# DIY Crested Gecko Terrarium (pic heavy)



## mhbird (Jul 14, 2007)

Stage one: Collecting materials

First things first I needed a Terrarium, I went for the 18x18x24 inch Exo Terra, as it was the best all-rounder for the price. After that I needed a list of other materials to begin the build...

Expanding Foam (2 cans)
Silicone (5 tubes)
Plastic piping
Plastic to construct a false bottom
T-Shirt (substrate filter)
Grape vine
Cork bark
Slate chippings
Small stones
Eco Earth coco fibre
Sphagnum moss (bagged)
Water pump
Razor blades
Saw

When I began I underestimated the amount of silicone and foam I'd need, and also bought a pump that was too weak to get the water to the top of the waterfall (Reptiflo 250), the guys at reptiles Cymru were nice enough to almost entirely refund me so I could buy a bigger pump (misc european aquarium pump!).

The materials and tools cost in excess of £200 est.














Next up I needed plants, I chose a Boston Fern, Ficus Pumila, Bromeliad and Sphagnum moss.













































Stage 2: Construction

Construction was fairly easy, having done the research. The hardest and most time consuming part was dealing with silicone. I first needed to cover the entire back wall in silicone, then cover 2 inches of the base to conseal the water reservoir and false bottom structure that would be there soon enough. After the false bottom was made (for soil to sit on, allowing water to drain through to a lower reservoir and pump), I placed in the cork bark and began to foam it all in (fun part). It took some time but after a while I had the shape i wanted and worked on the water fall and plumbing system.





























Final stage: Planting and Landscaping

After the foam was dried and shaped I applied silicone over it then pushed Eco Earth coconut fibre (baked dry) into the silicone. This was the most time consuming and frustrating part, it went on forever - and who knew you could get so high from using silicone?

After that I had to make sure the waterfall led the water the right way, make some corrections (with more stones) and fill the front pond with stones.

Lastly I layed down the bagged Sphagnum moss in the beds, stuck the plants in and then covered them in with damp Eco Earth and Pete. Turned on the pump and admired the work!

Going to get my Crestie some time next week, the tanks been airing out for days already, and just been planted today. Going to cleanse it with dry ice before I put the crestie in too, killing off any bad organisms and boosting the growth of the plants. 

Hope you like it........


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## declanjr (Aug 8, 2007)

wow this is excellent looks fab hopefully i will be getting a crestie or two from barking so i will be refering back to this well done :no1:


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## materiakeeper (May 4, 2008)

This really does look amazing, I wish I could construct something that looked half as good.


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## mhbird (Jul 14, 2007)

Thank you for the replies, I am very happy with it! Looking forward to picking up my Crestie now :2thumb:.

And Materiakeeper, have a go! Its really not that hard. You just need a bit of an imagination, a bit of spare cash and alot of spare time! Lol!


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## suez (Jul 8, 2007)

you clever bugger absolutely fab job.you will have a very happy crestie in there


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## chris_walton (Dec 20, 2007)

wow thats brilliant i love it


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## Siman (Apr 12, 2008)

fancy doing one for me? :whistling2::Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## Andy53 (Jun 20, 2008)

That looks great!


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## spider_duck (Feb 25, 2008)

Thats amazing! When you coming to do mine :mf_dribble:


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## Tina (Apr 9, 2007)

Wow, well done you... that looks amazing! It makes mine look really boring. 

Your new crestie is going to love it. : victory:


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## Ratticus <3 (Jan 21, 2008)

Thats is emense (was that ben ten in the background ???)


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## Grakky (Dec 4, 2007)

THAT'S FRICKEN' AMAZING!

given me loads of ideas 

my crestie is going to have a simple set up at first (just incase) but I will be looking to make something like this. 

where did you get the water pump from? I'm guessing you need quite a little one? and how much? 

when I make mine I want to make a waterfall like, the main feature..and then I'll be lazy because I don't think I can be bothered with real plants...me and plants don't mix
(seriously, I've managed to kill cacti before :shock

anyways, that's a great viv, your cresite will LOVE it :2thumb:


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## TtotheC (Mar 26, 2008)

Tis a cool set up indeed. Treasure Crest has a good step by step guide for similar projects if anyone is interested.


