# Build thread for two new tanks! Pic heavy!



## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Started on a few new builds over the last 2 week so going to do a build tread so I can post all the pics in the same one! Lol first up is a tank being built for bumblebee toads for myself! 
First up is the basic tank with the glass cut and mounted ready for water (all seals checked) :









Water in for test 









And then tonight's work was clay balls, soil and single branch mounted to the wall and floor as a basic to start building up from! :









Iv added a cork bark runner over the entire lengths of glass all aqua sealed in so no risk of any sharp edges or anything! 


















And that's so far for that one just letting everything set in overnight and I'm waiting on goodies to arrive to go further! But I am doing a tank for a mate ATM aswell so I have other things to do aswell! Lol and here is that tank being built at the same time!

Glass devider cut and sealed into place and background trimmed down and cut ready for fitment! 









Coco fibre the back wall and fitted in the backround! :









Clay balls and soil in, the water left in is from the full brimming tests before any soil went in!









And so far waiting for goodies in post for that tank aswell!
I will keep this thread updated with progress! Hope people like!
Cheers
Josh


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

One of the Canopys and the uv bulbs arrived today! So fitted them into the lid and I'm wireing up the nights LEDs tonight! This is how it looks now!








Josh


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

This is the night viewing lights! Wired on a seperate 12v system with its on switch, not the best looking at the moment but who looks at the back of a light unit? So it'll be fine till I wire up the whole setup onto a 240v system for them all! But here are the pictures!
































Josh


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Gonna carry on working this weekend and hope more goodies arrive to get them all moving along! 
Josh


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## Dragon-shadow (Dec 18, 2011)

Looking good fella


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## fatlad69 (Oct 22, 2009)

I would use a bit of trunking on the back to contain all the wires. Looking good.


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

I'm going to!  this is just a temp option while its in a different room when it's in the new rep area of the house it'll be wired into the full system than exists allready!


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Good luck with cleaning the gunk that the tape leaves behind off the canopy! It's all looking good so far, easy to see you've learnt a fair few tricks from your previous builds

Dave


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Cheers very much dave!  yer it will be a got but it keep it looking tidy for now! I sell something non toxic called sticky stuff remover! Should shift it quick enuf!


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## Luke (May 19, 2005)

looking good, i like the led strip inside the exo terra canopy, i think ill use that idea.: victory:


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Luke said:


> looking good, i like the led strip inside the exo terra canopy, i think ill use that idea.: victory:


Go go it! I had to mount a small slither of glass onto the exo using aqua seal and then sick the led strip to that to keep it level! Good lick with it!!! It's really easy! This took a whole 5 mins if you take drying time away!  
Josh


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## Luke (May 19, 2005)

JPalmer said:


> Go go it! I had to mount a small slither of glass onto the exo using aqua seal and then sick the led strip to that to keep it level! Good lick with it!!! It's really easy! This took a whole 5 mins if you take drying time away!
> Josh


Brilliant, the canopy will have two exo terra 25w sun lamps on the one switch and the 3rd independant light on its own switch will have the same but in the moonlight blue, but the day bulbs just dont make it bright enough for me as theyre only low watt incandescent, so I may get a white and a green just to enhance the forest theme.


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Luke said:


> Brilliant, the canopy will have two exo terra 25w sun lamps on the one switch and the 3rd independant light on its own switch will have the same but in the moonlight blue, but the day bulbs just dont make it bright enough for me as theyre only low watt incandescent, so I may get a white and a green just to enhance the forest theme.


Iv done this in one of my other tanks!!







Use a white and green led mounted behind a 13w full spectrum uvb bulb so there's thy extra light aswell as all the goodness the animal need  I love playing with 12v LEDs!! So cheap but brilliantly effective! 
Josh


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## Luke (May 19, 2005)

That looks awesome, where do you get the 12V leds from cheap?, also are they just wired up to a mains socket?, you'll have to forgive me im not that good with electrics :lol2:


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

JPalmer said:


> Iv done this in one of my other tanks!!image Use a white and green led mounted behind a 13w full spectrum uvb bulb so there's thy extra light aswell as all the goodness the animal need  I love playing with 12v LEDs!! So cheap but brilliantly effective!
> Josh


Yer no probs! I use 12v led strips designer for cars so there totally water resistant! All the ones in the main rep area are on a single 240 to 12v transformer, but these are on there own battery for the easy of testing without running wires from one room to another! The 5cm strips are about £1.5 with 99p deliver and up from that for bigger ones! Iv sel taught myself wiring with these! Really easy! Just poz and neg to connect up!!


