# New CWD Viv build (Pic Heavy)



## theRexMundi (Feb 27, 2009)

Hey all,

Thought it was about time to build my two little girls a nice new big home. It's just under 8ft tall (including the cupboards), 5ft wide and just under 3ft deep.... could afford any more space!

Its built out of pine, which i know can be toxic, but it has been sealed with 4 coats of varnish, inside and out.. just to be safe!

Anyway, heres the build so far..

This is the general frame structure:










Couple of steps later and the main frame is done:











I then started in the sides. We wanted it to look nice as a bit of furniture so I boarded it up like so:





















Heres the semi completed product:












Jump forward a few steps and the main caseing is complete:





















Like i mentioned above, it has four layers of yatch varnish on the inside and four on the outside.

I've just started on the fake rock thats going on the inside and will upload them as they come along.

Hope you like!


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## wee grant (Sep 6, 2009)

coming on well mate :gasp:


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## lee79 (Apr 5, 2009)

I like your style!


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## waynenoonan1234 (Sep 11, 2009)

make a fibreglass bath at the bottom and a water fall down one side would be well good. good sized viv mate


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## theRexMundi (Feb 27, 2009)

Thanks for the comments.

I thought about the fibre glass option, but am going to use the polystryene/grout method.

Been thinking about the electronics to fit and figure this is the way to do it:











Does this seem ok to everyone? Any suggestions?

edit: the fan in and out should be the other way round! the heat lamp and basking lamp will have guards on them too.


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## theRexMundi (Feb 27, 2009)

bump.

Any suggestions etc?


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

Looks brilliant, nice finish.

Is the UV light halfway down definitely needed? Just might mess up the aesthetics a little IMO.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

looks good mate, doesn't look 5ft wide and 3ft deep though but a nice looking viv.


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## baba o'riley (Oct 17, 2009)

great work mate, looks fab


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## theRexMundi (Feb 27, 2009)

Morgan Freeman said:


> Looks brilliant, nice finish.
> 
> Is the UV light halfway down definitely needed? Just might mess up the aesthetics a little IMO.



Agreed, it will mess it up a bit. I figured due to the height of the viv, i might need another? Do you not think its worth it?

Thanks for the comments.


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

theRexMundi said:


> Agreed, it will mess it up a bit. I figured due to the height of the viv, i might need another? Do you not think its worth it?
> 
> Thanks for the comments.


I don't keeo CWD so can't advise for certain. Obviously the animals needs come first.

Other than that it's a great build, I'd buy one of you made them all like that!


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## shiftyraccoon (Mar 2, 2009)

LMAO that's exactly how my basilisk viv is setup haha

I used to have a UVB at top and midway too, then I though the top one is getting wasted by not shining on anything above it, so its better to have one vertically running the length of the viv, or just one in the middle, a decent one with best range!


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## Pendragon (Dec 8, 2008)

Hi mate,

If this was my viv, I would swap the two 5% UVBs for 2% (2.0) UVAs to give more light, and in a better spectrum.

I would bin the 250 watt ceramic, and put in a Mega Ray 70 watt metal halide, no guard.

Keep the other basking spot as is, no guard. : victory:

Jay


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## Jim2109 (Mar 30, 2009)

definitely wants a megaray in it, UV tubes will be mostly ineffective unless you provide basking sites within a few inches of them in a viv this size.

its a really weird perspective, because it doesnt look anywhere near 5 feet wide or 3 feet deep, as has been said. but because its so tall it just throws the perspective off. it looks really good though.


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## theRexMundi (Feb 27, 2009)

Cheers guys.

Never heard of these mega rays before. Would one of these replace both the uv tubes i plan to use? If so what would you recommend? the 70w one?

Do they provide heat aswell? or should I keep the ceramic heater?


