New viv construction, with pics and a question

[Epiphile]

Good-looking tank- let us know how that epoxy you used holds up.

And where are you, by the way?

[Redgryphon]

Bermuda. : )

[beckdg]

looks good.

i hope you don't mind and i have no idea how far you've researched it but i sent an email to the company that makes that glaze coat for safety measures.

i will be sure to get back with you with the results when i get them. anyway here's the email copied and pasted...

to: msds@eclecticproducts.com
subject: Famowood(R) Glaze Coat High Build Epoxy Coating
contents:
i would like to request an msds for this product.
i am considering it for a possible alternative for a delicate purpose.
i am building what would be called a paludarium (a micro environment which houses animals, plants and has a substantial water portion).
if i am emailing a person as opposed to getting an automated response i am curious as to what your concerns or thoughts would be if this product were to be used for waterproofing in such an environment.
if any, what specific voc's, doc's or other harmful chemicals would be leached through heat (under 120 degrees Fahrenheit of course), air or water from this specific compound once properly cured?
if you happen to know or can find out what specific health effects could any of the specific contaminants (if any) there would be for flora or fauna contained therein listing them as well as probabilities known for each would be highly appreciated also.
i am eagerly awaiting a response and progress at this point depends solely on the answer to these questions so i would really appreciate a timely response.

thank you and have a great day,
beck

[Epiphile]

It might be a good idea to follow up with the fellow who used it in his reef tank as well- if it's fine by him, I would trust it, MSDS sheets aside. Those corals are like canaries in the coal mine of the sea.

[froggsong]

I LOVE it!!!! I can't believe this is the first time I've seen this thread! Sticky!

I'm thinking of cobbling together 2 10G tanks to make a 20 X high for my native newt (Taricha granulosa), and I think I might have to use some of your design ideas. She spends all of her time in the water right now (so I have her in an aquarium, rather than a paludarium), but I want to offer her land again and also put my native tree frog in the setup. I had a flat back hex tank (near 30G) that I was going to use for her new home, but I dropped a rock in it and shattered the bottom. I really love how your tank turned out, it will be quite inspiring for my project (if I ever get it done, lol).

[Redgryphon]

Epiphile and beckdg:

I went with the epoxy after noting that the reef tank had been going strong for several years before the owner dismantled it for unrelated reasons. I figured that between the temperamental sea-life and the harshness of the environment, anything which lasted in there could go in my newt-tank.

Froggsong:

Thanks for the advice in another thread on putting the newt in a sterilite container while I re-did her tank, it worked great.
As for your water-dwelling newt, well, Ti lived entirely in the water for, oh, five years. She refused to set one toe on land, until I was nearly done with the build, which had been designed with this in mind. At that point she crawled out onto her rock and refused to go back in the water! The last-minute bark-shelf was thrown on there partly for that reason! She is now living on it.

[beckdg]

Originally Posted by Epiphile

It might be a good idea to follow up with the fellow who used it in his reef tank as well- if it's fine by him, I would trust it, MSDS sheets aside. Those corals are like canaries in the coal mine of the sea.

i typically would agree but you never know the differences off gassing or leaching can have in different environments. let's say there's no issue with leaching but in a small box like a terrarium there's an off gassing issue. that would make things totally different in the reef tank. the product is said to be safe up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. over 120 degrees apparently it starts to break down which would not be good in some cases for desert species especially on a basking spot or while getting things figured out at first. say if you were still experimenting with bulb wattage before putting any animals in there. then what would the repercussions be once it starts to break down and such. would that be an issue once it was cooled back down or would that completely stop the reaction and such...

anyway i got a couple replies...
first:

"I am attaching the MSDS for Glaze Coat and will forward your email to our technical dept for your questions. I will also forward to someone who can send you a technical data sheet as well.



Thank you for your request.



Penny Biboux
Recipe Management Coordinator
Regulatory Compliance
Willamette Valley Co"

GLAZE COAT RESIN.pdf:
google docs: http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik...ation%2Fpdf&zw
download pdf: http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik...1&disp=attd&zw

GLAZE COAT HARDENER.pdf:
google docs: http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik...ation%2Fpdf&zw
download pdf: http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik...2&disp=attd&zw


second:

"Attached is the Tech Data Sheet on Glaze Coat that you have requested.



Thank you for your interest in our product.



Administrative Assistant

Eclectic Products Inc.

1075 Arrowsmith Street

Eugene, OR 97402

541-284-4667"

FW_Glaze_Coat TDS 080709.pdf:
google docs: http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik...ation%2Fpdf&zw
download pdf: http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik...1&disp=attd&zw

well for those that may be interested or in case of any issues there it is. honestly i didn't get to go through it yet so i have no idea yet myself.

i hear ya froggsong, i've seen this a couple times and meant to get back to it but totally forgot. i feel bad about it but such is life. hopefully the op will forgive me. things do seem to have turned out well though. it does look great that's for sure. i may coat a piece of bark i've been saving and use it now, who knows.

[beckdg]

to sum things up it seems that both the resin and the hardener are toxic and pose a health hazard if treated incorrectly, spilled, inhaled, swallowed or touched. the end product on the other hand seems to be safe as long as the temperature stays below 120F and given it's sufficiently cured.

sounds good, good find Redgryphon!

[froggsong]

Good find indeed!

About how much did this product cost, gryphon? Where did you buy it? You said you found it locally, but we don't know where you're located, lol.

I sure hope this won't be your only project and that you will stick around here. This paludarium is wonderfully creative. We can use more folks like you as regular visitors.

[Redgryphon]

Heh, I'm located on a rock in the middle of the atlantic. For those of you in the states, the stuff seems to be available at Lowe's and Home Depot, and presumably anywhere that carries the same things they do. It cost me twenty-mumble, but again it should be cheaper for you. It's eighteen-something on amazon (for the one-pint size I got, anyway.)