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## mhbird (Jul 14, 2007)

Grakky said:


> where did you get the water pump from? I'm guessing you need quite a little one? and how much?


I used a Reptiflo 250 at first, the more powerful of the mini Exo-Terra pumps, but it was far to weak to get the water to the top of my waterfall. Never mind create a decent flow.

Bought a 'Resun SP-1200' then, from an aquatics shop. Farrr more powerful, and cheaper! The Reptiflo 250 was £12.99, but the SP-1200 was only £11.00. You can get it cheaper online too.

Here it is..











As for everyone saying make me one, If you wanna pay for one I'd do it! It wasn't a cheap project though, lol.


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## fatbloke (Apr 6, 2008)

*wow*

dude thats wicked more pacients than me


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## Jesterhead (Apr 9, 2008)

:no1:wow! makes my cresties viv look like a dump lol. great work, prolly my fav looking crestie viv ive ever seen! i was planning on doing a planted viv when i step him up to that same size, got lottsa nice ideas from ya:whistling2:


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## creties wanted!!! (Mar 26, 2008)

wow.
im gobsmacked thts soo cool
i got a crestie its a female 7 moths old now nad i geting another 3 on 5th of jully at reptile show in london

my viv is no where near half as good as ures i never knew cresties like a water falll
i still dont think they doo 
any way good luck m8:2thumb:


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## lenny2007 (Jul 1, 2007)

Wow, that is imense! I want two! one for both of my cresteds! lol 

One question, how do you clean / replace the water? Does the false floor lift out easily to clean etc?


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## sparkle (Mar 21, 2007)

I would love to do this but after serious consideration I decided that im not convinced id notice all the poop and if there were parts of the viv such as bark etc i couldnt take out id be worried about cleaning.. it does look stunning and totally perfect though...

well done :no1:


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## The Chillinator (Jun 26, 2008)

Brilliant work, well done! :2thumb: I'm just wondering what types of sealant and expanding foam did you use and how did you colour the expanding foam?


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## MexMex (Sep 12, 2007)

How did you colour the foam that is behind the stones on the waterfall?


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## mhbird (Jul 14, 2007)

sparkle said:


> I would love to do this but after serious consideration I decided that im not convinced id notice all the poop and if there were parts of the viv such as bark etc i couldnt take out id be worried about cleaning.. it does look stunning and totally perfect though...
> 
> well done :no1:


 
Cleaning is easy, you only really need to spot clean the walls etc because the plants use any gecko waste as fertiliser. As long as its watered enough, got the right humidity for the plants to thrive and got a fresh hydrogenated water flow the eco system is pretty self sufficient!


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## mhbird (Jul 14, 2007)

MexMex said:


> How did you colour the foam that is behind the stones on the waterfall?


Once the foams dry you cover it in a thick layer of aquarium silicone (takes a long while, a very messy long while!) then pour baked-dry coco fibre all over it and press it on hard. Wait 10 minutes then hoover up te excess.


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

Looks like hard work, but well worth it - he'll love it 

I'm being cheeky and replying as you're looking at the frogs in the shop :whistling2:


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## LIZARD (Oct 31, 2007)

THATS ACE!!! I really wanna have a go at doing summat like this congrats


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## Ruby Rue (Mar 21, 2008)

looks amazing is your waterfall pump a powerhead and your using the t shirt as a filter? is it for just the one crestie?
wicked project.


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## sparkle (Mar 21, 2007)

have u got any beasties to help bio degrade everything.. i know art gecko ( i think art gecko) does a bio soil thingie


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## mhbird (Jul 14, 2007)

Athravan said:


> Looks like hard work, but well worth it - he'll love it
> 
> I'm being cheeky and replying as you're looking at the frogs in the shop :whistling2:


Hahaha! Should have said hen I was there! :whistling2:

The T shirt is being used as a basic filter dividing the soil (coconut fibre and moss) and the water reservoir. Then just a regular pump which pumps into a 'plumbing box' at the top of the waterfall which filters it properly.

