Help find 24x24 substrate tray?
- Thread starter saradoggy10
- Start date
SourGrape4u
Avid Member
DIYCAGES sells one i believe
bbyoda
Chameleon Enthusiast
I was looking at that one as well, since I'm hunting for a bioactive substrate tray (and lurking this thread hoping there's a commercial option). Sadly the DIYcages one is only 4 inches deep - not tall enough for planties. My partner and I are considering making our own bin out of acrylic or PVC.
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
How deep does it need to be, and what other dimensions (if not 24x24)?
I must've looked at over 100 trays/pans/bins over the past couple weeks.
Some of the terminology for these things has amazed me.
Can't make any promises, but if there's something I've come across I'll pass it along.
bbyoda
Chameleon Enthusiast
Thanks for continuing to hunt for good options! My head is spinning from looking at random plastic containers on the internet. Planters? Litter boxes? Shipping crates? Oy.
I can't speak for @saradoggy10, but I think 6" at the least but preferably 10-12". The weeping fig and hibiscus I want to plant in my new enclosure (dragon strand 24x24x48) is in a 10" planter, and the bins needs room for a drainage layer too, right? Also, I don't have a female cham but don't they need some good depth to lay their eggs? Just thinking about what a good product would be since it seems like there's a market gap here.
Dragon strand cages have a nifty bottom door that has a pivot point at 6" - so I was thinking of trying to work around that height, but I think if I go bioactive I just won't use that door at all. It's not like I can pull it out after I plant some shrubs in there. ?
saradoggy10
Established Member
I was planning something around 8". I'm working on my makeshift planter now that the enclosure FINALLY came in the mail.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
I just ordered a couple of these to use for my ladies’ enclosures. They’re 32” big x 18” high, but I’d rather have to fold them to fit than have all the gaps from the one from Bio Dude, which is too small. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Root-Po...th-Handles-Planter-1-Pack-BB900-65H/306677198
bbyoda
Chameleon Enthusiast
Looking forward to seeing what you put together.
Forgive my ignorance, but are these waterproof? Would buggos or anything else get through?
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
I don’t think they are waterproof. I still have made some small drainage holes in the enclosure floor & will keep a small bucket below just in case there’s any excess drainage. I doubt that there will be. The bag is made of a somewhat heavy fabric, and while it will biodegrade in a couple of years I don’t anticipate any bugs being able to get thru.
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
Wow, that's almost in recycle bin (or bag) territory.
These bags are approx. 12" sq. and 15"H Four of them could fill the bottom of a 24x24.
https://www.amazon.com/Ribens-Waterproof-Compartment-Container-Multipurpose/dp/B07BZKZPNY
These are a tad smaller
https://www.amazon.com/Pack-SimpleH...6-4af6-a717-e9b9e6c2f75f&tag=scrippsonsite-20
I can't remember who it was, but I suggested to someone recently that they might have to go tall, and cut something down.
Unfortunately some (like recycle bins) don't give dimensions—only gal. capacity.
This one is allegedly 5" deep, but it sure doesn't look like it from the pic.
https://www.amazon.com/New-Pig-Cont.../B00BUBQ46M/ref=psdc_2620840011_t1_B00PR0MAGK
(I was looking for something to go under a 48x24 DIY enclosure)
Plastic laundry basket cut down?
That about does what I dug out of my OneNote page. Sometimes it's a matter of the right item being out there, but we can't find it because we don't know what it's called.
bbyoda
Chameleon Enthusiast
? I do like the idea of finding something bigger and cutting it down. Hadn't thought of approaching the problem that way. I'm wary of getting multiple bins or bags to fill the bottom of the enclosure because the plants and cleanup crew won't have more space to spread out. And you're totally right...our searching skills are only as good as our vocabulary. I was also looking at busing trays earlier today. I've learned and done many strange things already and I've only had a chameleon for about 3 months.
saradoggy10
Established Member
Through all my search I found the best options were plant trays. There is an 18x18 square planter I found but 24x24 still is an issue lol.
Im fairly certain I found I way to build one for like $23 though so im crossing my fingers
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
The thought just occurred to me that a hybrid tray or bin might be possible. If either of you found a flat(tish) tray of the size you're looking for, could you glue (or otherwise attach) sides to it from acrylic, pvc, HDPE, or whatever...?
bbyoda
Chameleon Enthusiast
It seems like hydroponic flood trays and liners could be a good option. I found this one online and a local store here in Orlando had it in stock (Root Grow Bloom). The lip around the edge is too wide to fit in the dragonstrand so I'm going to cut it off with a jigsaw and see how that goes.
https://growershouse.com/botanicare-id-white-2-ft-x-2-ft-grow-tray
https://growershouse.com/botanicare-id-white-2-ft-x-2-ft-grow-tray
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
The ads & literature for these things always crack me up...
Yeah, I know what they meant. Still strikes me funny.
And I'm not sure how the inside & outside depth can both be 6.5"
Does the bottom have no thickness?
And then there's the single 5-star review...
bbyoda
Chameleon Enthusiast
The ads & literature for these things always crack me up...
"renewable solar energy"? As opposed to non-renewable solar energy?
Yeah, I know what they meant. Still strikes me funny.
And I'm not sure how the inside & outside depth can both be 6.5"
Does the bottom have no thickness?
And then there's the single 5-star review...
Yes!! Even root pouch gives a recommendation for which of their pouches is best for growing cannabis.
I really enjoyed the graphic design for the soils and fertilizers at the local place that sold the tray. I also got to hold a bag of bat guano today. Never a dull moment...
saradoggy10
Established Member
Here's the substrate tray I made from polypropylene poster board glued and reinforced by spray foam. Works just fine!
saradoggy10
Established Member
Another bonus- it was like 10 bucks
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
bbyoda
Chameleon Enthusiast
@saradoggy10 your choice worked out so well!!! I wish we had a Menards here in Orlando.
Cutting off the edges of the hydroponics tray was OK. My boyfriend helped me out. We used the dragonstrand pvc bottom as a "pattern" to figure out how much to cut off and used a hacksaw blade. Less intimidating than a table saw for sure. We had to carefully finesse the tray into the cage. The screen sides were a little forgiving but had they been PVC it might've been tougher to get in there. I've ordered a root pouch to put inside this since my plants need a bit more height and we'll drill drainage holes in the hydroponics tray and pvc bottom. Just having some issues with stagnant water in my cham's current setup and want a better drainage solution thus time around.
Cutting off the edges of the hydroponics tray was OK. My boyfriend helped me out. We used the dragonstrand pvc bottom as a "pattern" to figure out how much to cut off and used a hacksaw blade. Less intimidating than a table saw for sure. We had to carefully finesse the tray into the cage. The screen sides were a little forgiving but had they been PVC it might've been tougher to get in there. I've ordered a root pouch to put inside this since my plants need a bit more height and we'll drill drainage holes in the hydroponics tray and pvc bottom. Just having some issues with stagnant water in my cham's current setup and want a better drainage solution thus time around.
