# Large exo-terra construction journal



## skronkykong (Jan 1, 2007)

I started this a few months ago. Nothing has grown in much yet. I hope to put some imitators in it eventually. 

I foamed in some cypress wood and plastic pots. There is a pvc pipe in there too for the pump. 









Then I covered the great stuff with black waterfall foam. I hate it when the yellow starts peaking through the silicone. 









Covered it all with peat moss. Much cheaper and faster!









Added some sphaghnum moss, coco, peat moss, and little bit of cypress mulch. 









I put a half of a coco-nut shell at the bottom of the wall to make a pool.









For the lights I took a light wooden box a sub-woofer came in and lined it with mirror. It has two 26 watt 6500K compact fluorescents. 

















I bought a little tiny fan off ebay for $7 after shipping to add later this summer when it gets hotter. 









The pump is the Tom's aqua lift. Its mainly for a drip wall.









I bought a little in line filter to help keep the pump clean. It didn't work. What a sorry product! Just bubbled the whole time with no water flow. 









Added some plants. 









More plants. 

















Better pics.


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## carola1155 (Sep 10, 2007)

looks good!

i like that bigger leaf plant on the bottom left


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## topherlove (Jul 14, 2006)

really really nice tank. The hardscape is great.


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## dom (Sep 23, 2007)

looking good 8)


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## yadokuningen (Jan 29, 2008)

Great looking tank. I like your plant selection. I also liked your light setup. How is the heat with those lights? Have you used CF Spirals before?


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## Sarkany (Mar 11, 2008)

Looks nice. The only problem with an Exo Terra terrarium is that it's not exactly a hardship for the insects to get out. :roll:


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## MELLOWROO421 (Feb 21, 2007)

Some film cannisters and maybe a couple more broms and you will have yourself a regular Imitator love shack! Nice viv. I think I have seen that alocasia in large pots before and 3' tall at the Home depot, so you may want to watch it.


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## AaronAcker (Aug 15, 2007)

glad to see my coco-hut pond idea getting around! looks good.


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## candm519 (Oct 15, 2006)

I like this one. Good pictorial explanation of how you got there, too. NIce job!


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

looks great, love the heavy lighting.


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## skronkykong (Jan 1, 2007)

Thanks guys. I still have to FF proof it, or at least try. It will be a challenge I know. 

The lights do get somewhat hot but the temp in the tank is still 70 or below since my house is cool. Once it gets warmer I will add the little fan to help cool it. I've been using CFs for a while now. I like the way they look combined with a normal fluorescent and they are great way to get lots of wattage for a small amount of money.


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## Bob S (Mar 5, 2008)

Looks great love your plant layout.


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

Ha, have same beeswax stuff...


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## vivariman (Sep 26, 2007)

Wow. 

Thats really nice!
May I ask what plants you used for the bottom (any of the short ones)


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## skronkykong (Jan 1, 2007)

There are 4 mini violets, one on the front left and the other three on the front right. Directly to the right of the left-front violet is "tazmanian violet" which I got through a trade from a board member. I just took it out because it was spreading really, really fast and kind of freaked me out! Behind that is a korean rock fern and alocasia spathyphilum. The green in the center is a type of philodendrum and a few other plants I have no ID on yet. There are a few small other small plants that haven't taken hold yet I didn't mention. Hard to see them anyway.


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