A 3 viv project??

JoeG · #1 (**permalink**) 06-19-2010, 11:57 PM

Hehe, I just noticed this is like my 16th post in almost a year, guess i need to be more active huh? Seems like a good day to start!

This site was VERY helpful in making my first viv which is still up and running very well, but looks a bit different since I replanted it. I'll add some pics later if ya like.

I have an idea I wanted to toss around and get some help on with my next viv project...well its more like 3 vivs...so let me explain.

I have this closet in my home office just begging to have a big viv in it so being the nice guy I am, I feel the need to help it out.

I started out with some plans for a big viv around 4ft tall and 5ft wide but the idea was not working out...it was too big and i was quickly running out of space for all the equipment (lights, misting, fog, etc..) Also, I wanted multiple species but could not find sets of species I was comfortable with living in one tank. This lead me to the basic idea of multiple tanks, like most of us have, but I still wanted something "out of the box" so here is my thought (and a sketchup render)

Ever heard of a Triptych painting? In a nutshell, it is a picture divided into three sections. My thought is... one design divided into 3 tanks!

I figured out a few things first... Water features just dont work well in terrariums for me, I want a palu for some crazy reason AND I will never build another terrarium in a 47 Gallon column tank again because reaching down into that thing requires a monkey's arm! So I now have 2 18x18x24 Exoterra's and plan to re-use the 47 column as the palu.

Here is my first draft at how it will look:

I am really looking forward to the input, I sort of want that "fluval edge" look to it with the floating hood for the lights. I also want to put in a rock background between the hood and the tanks for a more seemless look to it. I am also thinking of some sort of fallen tree across all 3 tanks to tie it together as one design. What do you think?

froggsong · #2 (**permalink**) 06-20-2010, 01:28 AM

Sounds pretty cool.

If the one in the middle will have a higher water level than the others, won't it be hard to tie them together so that they look like one piece, just divided (I think that's what you're going for). Maybe if you have the exos raised up so that their tops are all level, you could make it look like one piece, I think. Also, if your lights will be raised above all three tanks, your plants in the exos won't get as much light, because they'll be further down. Regardless, I think that it will be really cool.

JoeG · #3 (**permalink**) 06-20-2010, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by froggsong

Sounds pretty cool.

If the one in the middle will have a higher water level than the others, won't it be hard to tie them together so that they look like one piece, just divided (I think that's what you're going for). Maybe if you have the exos raised up so that their tops are all level, you could make it look like one piece, I think. Also, if your lights will be raised above all three tanks, your plants in the exos won't get as much light, because they'll be further down. Regardless, I think that it will be really cool.

Yeah, the uneven thing kind of sucks. I am trying to re-use my 47 and not drop another $90 for the exoterra. OK, so I could raise the exo's then add a bit of a notch at the bottom of the 47 gal so the bottom is not cut off and make the sand hard to see, like so..

As for lighting, I was planning on 4 48" 6700k bulbs. The distance from the bottom of the hood to the planting substrate is roughly 28" and I am thinking that the depth of the hood and painting it white on the inside, should help reflect enough light. I was even thinking even 3 6700k bulbs would be enough and possibly leave me with a option for a UV bulb if I needed it later. Does that sound about right? When I tested them out...it was bright as hell! lol

froggsong · #4 (**permalink**) 06-20-2010, 04:41 PM

Adding UV light from a tube at that height would be pretty much useless, unfortunately. It needs to be closer for the UV to penetrate into the tank.

I like the way you drew it up this time. I was thinking to just elevate the exos, but with the dip like that, it pulls it all together much better than if the exos were just up on shelves. I think that will look quite nice.

Are you going to find one large piece of wood that is around the length of all three tanks and cut it into sections? If you did that and lined it up perfectly on the inside it would be quite impressive, I think, and it will really pull the three spaces together.

JoeG · #5 (**permalink**) 06-20-2010, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by froggsong

Adding UV light from a tube at that height would be pretty much useless, unfortunately. It needs to be closer for the UV to penetrate into the tank.

This is true, thanks. I did some more research and it seems the max distance for a 10.0 UV is around 12" but at 12" its effectivness drops off dramatically. This got me thinking about the "hovering" light hood and all the bleed out so I dropped it to make it a more traditional aquarium type hood.

Quote:

Originally Posted by froggsong

I like the way you drew it up this time. I was thinking to just elevate the exos, but with the dip like that, it pulls it all together much better than if the exos were just up on shelves. I think that will look quite nice.

Thanks! You made some good points/suggestions!

Quote:

Originally Posted by froggsong

Are you going to find one large piece of wood that is around the length of all three tanks and cut it into sections? If you did that and lined it up perfectly on the inside it would be quite impressive, I think, and it will really pull the three spaces together.

I sort of already have the wood...but its not really wood..

So I have a fair bit of the rock backgrounds and big furniture done. One of the projects I did was to create a stump and fallen tree rather than find one due to weight. See, I wanted a sizable limb to mount some broms too and so I figured a 4" round limb would be great, but at the length we are talking...its heavy.

I live on a preserve so I found a dead oak whose bark was peeling and I took all I could, then glued it with epoxy to the pvc... bingo, instand hollow limb!

I'll be posting some pictures of this stuff too along with a how-to description or failure warnings

as I build this thing out to share some of the tecniques.

I got some time this afternoon to modify the design and I am thinking this is close to final and I left in the dimentions so you can get a sense of scale. Once I get it right, I can start the plumbing and get the ball rolling!

Raising the 2 exo's was brilliant btw.. gave me a great idea for a front access panel to things like siphon hoses and maybe even flow controls for the fogger when I figure out the plumbing.

froggsong · #6 (**permalink**) 06-20-2010, 06:31 PM

Sounds great! I can't wait to see it coming along.

I'm happy to offer suggestions, it's just one of those things I'm good for! lol

Ozymandias · #7 (**permalink**) 06-20-2010, 09:55 PM

looks good and cant wait to see how that fake branch comes out. you said you are using 6,700K light but are you using florescent bulb? and if so are you using T5's or something?

JoeG · #8 (**permalink**) 06-20-2010, 10:32 PM

Thanks. Hope to start on the plumbing this week/weekend. Actually I am planning on using 4 32w T8 bulbs. Also made a slight mistake...they are GE 5k Sunshine bulbs not 6700k.

jpstod · #9 (**permalink**) 06-21-2010, 05:52 PM

well get to work .... enough of the plans

JoeG · #10 (**permalink**) 06-21-2010, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpstod

well get to work .... enough of the plans

Oh yeah!! I took my daughter to the zoo today and was inspired to get some work done so here's what going on so far.. I have decided on running 3 1/4" lines for siphon and fog for each viv. I am building out each viv first, then building the platform I made in the sketchup drawing for a few different reasons, primary is i want the tanks to grow out a bit while I make the platform and hood, which will take the longest.

Today I started on tank #1, the left most tank. Keep in mind I already have the rockwork done, so initial tank build outs will go pretty fast compared to the usual.

The drainage layer is in:

and YES... even the background has been cut in..

Now we see the trunk I constructed, bark wrapping pvc, with placement #1:

and placement #2:

Which do you like better for trunk placement? I am fond of #1

Most of the "flat" and edges of the br still need to be sealed and covered with moss, etc... the overall look I am going for is a gradual slope rising from left to right so the right viv will have a background on the back and right side. the one in the middle will only have one on the back. the intent is to have a seemless rock wall across all three. This is wht the rock wall was already done, I built it out in one large section and am just cutting to fit!

Thanks for looking!!