# Picking up my Exo 45x45x60 Tonight



## PMA (Jul 10, 2012)

I've finally got round to purchasing an Exo Terra 45x45x60, which I've wanted for ages and got a decent-ish price on the 'Bay second hand. I had intended to plant it up for the benefit of a potential day gecko inhabitant, or maybe a crested - hadn't fully decided tbh. The mrs has vetoed this motion, so for the time being I'm going to be concentrating on plants which, luckily, I'm pretty keen on as well.

This is my first foray into terrarium/vivarium setups, and I'm more than a little nervous of fecking it all up! I can't even make my mind up how I'm going to hardscape let alone which plants to choose, although I do love the micro orchids.

I have questions.

Firstly, I need to purchase some sort of lighting system. I'm looking at the Exo Dual Canopy, which seems to balance cost and features reasonably well unless any of you educated sods can enlighten me to the contrary. I like the arcadias but at £50+ it's a bit of a push at this point. Any pointers on this would be great, as well as what kind of bulbs I should be looking at please.

At some stage I'd like to have a basic Mistking system but for now I'll be settling with a hand mister for humidity.

With regards to scaping the terrarium, I'm quite interested in the Treefern panels, which look nice and provide spontaneous growth of mosses and ferns (unless I'm talking utter BS - please correct if I'm wrong!) I also like the more '3D' possibilities of expanding foam. What would you do if you were me? Does the Foam/Coir method allow plants/moss to grow on it like a treefern panel would?

I was toying with the idea of a paludarium, but I'm not sure I need the extra hassle on my first attempt!

Any help, pointers, abuse will be gratefully received.

Cheers all!


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## Papa Mcknight (Feb 3, 2014)

If you're wanting plants to thrive you're best off looking at the Jungle Dawn LEDs, they fit in the Exo Terra canopies, a bit pricey but you'll probably never have to replace it. But having geckos in there you're going to need UVB and a basking bulb if going down the phelsuma route as they enjoy basking. So in the canopy at the front you could have the LEDs and in the canopy at the back you could have the other bulbs.

Backgrounds i've had Epiweb (a man-made treefern substitute) and while they do work, i've just never been that keen on a brown box with some plants in, hence why I went with expanding foam for my other tank. It lets you create a lot more depth and features. The plants will send out aerial roots (if the humidity is high enough) that will attach to the foam/coco fibre background but not penetrate it. Aslong as the mosses on this kind of background don't dry out they should happily live on it and spread.

And I wouldn't bother with the misting system or the waterfall just yet. Just get your eye in at getting experience building and growing plants under vivarium conditions. Learn from your first tank so you can make your next one that bit better, then the next one, then the next one haha. Becomes addictive :2thumb:


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## PMA (Jul 10, 2012)

Thanks for your advice pal, appreciate your input. I now have my exo! Hooray! It's bloody bigger than I'd really imagined but it's all the better for it  I feel like a have more room to plan it than I thought which is wicked, now need to browse some vivarium pawn for inspiration, so if you'll excuse me...


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## Papa Mcknight (Feb 3, 2014)

Im in the process of changing up a few little things in my 45x45x60 Exo, will post some new pics next week. Also working on my new project, a 60x45x90 tall Exo! Even more room for me to go crazy since my last build was kept simple :2thumb:

Got the false floors made, the driftwood centre piece done (that itself is 2ft tall), and now im working on the built in air circulation system and waterfall :mf_dribble:


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## Fordyl2k (Nov 29, 2010)

Just a little warning about the exo terra dual canopies, last week the fan on mine stopped working and luckily i was in the house as i smelt the smoke coming from the canopy, if i wasnt home i have no doubt the house would have been burned down.


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## PMA (Jul 10, 2012)

Holy smokes (sorry!)

I'm looking at a compact canopy I think, as long as it will take jungle dawns that is. New ones on Amazon for 23 quid delivered, seems good value. I cannot wait to start buying stuff to go inside!


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## PMA (Jul 10, 2012)

So, this weekend brought a sudden change of heart in the Mrs, who has given me the thumbs up for a crestie! We even went looking at some and she was getting more excited than I was! " Can I name it?" Etc haha. Just ordered two bulbs as recommended in another thread ( not jungle dawns) as I can't afford them right now. Now to start ordering silicone and things. Anyone know how much silicone is normally required for a foam build, including the black silicone for the glass?


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## Papa Mcknight (Feb 3, 2014)

I'd order 4-5 tubes just incase mate, get it cheap enough on ebay. Just make sure it's aquarium grade silicone like HA6. As for foam i'd try get black pond and waterfall foam if you can find it, if not gorilla filler, that's what i use.


