Drop-in Manzanita Features

[hydrophyte]

Drop-in Manzanita Features

Progressive Terrarium Design

You don't have to build a complicated 3D background to have a beautiful planted terrarium display!

In response to the pleasant compliments that I have received on the manzanita features that I have made for my own viv setups I have decided to make some new ones for sale. These "drop-in" manzanita features are really handy, modular viv design elements. They can provide excellent habitat structure for your viv livestock and plants, while also helping you to create a terrarium display that will truly stand out. Here is the feature that I made for my 37G viv.

The manzanita branches are attached to a sturdy 1/4" plastic plate with stainless steel screws.

You can leave the manzanta branches bare to contrast against your viv plants, or plant epiphytic plants directly on them. The feature in my 12" X 12" Exo Terra setup is planted with numerous epiphytic button ferns.

Drop-in Piece #01 - $80

This is the first piece that I am offering for sale. I built it to fit inside the standard 12" X 12" X 18" Exo Terra.

It has a nest of several smaller pieces up at the top as well as a thick branch that curves downward to meet the enclosure bottom. This provides habitat connectivity for your terrarium animals and the large branch might also be a favorite basking or resting spot. The large curved branch is in a perfect spot for picture-taking!

Here's a shot of that piece inside of my 12" X 12" X 18" Exo.

I can also offer this additional console panel for $11 more. The 2" X 11" console panel is handy for a few different purposes. It covers up some more of the enclosure top and with it's center plastic knob provides easy access into the enclosure top. You can also use it hold circulation fans, ventilation screens and monitoring equipment.

Here's the console panel on my larger 37G setup.

Thanks for reading!

This manzanita feature will ship via USPS Parcel Post or UPS per our agreed upon shipping reimbursement. Just let me know if you have any questions.

 

[clarkrw3]

Very nice!! You doing any of these for 18x18x24?

 

[hydrophyte]

Very nice!! You doing any of these for 18x18x24?

I can make them for that size. This one is spoken for already, but it matches the 18 X 18 X 24...

Lots of places for an animal to crawl around there!

 

[hydrophyte]

More ready-made pieces on the way pretty soon.

 

[clarkrw3]

Awesome! Can you post a picture of the top of the cage so we can see how it all goes together? Thx

 

[hydrophyte]

Awesome! Can you post a picture of the top of the cage so we can see how it all goes together? Thx

The plastic plate just fits right into the grooves in the plastic top frame. The console panel can go either in front of or behind the larger sheet with the branches, then a piece of plate glass covers the rest of the space in the front. If you want a screen top I can also make a frame with aluminum screen to fit there.

 

[clarkrw3]

The plastic plate just fits right into the grooves in the plastic top frame. The console panel can go either in front of or behind the larger sheet with the branches, then a piece of plate glass covers the rest of the space in the front. If you want a screen top I can also make a frame with aluminum screen to fit there.

I am sorry I must be dense... So this piece replaces the normal top screen piece in the exo? Then you need to make or buy a replacement for the rest of the top that this piece doesn't cover?

 

[hydrophyte]

Yep I'm sorry it goes into the same spot where the Exo screen top goes. Most of my setups are high-humidity, so I cover the space in front with a piece of plate glass.

For a chameleon enclosure a screen top might be better and I can make a rectangular framed aluminum screen to cover the rest of the area in the front with these plastic connectors and metal frame...

http://www.mobilehomerepair.com/articles/screen5.jpg

 

[hydrophyte]

Here is what the whole top of my 37G looks like. The drop-in feature, console and screen or glass would go together the same for an Exo Terra and just drop into the groove around the top plastic frame.

I actually attached a piece of glass to the screen frame with some strong double-adhesive, but I could have as easily just used a piece of plate glass. Aluminum screen could also just as easily go into the frame. I can make one of this frames with screen for another $10 or so.

 

[Brad]

Your Drop-in Manzanita features are a great idea. I love the branches with the epiphytic plants. How difficult is that to cultivate and maintain?

 

[hydrophyte]

Your Drop-in Manzanita features are a great idea. I love the branches with the epiphytic plants. How difficult is that to cultivate and maintain?

Thanks!

It's not too hard to grow those little epiphytes. They just need humidity + light + air circulation. I mist it a couple times a day with RO water.

 

[hydrophyte]

This one was pending sale, but the buyer opted out so I still have the feature for the 12 X 12 X 18 Exo.

 

[hydrophyte]

I hope to have one more ready-made piece to show tomorrow!

 

[hydrophyte]

The piece for the 12 X 12 X 18 is till available!

 

[hydrophyte]

Avicularia metallica with Forest Floor terrarium setup and drop-in manzanita feature.

 

[hydrophyte]

Hi folks!

I still have this piece for the 12 X 12 X 18 available!

 

[Montium]

Very nice looking, good luck with the sale. If the plants aren't that hard to grow you may want to offer some with the plants already on them. Just a thought, again great looking stuff.

 

[hydrophyte]

Thanks Montium!

 

[clarkrw3]

On the smaller tanks is there anyway to offer the drop in fixture mounted to a clear plexiglass. It's just that for some species we are wanting to put three different lights on the cage and top space is already very limited. You would still want the UVB to go through the screen section but you could run basking or grow lighting over the clear section of the drop in fixture.

 

[hydrophyte]

On the smaller tanks is there anyway to offer the drop in fixture mounted to a clear plexiglass. It's just that for some species we are wanting to put three different lights on the cage and top space is already very limited. You would still want the UVB to go through the screen section but you could run basking or grow lighting over the clear section of the drop in fixture.

Hey I have your piece almost done. I got a picture of it too I will link it for you pretty soon here.

I try to make that plastic plate so that it covers a bit less than the rear half of the enclosure top. The big problem with plexiglass is that it expands when wet, so if you put it in a viv with humidity higher than the room it will bow into the tank. The grey plastic sheet that I use does not have this problem. I would also worry about lights on top of the plexiglass causing it to melt. I have melted plexi before with just the heat from spiral CF bulbs.

If you want more heat or UV lamps than what fits on top you can also just shine them in through a side pane with a clamp light.