I'm using dry ice (CO2) to clean the tank and accelerate plant growth before the crestie goes in, and then putting a ghost shrimp in the pond bit to eat bugs that drown in the water. The pond bits bigger than it looks. Other than that I'm not sticking in any other critters :lol2:.


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## Roewammi (Mar 23, 2008)

wheres mine???

thats awesome!

*nudges lazy boyfriend*


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## sushigeezer (Jun 26, 2008)

that looks pro mate, are you considering doing it for money? 

if yes just let me know since I have an empty 24x18x24 exo terra


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## Red Bar (Sep 5, 2008)

What is the black stuff at the back of the tank, before you started?
What did you do the bottom with?


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## Art_Gecko101 (May 6, 2006)

That looks wicked, cheers sparkle and DtotheC for mentioning me btw! 

Since you've got the whole hog and it looks so amazing i'll give you a couple of tips!! lol look into Springtails or woodlice to help bioactivate it. You can buy cultures online, they process the gecko waste, as the plants wont do it quickly enough. Remember to churn the soil every month or so to make sure its all mixed down and becomes bioactive. You'll need to pop some branches or stones (too big for the gecko to swallow) into the pool area incase the gecko ventures in and cant get out. Mine dont bother with going into their pools (although when i 1st introduced them to their new tank they didnt know what to make of it!) but its always better to be safe than sorry, esp with small new geckos.

Also, you'll maybe want to consider setting up a simple, kitchen paper tank for the first couple of months, in nice natural vivs its hard to spot their poo etc, and when you get any new gecko, whether its your 1st or your 101st you need to make sure it's pooing normally and regularly. I always put all new arrivals in basic tanks for a few months till im happy theyre eating and healthy.


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## mhbird (Jul 14, 2007)

The black stuff is black aquarium sillicone, I covered the inside of all areas that would otherwise show the 'behind the scenes' stuff! Including the water reservoir at the bottom, but left a cross section of the front pond showing.

I'm not bothering with sticking any insects in there now. The plants and mosses are thriving and I clean it out every 2 days anyways. And as for the front pond there are loads of rocks in it, even the crickets dont drown themselves :2thumb:.

And if anyone does want one made I'm open to commissions just PM me :]


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## Yavin (Sep 12, 2008)

mhbird said:


> The black stuff is black aquarium sillicone, I covered the inside of all areas that would otherwise show the 'behind the scenes' stuff! Including the water reservoir at the bottom, but left a cross section of the front pond showing.
> 
> I'm not bothering with sticking any insects in there now. The plants and mosses are thriving and I clean it out every 2 days anyways. And as for the front pond there are loads of rocks in it, even the crickets dont drown themselves :2thumb:.
> 
> And if anyone does want one made I'm open to commissions just PM me :]


I would love it if you linked, all the materials you used. for example where you getting dry ice and how much is it, where did you buy the coco fiber, and the black silicon and how much are they.

would make it easier for us to work out if we wana give it a try. and follow your lead. also the foam.


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## mhbird (Jul 14, 2007)

Yavin said:


> I would love it if you linked, all the materials you used. for example where you getting dry ice and how much is it, where did you buy the coco fiber, and the black silicon and how much are they.
> 
> would make it easier for us to work out if we wana give it a try. and follow your lead. also the foam.


Took me long enough to source the stuff and build it to be finding it all again so you dont have to :lol2:

Heres a rough price guide, most values are estimates!...

