> I've had a lot supplies come in the mail recently, including an air pump, ceramic heat bulbs, extra large heat pad, small ventilation fan, and several decorative interior supplies among other things. As for the lights, I bought the new 36 inch Orbit Marine LED by Current. It is fully programmable to run on a 24 hour cycle of sunrise, sunset, daylight and moonlight, all with varying intensities. It has cloud cover and lightning storms by demand only using the remote but unfortunately those cannot be programmed by the digital timer into your daily or weekly lighting schedules. I have been playing around with them and they look really fantastic. Once it's setup in the terrarium I will try to make some YouTube videos of it in action. The only major piece of terrarium hardware I yet to purchase is the Mistking. Once I get the terrarium into its permanent spot I can begin planting.


This looks nice, as it is more powerful than their satellite LED +, but how is the color temperature on this unit? Can you get it to around 6500k, or is it stuck in a more marine based temperature of 10,000k+?


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## btu83 (Oct 9, 2013)

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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

btu83 said:


> The range of light on this unit is really remarkable. I bought the 36 inch. You can adjust the percentage of blue and white LEDs individually so anything is possible it seems. I am able to get it from solid blue moonlight to several different shades of white, to the point where it looks like regular daylight. You can read more about its color temperature here:
> 
> http://current-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Orbit_Marine_Light_Specifications.jpg


Just remember that while you can adjust the light fixtures color temp... In order to get 6500K you may have to have many of the LEDs off, or at least turned down.

Ones designed for freshwater/vivarium use will generally allow you to have more of the LEDs on at full blast and still get a pleasant color temp while a reef light might make you turn down half it's lighting power to have a pleasant color temp for freshwater/vivarium use. 

That is why lights with 10,000k + LEDs as part of the mix of colors aren't the greatest choice even if all the other colored LED's allow you to tune the light to a nice looking color temp. You just paid for a bunch of LED's you will have to turn way down, or even off... meaning you spent a lot on a light that may end up being dimmer when you use it like you would use a cheaper light.

Most people find anything over 8000k to blue for vivarium use. And a 5500k bulb looks noticeably different then a 6500k when viewed side by side, and when all the other LEDs on the fixture are actinics an/or 10,000k, that means if you turn those on to take full advantage of the possible brightness, you are going to skew the colors to something that looks very blue.

Look at this pic, and trust me whatever difference you can see between these bulbs will usually be greatly magnified inside a vivarium. (for instance 5000k vs 6000k in this pic looks fairly similar, but in real life you will notice the side by side difference more)









*I'm not saying the orbit or other tunable reef lights cant work... just make sure by the time you tune them they will still be bright enough to adequately light the viv for plants.*


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## btu83 (Oct 9, 2013)

Dendro Dave said:


> Just remember that while you can adjust the light fixtures color temp... In order to get 6500K you may have to have many of the LEDs off, or at least turned down.
> 
> Ones designed for freshwater/vivarium use will generally allow you to have more of the LEDs on at full blast and still get a pleasant color temp while a reef light might make you turn down half it's lighting power to have a pleasant color temp for freshwater/vivarium use.
> 
> ...


thanks for advice. in my experimenting thus far I was able to tune them quite well. additionally I will be using a UVB bulb in a clasp lamp that will come on several hours a day to further support plant and animal well being.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

btu83 said:


> thanks for advice. in my experimenting thus far I was able to tune them quite well. additionally I will be using a UVB bulb in a clasp lamp that will come on several hours a day to further support plant and animal well being.


How did tuning it affect the brightness?


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## btu83 (Oct 9, 2013)

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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

btu83 said:


> Once I get it planted I'll post pictures and you tell me what you think. In my trial run with the tank and light so far it looked really good, much like the fluorescent bulb I have on my turtle tank.


Cool... Can you do a side by side shot of the light on full blast vs the light tuned to a 6500k (ish) color temp?

What I'm interested in is just seeing how much dimmer lights like this will be once you've tuned the color temp to be viv suitable.


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