Red Eyed Crocodile Skink Tank

[Hiide]

So, I began construction on my 34g aquarium finally.

I had my girlfriend's mom cut the glass pieces for me that will enclose a small pond area and filter area. From the picture of Aquarium specs, it may be hard to see, but I basically just have too rectangle enclosures connected by a small canal. My main goal with this aquarium is to make it easy to clean, so I didn't want to do a free flowing false bottom (of water).

The aquarium is 36L x 14W x 16H for a Red Eyed Crocodile Skink. Unfortunately, her mate died soon after I purchased both of them, but they have a 75% mortality rate from all the research I have done (I do not reccommend these animals to anyone).

I already managed to silicone the glass pieces together, as shown in the pictures, with GE 1 Silicone w/o Mold Inhibitor. I was sort of messy with one of the pieces, but it's my first time. When my dad gets home, he will be helping me silicone the glass to the actually aquarium.

While that is drying, I will be using a lazer saw to cut eggcrate to cover the area above the glass areas, supported by PVC pipes. All the glass is 3 inches in height, so the PVC support will be 3 inches tall. I will be using a 7.5 inch tall 10i filter, that will be surrounded by slate rock of some sort to create a rock barrier from the filter water pool. Yes, I am still debating on how I'm going to create that area, but tile broken into pieces seems like the best bet.

The eggcrate will be covered by fiberglass Window screen, and there will be Eco Earth substrate and moss above that. I'm going to be using all artifical plants, because I'm lazy, but I may end up buying some small ferns.


And I'm going to reseal the sides of the aquarium that will be present in water, because I'm pretty sure this aquarium was not made to hold water.

Any suggestions for later?

[Hiide]

I used my dad's lazer saw and got the Eggcrate cut, as well as pvc pipes. Siliconed the pvc pipes to the eggcrate bottom and siliconed the fiberglass window screen to the top of the eggcrate.


The glass barriers siliconed to the aquarium floor don't look pretty, but I just want to make sure it holds water. I'll be testing it out tomorrow, and if it doesn't hold water, I'm going to silicone more to it .

I'm also going to go out tomorrow to buy some slate rock to build a rock barrier around the filter area (We'll see how that turns out).

Pictures in the attachments.

[MTviver]

I would use clear silicone for the slate. or maybe black. just not white. looking good though.

I've finally learned what encyclopedias are for.

[froggsong]

In the future, you can use a credit card or shopping card or whatever with the corner cut off to smooth your silicone better. It's alot less messy, and you can actually save silicone because you can lay down a smaller bead and smooth it into the corner better than a larger bead you smooth with your finger.

Can't wait to see what this looks like when it's finished.

[Allyn]

Originally Posted by froggsong

In the future, you can use a credit card or shopping card or whatever with the corner cut off to smooth your silicone better. It's alot less messy, and you can actually save silicone because you can lay down a smaller bead and smooth it into the corner better than a larger bead you smooth with your finger.

Can't wait to see what this looks like when it's finished.

*cough cough tips and tricks cough cough*






looks good cant w8 to see how it turns out!

[Hiide]

Siliconed pebbles into the pvc pipe stream. Got all the slate rocks in and after a lot of language and decision making, decided I would not silicone them together.

I re-sealed, again, the pond enclosures and glass (just in case), and tomorrow I will be testing out the pump and water.

If it all works out, then I'll take out the slate rocks, haul everything upstairs, and add in the substrate+everything else.

Pictures in the attachments below

[froggsong]

Originally Posted by Allyn

Can't wait to see what this looks like when it's finished.
*cough cough tips and tricks cough cough*

lol, didn't I already post that one?

[Hiide]

I'm going to check if the tank areas hold water tomorrow and test everything out. If it works, I'll be adding in all the soil, driftwood, and everything. I'll be taking pictures of course.



The bad news is that my remaining Red Eyed Crocodile Skink died... tonight.

Sucks, a lot... But that is why you don't buy animals that have bad care sheets on them and are exotic without any CB breeders.

If anyone ever sees Red Eyed Crocodile Skinks, please do not buy them. They are not hardy animals at all, have a 75%+ mortality rate, and regardless of what caresheets say... They are hard to take care of.

Anyways, I will continue making the aquarium, but it will have no inhabitants until this Summer. I'd like to hear any suggestions on reptiles or amphibians that would be perfect in this tank. Thanks in advance.

[jpstod]

Sorry about your loss

[froggsong]

I'm sorry to hear that she didn't make it.