18x18x24 inch Exo Terra - £65 (I think...?)
'Great Stuff' Expanding Foam (2 cans @ £8.00)
Silicone (4 tubes @ £2.00)
Aquarium Silicone (£10.00)
PVC plumbing pipe (£2.00)
Plastic Flower Tray (cut to size) to construct a false bottom (£1.50)
T-Shirt (substrate filter)(£???)
Grape vine (£15.00)
Cork bark curl (£10.00)
Slate chippings (large bag @ £7.00)
Small stones (£2.00)
Eco Earth coco fibre (£10.00 for 3 bricks)
Sphagnum moss (bagged)(£1.00)
Water pump (£15.00)
Pump piping (1 metre @ £0.80/m)
Razor blades (£???)
Saw (£???)
Plant, Bromelia Vriesea (£5.00)
Plant, Nephrolepis Exaltata (£3.00)
Plant, Ficus Pumila (£3.00)
Plant, Epipremnum Aureum (£4.00)
Mosses (Free from your local wilderness)

There were plenty of other things I bought and didn't use/didn't work etc. Thats the stuff that you can see in the pictures. Comes to about £180?

:2thumb:


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## davesadlerfunkaholic (Mar 17, 2008)

thats spot on!! nice job :2thumb:


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## beege_3 (May 20, 2005)

Amazing!!! 

Threads like this inspire me to do it, then I spend loads on the stuff and cba!!! :lol:


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## mhbird (Jul 14, 2007)

Here's the pictures from the other thread, so I can retire the other one, lol. Going to redo my Leos tank soon to a similar standard, will be interesting to see what I can do there with a desert theme :2thumb:.


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## aceboidz (Jul 25, 2008)

Can not see the pics on my iPod!! 
Dam you iPod touch


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## Axel01 (Jun 14, 2008)

Cresties looks so much better in a planted viv. And this is VV good.


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## makeitandskateit (Jun 15, 2008)

this is like torcher, I can't see the bloody pics!!! They just appear as red crosses in little squares!!!


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## Axel01 (Jun 14, 2008)

makeitandskateit said:


> this is like torcher, I can't see the bloody pics!!! They just appear as red crosses in little squares!!!


That's more than I get.


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## mhbird (Jul 14, 2007)

Blame photobucket? They show fine for me! :whistling2:


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## zune_lai (Feb 6, 2008)

thats freaking amazing good job :notworthy:
mite be hard to find food and clean! 
but anyways looks very natural and great:no1:


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## don't rush me (Apr 19, 2008)

Nice job really well done great to see some body thinking out the square.

Nice pics can see them all you will have to post pics of next project....

It's given me a few ideas anyway will start the hunt for stuff......

cheers:2thumb:


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## mhbird (Jul 14, 2007)

Has anyone else had a go yet? I don't come on here as much these days so I may have missed threads!


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## Bebeop1980 (Jul 10, 2008)

Planning on having a go at the end of November when a have a few more pennies for all the bits. Great job though, saved this thread in my favs so i can use it as a guide when i have a go.:no1:


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## lizard lover =D (Sep 27, 2008)

looks gr8 im gunna be doing sae tomorrow with mine obvioulsy a diff design n that but still same ideas with foam and that .... what did you use to stick the fiber to the foam?


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## mhbird (Jul 14, 2007)

lizard lover =D said:


> looks gr8 im gunna be doing sae tomorrow with mine obvioulsy a diff design n that but still same ideas with foam and that .... what did you use to stick the fiber to the foam?


Black Silicone! :no1:


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## mhbird (Jul 14, 2007)

*Update!*

Hi everyone! Haven't been on here in a little while. Just thought I'd update you on my Crestie and his enclosure!


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## Imburning (Feb 26, 2009)

Hi Mhbird....i fall on this post by google ..and your idea seen awesome i wsih to see how ...but your first post i cant see your pics for the process ...can you post it again our send me some pics of it 


Thanks ...come see me in mp


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## Nic B-C (Dec 4, 2008)

First post pics just arent there not even red boxes likewise can you repost please.

My local rep shop does similar I think for his frog setups


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## Guy (Aug 31, 2009)

Can you please resend the pictures on the first post as cant see any pictures please


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