"Natural" Forest Floor Terrarium "Testing" Build!

[JonRich]

Ok I guess I missed the orchid. I love them and I guess I expect every one else to love them too.
So the drainage, will you have a hole drilled into the bottom of you exoterra? What you are doing just looks and sounds so cool.

I don't anticipate any drainage problems with this kit drainage wise. But then again this kit is still in the testing stage, but seems very solid. I have been doing a lotttt of thinking about the "what ifffs" and I have come up with a few solutions to tackle them.

As I stated before the void section will be painted or tinted over to make it astatically pleasing. But I will leave a section uncovered to view in so I can see what's going on.

With this kit , it allows for an air line to be run into the tank from above into the void that will be connected to a air pump that will pump fresh air into the void and avoiding the chance of any stale, stagnant air. I will then use this same air line to siphon whatever water builds up out of the tank. ( I tested it last night and it worked like a charm as long as the terrarium is high enough to allow for gravity to do it's job)

But like I said I don't anticipate any drainage problems , these are small animals and will have ample opportunities to drink during the mistings without having to drown the tank. Just have to water the plants themselves.

 

[JonRich]

man, you're always taking things to the max! LOL! looks great and good luck!

i swear it never starts this way.. I just get a lil carried a way.

I just built a street car from scraps around the shop. Something "simple", well it got complicated realll fast and just made 637whp. I have a problem.

 

[Rottsko]

LOL! I know what you mean. I never just get or do something. It has to be unique and the best. .

 

[hydrophyte]

That's looking great!

 

[Whatcamo]

Man really stop haha like I need my brain thinking up anymore ideas
I think if me and you got together we'd be in trouble big time I just ripped the 490 outta my truck (1962 ford unibody) because I didn't think 987hp was enough now with this it's got me thinking really hard on the dart frog terrarium build :/

 

[hydrophyte]

Have you found any plants for this yet? I'll be interested to see what you might be able to find.

 

[camoammo]

I am wanting to do a planted terrarium for my chameleon as well, this was so much of a help as I was clueless on how to get it started! Do you have any good recommendations for a newbie at the planted terrariums?

 

[beeek0]

this looks great so far! Can't wait to see more progress.. I'm thinking of purchasing myself a kit also

 

[Zen Reptiles]

A good alternative for leaves is Indian Almond Leaves. They are quite a bit bigger.

Great post! This is something I would be very very interested in....I think a custom made viv with that as the bottom, and a pull-out-drawer to empty water would be BOSS.

 

[hydrophyte]

A good alternative for leaves is Indian Almond Leaves. They are quite a bit bigger.

Great post! This is something I would be very very interested in....I think a custom made viv with that as the bottom, and a pull-out-drawer to empty water would be BOSS.

It's real easy to remove drain water in this kind of setup by just removing a planter pot and sticking a water-filled hose down inside to start a siphon.

Another slick way to do it if you can order your enclosure custom is to put a single bulkhead in the bottom with a bulkhead and short hose to drain to a pail.

 

[Strictly strange]

What is the name of the sight you for the fake bottom?

 

[JonRich]

Man really stop haha like I need my brain thinking up anymore ideas
I think if me and you got together we'd be in trouble big time I just ripped the 490 outta my truck (1962 ford unibody) because I didn't think 987hp was enough now with this it's got me thinking really hard on the dart frog terrarium build :/

Pixxxxxxxxxxxxxx
https://www.chameleonforums.com/any-car-guys-here-drag-show-auto-x-drift-etc-69549/

 

[JonRich]

Thanks guys. I was away for the weekend, so i missed all the posts on here. But Thanks for all the feedback.

LOL! I know what you mean. I never just get or do something. It has to be unique and the best. .

lol, i have a mod problem. I modify everything. lol

That's looking great!

Thanks a lot!

Have you found any plants for this yet? I'll be interested to see what you might be able to find.

I got a few i got from BlackJungle. They have a pretty wide selection and discriptions of the plants ( which helped me a lot with choosing). I don't want a plant that will overgrow the enclosure too fast, but i want some stuff that will fill in nicely without choking the other plants. So i might be swapping some plants in and out, this is one of the perks of the kit too. The ease of swapping out plants.

I am wanting to do a planted terrarium for my chameleon as well, this was so much of a help as I was clueless on how to get it started! Do you have any good recommendations for a newbie at the planted terrariums?