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## The T Lord (Mar 28, 2009)

theRexMundi said:


> Cheers guys.
> 
> Never heard of these mega rays before. Would one of these replace both the uv tubes i plan to use? If so what would you recommend? the 70w one?
> 
> Do they provide heat aswell? or should I keep the ceramic heater?


There a UV source, a very good one at that, and heat, there is a minimum distance of 12" on most, and some you can't have closer then 24".
I would say the 175 Watt.
Mega Ray 275w Mercury Vapour UVB Lamp 
This isn't it, but follow the link, there are more megaray on that site.


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## theRexMundi (Feb 27, 2009)

ok cool, sounds pretty good.

So would this be used for 12 hours a day live the uv tube, but would need the ceramic heater for night heat?

I guess it would replace the basking light i was gonna install then?


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## The T Lord (Mar 28, 2009)

theRexMundi said:


> ok cool, sounds pretty good.
> 
> So would this be used for 12 hours a day live the uv tube, but would need the ceramic heater for night heat?
> 
> I guess it would replace the basking light i was gonna install then?


Sounds about right, yes, replaces both uv tubes and basking spot but the bulb MUST be atleast 12" away from reach.


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## Pendragon (Dec 8, 2008)

Yup,

The Mega Ray is a heat and light source, I recomend the 70 watt metal halide, as it gives 120,000 lux of light, as apposed to the mercury vapours, which only give around 16,000 lux. you will want to decide on the one you want to use, put it in the viv, and then decide if more lighting is required, (I would still go for the 2x uva tubes).

As has already been said, the safe distance for these bulbs is around 12", (though I don't think it would be a problem if the animal got a couple of inches closer as the viv is so big) so you might need to have additional spots to boost the temps in the basking zones.

If you went with the metal halide in the top right corner for instance, an the basking branch at lets say 10" below isin't getting hot enough, then put a spotlight on the side of the viv next to the M.H.

It is also recomended that these bulbs (metal halides) only be used for 8 hours a day, due to the very bright light they give off, but as your viv is so big, and so long as you provide areas with plenty of cover, then I don't see there being a problem with the lights being on for 12 hours.

Jay


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## theRexMundi (Feb 27, 2009)

Cheers for the info.

Do these mega rays need thermo stats like other heaters or is it just on?


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## Pendragon (Dec 8, 2008)

theRexMundi said:


> Cheers for the info.
> 
> Do these mega rays need thermo stats like other heaters or is it just on?


You can use an "on/off" stat as an emergancy if the temps get too hot, but as the viv is so big, I wouldn't bother, as soon as the animal moves more than 24" away from the light, there will be little to no heat.

You want to put your lights in one at a time, and run the viv checking temps in defferent parts of the viv, then keep adding lights till you get the right "heat gradients" and "light gradients". What you are aiming to do is create areas in your viv from max temps to min temps, and total light, to vurtuatly no light.

Here is my Emerald swift viv, these animals are simular in the fact they can climb, and they can live on the floor.

His heat and light is a Zoo med 120watt M.V.B.










So here he is basking,










Here he is in the brightest and hottest part of the viv. but when he has had enough, he will move to the floor where it is cooler, and darker,










down here he has plenty of cover, and he will usually bury himself under the substrate.

So although this is much smaller than your viv, I still manage to create lots of different environments in the viv, so with your monster, it will be easy : victory:

Jay


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## The T Lord (Mar 28, 2009)

jabba1967 said:


> You can use an "on/off" stat as an emergancy if the temps get too hot, but as the viv is so big, I wouldn't bother, as soon as the animal moves more than 24" away from the light, there will be little to no heat.
> 
> You want to put your lights in one at a time, and run the viv checking temps in defferent parts of the viv, then keep adding lights till you get the right "heat gradients" and "light gradients". What you are aiming to do is create areas in your viv from max temps to min temps, and total light, to vurtuatly no light.
> 
> ...


you have spoilt animals!!! I bet the little Swift thinks its died and went to heaven!! :no1:


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