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## PMA (Jul 10, 2012)

Nice one cheers mate. Is it ok to just use black silicone or will I require clear for any reason? One more thing, will one coco brick be enough to cover the walls, roughly?


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## Papa Mcknight (Feb 3, 2014)

Yeah just black mate. And yeah one coco brick will be enough, just make sure it is bone dry when you press it in to the silicone. Might have to put it in the oven if the Mrs will let you.


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## PMA (Jul 10, 2012)

Superb, thanks again pal. I'm sure I've read a thousand threads with all this info in, but now I'm doing it for real the fear of failure is setting in haha! I'm thinking it would be a good idea to silicone a piece of tubing in place to drain excess water from the drainage layer if need be. I also want to incorporate food dishes into the foam rather than have them out in the open. I hate a nice planted tank with bright plastic dishes in view!


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## Papa Mcknight (Feb 3, 2014)

Yeah it will male draining the tank much easier. If you felt confident you could drill the glass and install a bulkhead to drain the tank. If you're going to build in some dishes just make sure you have a way of getting them out to clean and add new food, a holder built in and a dish you could take in and out etc.


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## PMA (Jul 10, 2012)

Oh yeah obviously, I wasn't planning on fixed bowls, more a recess they can slot into that isn't 'in yer face'. I don't think I'll be drilling the glass!


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## PMA (Jul 10, 2012)

Silicon has arrived, gorilla filler has arrived, bulbs have arrived, coco fibre should be here today... it's coming together. I might try and find a nice piece of wood this weekend, then I can plan the foamage!


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## PMA (Jul 10, 2012)

Had a day off to look after the kids yesterday, so I took them up the woods for a wander (and to find some wood!) Came back with three good pieces, about a meter long so will need cutting up but some good knots and holes and flaky bark etc, hopefully will look really good in the setup. My only concern is knowing how these branches will hold up with humidity. Guess only time will tell.


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## Papa Mcknight (Feb 3, 2014)

I'd be careful using stuff out of the woods, could contain some nasties you don't want introduced into your viv. Make sure you boil and bake your pieces to kill off anything bad that is on it.

Hopefully you found some oak which should last, if not make sure the pieces aren't structurally integral to your build and will be easy to remove if they do go bad.


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## PMA (Jul 10, 2012)

Yeah, I'm going to prepare them carefully. I had considered putting them in au naturel, but think I'll play it safe and then introduce my own custodians rather than whatever is on them currently. I will upload some pics when I get a chance. Going by information from my local authority, the woodland is comprised of Oak, Sweet Chestnut, Ash, Silver Birch and Field Maple. Certain what i have isn't the maple as I think they are out on the field next door, and not silver birch either. So could be any of the first three. Will try to find out more info on these. My largest piece has some lovely holes and crannies so I hope I can use it.


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## PMA (Jul 10, 2012)

Ugh! Still haven't had time to start this bloody build yet! I have purchased some more supplies though, hydro balls arrived yesterday and for ease I've ordered the pollywog planted terrarium blend substrate simply so i don't have to go and buy separate bags of orchid bark, compost etc etc. If I haven't got enough I'll make up the balance with coco fibre and sphagnum which I already have. 

I also took a leap of faith (hope?) And have ordered one of these:

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=161645524812&alt=web

I have to say, if it does what it's meant to then I'll be very happy. If it's not that great, then I'm sure it'll serve a purpose anyway and for that price I'm not going to cry too much! Just need some Aussie plug adapters now.

So I'm all set. Just need to find some precious time to get it all underway!


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## PMA (Jul 10, 2012)

So the build is underway! Sides and back siliconed, then last night I got the courage to do the expanding foam  just about had enough in the one large can to cover it, coukdve done with a bit more if I'm honest but it'll do. I left it overnight to dry/cure, thought it would've been enough time but upon attempting to carve a hole in it, there was still sticky ooze behind, which has now expanded out of the hole. How long does this stuff usually need to cure fully? I used Gorilla Filla if that helps


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## Papa Mcknight (Feb 3, 2014)

Yeah in the thickest parts it will take a bit longer to cure, i've done the same a couple of times. Just leave that area for a few more hours. You can still make a start on siliconing the foam and pressing on the coco fibre, just leave out that area till later. Also there's no rush, if you feel like you want more detail on the background get yourself another can, carve the area where you want to add to to give it a bit of a better grip and foam away.


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