Im actually a noob at this. This is my first one, i played around with some while i was in highschool and college as class projects. But nothing full time and long term under my supervision and maintenance. Honestly i was putting it off , the whole substrait and layers for drainage was a turn off for me, maybe a lil intimidated. But when i was presented with this kit, i figured i'd give it a try. Plant selection is actually the fun part. I usually figure out what animal i want to keep and do a lot of research on their bio-type and either try to get plants from there, or find alternatives that i have access to that are similiar.

this looks great so far! Can't wait to see more progress.. I'm thinking of purchasing myself a kit also

You should. This isn't a source for getting the kits. But i'll PM you some info and you can go from there. Progress is a bit slow due to the holiday weekend and shipping from BlackJungle. They ship plants and animals only on Monday-Wed. So it should ship today for Thursday arrival. So check back soon.

A good alternative for leaves is Indian Almond Leaves. They are quite a bit bigger.

Great post! This is something I would be very very interested in....I think a custom made viv with that as the bottom, and a pull-out-drawer to empty water would be BOSS.

Yea, i wanted a mixed leaf litter of various sized leaves. So i ordered Indian Almond, Mognolia, Live Oak and i'm going upstate in a few weeks so i'll try to get some Maple/Oak leaves while up there. I would love to get this kit for something a 40g breeder and do a nice group of Pygmy Chams. Im sure it can be done, might be a bit pricy but well worth it.

It's real easy to remove drain water in this kind of setup by just removing a planter pot and sticking a water-filled hose down inside to start a siphon.

Another slick way to do it if you can order your enclosure custom is to put a single bulkhead in the bottom with a bulkhead and short hose to drain to a pail.

I siphon with a air-line. tested it a few times. It worked best with the line out the front door and a bit slower with it ran out the top through the screen lid. ( i unfortunatly have to run it out the top. The animals i'm putting in here are FASTTTTT!! and i can't chance having the door open for too long). So sloww and steady is the way! lol

 

[laurie]

Jon would you consider putting all the build info and pictures into a blog? Each week we use links to various blogs. I think yours would be great.

 

[hydrophyte]

I got a few i got from BlackJungle. They have a pretty wide selection and discriptions of the plants ( which helped me a lot with choosing). I don't want a plant that will overgrow the enclosure too fast, but i want some stuff that will fill in nicely without choking the other plants. So i might be swapping some plants in and out, this is one of the perks of the kit too. The ease of swapping out plants.

I'll be interested to see what you got. It'll be great to see your livestock too!

Let me know if you might still be looking for leaf litter. I can suggest a few tips for that.

 

[JonRich]

Jon would you consider putting all the build info and pictures into a blog? Each week we use links to various blogs. I think yours would be great.

I would definitely look into creating a blog for this build.

I'll be interested to see what you got. It'll be great to see your livestock too!

Let me know if you might still be looking for leaf litter. I can suggest a few tips for that.

So far aside from the C.metallica

I have ordered.
Ludisia alba

Ficus pumila

Cryptanthus fosterianus

Chamaeranthemum venosum

EDIT: These are googled images. I will have actual pix once they come in later this week : fingers crossed:

 

[hydrophyte]

Oh those look like great choices. The purple Cryptanthus will look really cool against brown leaf litter. I have been wanting to get some Chamaeranthemum venosum.

The Ficus pumila will be good for filling in. It can be invasive and hard to control in a regular viv, but it will be easy to manage in your setup with the kit.

 

[JonRich]

Oh those look like great choices. The purple Cryptanthus will look really cool against brown leaf litter. I have been wanting to get some Chamaeranthemum venosum.

The Ficus pumila will be good for filling in. It can be invasive and hard to control in a regular viv, but it will be easy to manage in your setup with the kit.

Yea, i'm aiming to plant the Ficus pumila in the back row and have it grow up the wall and trim it when it starts to get out of hand.

And thats exactly what i was going for with most of my plant choices., that contrass in shades from the leaf litter and the leaves.

 

[Whatcamo]

Pixxxxxxxxxxxxxx
https://www.chameleonforums.com/any-car-guys-here-drag-show-auto-x-drift-etc-69549/

Will do as soon as I get around it again it's at my friend shop an hour away I have a pic of it all somewhere before we started it haha lets say rough

 

[nick1276]

Any link to where we can buy a kit? I've downloaded the instructions on how to set this kit up, but even the contact information on the brochure doesnt work... I'd be interested in seeing how large these kits come