My First Post! My Paludarium Construction Project!

[bienbiensuper]

Hi everyone,

I've learned so much on this forum, but have never posted until now!

I've been keeping hermit crabs for a few years now and have worked my way through a 10g, a 20g, 20Lg and now they live in a 29g. I've been researching and planning to build a a custom tank for them for some time now--one that will have both salt and fresh water pools, with filtration and falls (rather than just water dishes, which go gross and slimy almost immediately). I also wanted to create something that was more furniture-like and would look nice in the house.

I have a day job that keeps me incredibly busy during the week, so this will be a weekends project. I hope to be done by the end of April - god willing!

I found an old radio cabinet from the 1930's at a garage sale...one that had been gutted of it's radio bits:


My plan is to cut the sides and back out and replace that space with glass. I'll keep the lower part of the doors (even with the inside shelf, that you see in the next picture), and replace with sliding glass doors. I'll sculpt the waterfalls, backgrounds and climbing goodies using the typical tools (sheet insulation foam, GS, silicone, sand, cocofiber).

Last weekend, I made the cuts in the cabinet - here's one side gone:

(yes, i had to use a hole saw, and a hack saw! I haven't got an electric saw!)

The vivarium space will be everything above that lower shelf, and I'll put filtration system below the shelf. I'll reinforce and waterproof all the remaining interior wood.

This weekend, I plan to use a router to round off the edges of the wood cuts, finish constructing my waterfalls and put a layer of silicone on them. I'll also measure for my glass order (which I'll get from a local glazier). I'll post my progress on Monday!

Citizen Snips is excited for his new home!

[beckdg]

awesome project... welcome to the site.

[Austin]

Can't wait to see this baby finished!

[bienbiensuper]

I didn't get a chance to update on Monday, and I only have a couple of crappy-ish photos, but here's an update of last weekend's work, anyway!

I finished removing the sides of the cabinet, and used a router to smooth the edges so that I could accurately measure for glass. Also glued and reinforced the shelf (which is removed in this picture).



I began my initial construction of my saltwater pool (left) and my freshwater pool. They look like piles of mud or something, but rest assured they'll look better when I'm finished. I want them to look like tidepool rocks. I sculpted them out of stacked and glued (with powergrab) styrofoam insulation. I actually made a lot more progress after this photo was taken. I'll take better/more pictures this weekend!



I ordered my fw and sw pumps this week, and bought my pipe fittings for the drainage system.

Two questions for everyone:
1) Has anyone used "PlastiDip" inside a pal? I bought spray can of it, thinking it would be useful. I might use it at the top, to coat the wood, where the lights will go, rather than epoxy paint or varnish.

2) I was thinking of using rope lights for light and heat (strand of white and strand of purple, spiraled at the top and mounted to the wood, then a sheet of plexi with drilled vent holes mounted below that). Heat is important for hermit crabs, and I know those lights put off some heat. I'd love to get rid of the heat pad and make the warmth come from above, like it is in the real world. There's also not much room for a giant light assembly using traditional bulbs. I could make them work, but it'd cost height real estate inside the tank.

Thanks for reading and comments! This is such an exciting project.

[Maverick]

I like how things are coming sofar! Dont worry, it only gets even more exciting, and it will soon absorb ALL of your free time, and your life.

just a warning!