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## Luke (May 19, 2005)

ive seen loads of these on ebay, and my friend in the street is a qualified electrician, so ill see if he minds helping me. cheers v much:2thumb:


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Cool! You'll be alright then!  make sure you pops some pics on here so I can see!!!!


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## Luke (May 19, 2005)

JPalmer said:


> Cool! You'll be alright then!  make sure you pops some pics on here so I can see!!!!


 
Sure no probs, im just trying to build the image I have in my mind with the new tank lol, In my thread on this section ive found the background I wanted but had to make it myself as an alternative to the polystyrene ones.


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Ahh I did see that thread! I like the idea o printing and laminating! That's a clever idea! I'm gonna leave the walls of this one clear due to the amount of plants I plan on having in here but I usually use coco fibre! It's brilliant stuff for backgrounds! You can create custom pockets


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## JoshG1992 (Dec 14, 2012)

Looks excellent so far! I wish i could make dividers and have them not leak first time round 

They also sell those LED strips in Maplins, exactly the same i have some


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

JoshG1992 said:


> Looks excellent so far! I wish i could make dividers and have them not leak first time round
> 
> They also sell those LED strips in Maplins, exactly the same i have some


How much are they in maplins???  might try there next! No waiting for delivery lol! With the deviders it's just a case of getting a good bead of sealant all te way round! I was happy with these two as they were sealed on the first go! Also glass is Easyer to seal than a Perspex or a pollycarbonate!
Josh


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## JoshG1992 (Dec 14, 2012)

Here you go  

LED Light Strips | Maplin Electronics

The red ones i bought dont exactly look water proof but the white ones i got are identical to the ones you used in the canopy  Definitely water proof.


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Cheers for that! I will take a look!  
Josh


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

*Tonight's work on the smaller tank!*

Finishing up the lid on the smaller tank tonight! Got wholes cut and light unit fits like a dream!! In gonna do the same night led system in this tank aswell when my LEDs get here (3 days late) but here's how it's looking ATM!









If anyone's got any questions or suggestions then I'd love to hear them! 
Josh


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

*Tonight's progress so far!*

Started a light bit of planting with some cuttings from other tanks to let it grow for small as I want it!  here are a few pics! Obviously still along way from finished but it feels good to get a few plants in! Lol

























And the other tank: 
















Josh


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

*Lid work*

This is not the final lid!! I do want to make that clear! This is just a tester to see how things fit in for the final lid! This is with light unit and 2 40mm fans, one in one out! Here's a few pics!


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Got another 2 tanks donated today! One was today's day off project! A planted tank for my garter snake!

















And the other is an exo 45d x. 45w x 60h with out a lid so that is an upcoming build project!!


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

JPalmer said:


> Got another 2 tanks donated today! One was today's day off project! A planted tank for my garter snake! image
> image
> 
> And the other is an exo 45d x. 45w x 60h with out a lid so that is an upcoming build project!!


A 45x45x60 without a lid? Is anyone else thinking PDF's?! :2thumb:

Dave


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Lol well iv got a 45x45x60 long allready built I was thinking sort the lid out and put PDFs in there was thinking tree frogs in the new one as its 45 x 45 x 60 high! I do love my FBTs but I don't handle them unless its nessery! Is there any species that don't mind being handled aslong as you've taken the right procortions lol 
Josh


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Done abit more on the garters tank and sorted the new light unit for the tank that's pre sold!  garter tank! :


























And the light unit with night led! Here is all you see from the outside:








And the inside: http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o513/MatesDiyCentre/5DD8A0CC-8310-4CF1-86E7-79784026A3DD-6274-0000063E402FAFC1_zps150b1382.jpg[/IMG
Josh


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)




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