Exo-Terra 24x24x18

heartagramtc · #1 (**permalink**) 01-18-2009, 02:43 AM

so here is my Aunts Exo-Terra tank that she has been building along with some of my help. i thought i would post it here. she is building this tank for RETF as she has wanted them for some time now, and she finally found the inspiration after my builds. so on with the build!

She decided to go with a Exo-Terra 24"x24"x18" terrarium.

She decided on keeping the original BG and improving it with various things. she added a Rain Drip System in the back that pumps from the water area to water the plants on the BG and have water drip down the back wall. She used 1/4" tubing along with 1/2gph drippers in each planter. then three 1/4 sprayers to spray down the BG and oak "planter"

In the center of the water area there will be a waterfall that doubles as a filter. the water area and land area will be divided by plexi that was siliconed to the bottom and sides of the tank and background. the gaps in the background were filled in with the black expanding foam. then siliconed after that cured.

Here you can see the placement of the Heater that is electronically set to keep the water temp at a stable 78 degrees. also the pump that will supply the rain drip system.

now here are the pics in its final stages as plants are being put in and the last of the recent shots. the land part was put together with about a 2" layer of hydroton, then screen then the final layer of sphagnum peat moss. the wall planters are also sphagnum peat moss. we added a pond fogger that i got from Ripple Effect. a pond supply store. that has 6 white leds.

*NOTE*
im not sure why there are bubbles in the water. i put my fingers in there and moved them around. they seemed to go away but im not sure if they will come back.

thanks for looking i will post pics up when the new inhabitants come in or when the tank is more grown in.

froggsong · #2 (**permalink**) 01-19-2009, 12:34 AM

wow...

repman01 · #3 (**permalink**) 01-19-2009, 11:09 AM

that looks good

heartagramtc · #4 (**permalink**) 01-19-2009, 11:32 AM

thanks!

froggsong · #5 (**permalink**) 01-19-2009, 04:29 PM

I'm still speechless when I look at this...

Could you draw up a diagram of the watering system? I am interested in exactly how you did it.

heartagramtc · #6 (**permalink**) 01-20-2009, 12:57 AM

well in picture 2 you can see how we ran it and what parts we used. it was just with a few 90 degree elbows, a few tees and the drippers. thats about it. if you really want i could try to draw it up.

froggsong · #7 (**permalink**) 01-20-2009, 01:32 AM

What is it laying on? Is that the back of the BG?

heartagramtc · #8 (**permalink**) 01-20-2009, 01:36 AM

oh yeah. lol. thats the Exo-Terra black styrofoam background. and the pic 2 is the back of the background. she just kinda carved the background where the tubes run so the tubes would sit in the grooves rather than stick out. this way the BG would be as close to the back wall as possible.

froggsong · #9 (**permalink**) 01-20-2009, 02:17 AM

Ok. Those black circles are the planters right? Those planters are made out of angled PVC fittings, aren't they? Good idea!

heartagramtc · #10 (**permalink**) 01-20-2009, 03:25 PM

yes the circles are the PVC fittings she used one 90 degree and two 45 degree 1 1/2" couplings. As you can see in picture 5 & 6. 5 is the one that is still bare, while 6 is coated with the Green Moss. she attached it with some silicone, also its just the moss from those bags you can get @ like home depot to cover hanging baskets, etc....
she used a hole saw and by hand slowly turned it into the BG then it made a perfect hole to fit the PVC.