# Live planted CRB vivarium build.



## ChelsNLuke (Jun 23, 2012)

Hey guys, sorry for all the habitat questions recentely, this will also be posted in the Snake section...
My goal is to create a completely bio active, live planted wooden vivarium...
The vivarium is a stunning 4x2x2.5ft vivarium built by Volly, here are pictures of the outside and inside of the vivarium...





Heating shall be provided by an IR bulb connected to a dimmer stat, the vivarium will be sealed with yacht varnish and then the holes will all be sealed up with aquarium sealant. The substrate will consist of 2 and a half inches of clay pellets then covered in a mesh, then up to half a foot of live/bio active substrate.
We will be ordering plants from dart frog and the lighting will be provided via a twin T8 controller with a 6% t8 bulb and also a tropical lamp

_Links_: Arcadia D3 6% UV T8 High Output Forest Lamp Fluorescent Tube | eBay
Arcadia 15W 450mm(18") Original Tropical Aquarium Light Bulb Lamp Tube T815 Watt | eBay

As the vivarium has no vents we plan to use a habistat mini fan to maximise ventilation and air flow and also use a zoo med repti fogger in conjunction with that...
_Links_:Mini fan | Swell Reptiles
Zoo Med Repti Fogger Terrarium Humidifier | Swell Reptiles

So this brings me to the questions I have;
How do I go about fitting the fan, I've looked but cannot seem to find anything, does it need to be thermostatically controlled?

Does the UV lighting need any more holes to be put in to mount it? Will it need reflectors and guards? The heat source will of course be guarded! 

And also what would you make the substrate up out of and to what ratio's? I know what different things to use but the ratio's kinda confuses me as it will be quite a humid set up obviously...

Thanks guys, also looking for any extra tips anyone can give me  Keep your eyes on this thread as when it starts this is where I shall be uploading!

Thanks again all, Luke!


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Ok, for a start, it would be useful to add some extra protection from water, as however carefully you seal, it *will* seep through at some point. You could use pondliner on the bottom, folded up the sides to the top of the soil level, and siliconed in. 

The actual proportions I use for my substrate mix vary depending on how free-draining I want it to be and also what I have handy, but it usually includes 'live' leafmould from a clean wood I know, orchid bark, coco fibre and organic potting compost. I prefer 'live' leafmould as it already contains lots of bugs, beasties, bacteria and fungi geared to decomposition, but if you are nervous about this, you can always nuke it in the microwave before you use it. I add European woodlice (caught in the garden), the tiny white tropical ones and the even tinier fast-moving ones (I forget the Latin names, but Dartfrog, Rainforest Vivs etc usually have them) and tropical springtails, and also a few compost worms, as found in compost bins or horse manure- I find that they tolerate viv temperatures better than earthworms, and are very useful for getting rid of dung.

Hope some of that helps! :2thumb:


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## ChelsNLuke (Jun 23, 2012)

Ron Magpie said:


> Ok, for a start, it would be useful to add some extra protection from water, as however carefully you seal, it *will* seep through at some point. You could use pondliner on the bottom, folded up the sides to the top of the soil level, and siliconed in.
> 
> The actual proportions I use for my substrate mix vary depending on how free-draining I want it to be and also what I have handy, but it usually includes 'live' leafmould from a clean wood I know, orchid bark, coco fibre and organic potting compost. I prefer 'live' leafmould as it already contains lots of bugs, beasties, bacteria and fungi geared to decomposition, but if you are nervous about this, you can always nuke it in the microwave before you use it. I add European woodlice (caught in the garden), the tiny white tropical ones and the even tinier fast-moving ones (I forget the Latin names, but Dartfrog, Rainforest Vivs etc usually have them) and tropical springtails, and also a few compost worms, as found in compost bins or horse manure- I find that they tolerate viv temperatures better than earthworms, and are very useful for getting rid of dung.
> 
> Hope some of that helps! :2thumb:


That helps a hell of a lot  I never thought of the pondliner at the bottom, awesome idea thanks! Any particular silicone?? 

The problem is for me with getting stuff from my local forest is that I am not local to where I live and all the forests by me are dog walking zones, so I'm not sure if they'd be treated or not?? 

Thanks! 

-Luke


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

ChelsNLuke said:


> That helps a hell of a lot  I never thought of the pondliner at the bottom, awesome idea thanks! Any particular silicone??
> 
> The problem is for me with getting stuff from my local forest is that I am not local to where I live and all the forests by me are dog walking zones, so I'm not sure if they'd be treated or not??
> 
> ...


Standard aquarium sealant is best- you don't want anything with fungicides in it as standardly used in bathroom sealants. Dog-walking woods shouldn't be treated with any pesticides, so you should be fine- just don't pick up any dog mess! :lol2:


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## ChelsNLuke (Jun 23, 2012)

Ron Magpie said:


> Standard aquarium sealant is best- you don't want anything with fungicides in it as standardly used in bathroom sealants. Dog-walking woods shouldn't be treated with any pesticides, so you should be fine- just don't pick up any dog mess! :lol2:


Thank youuuu!!! A trip to bnq is needed monday, then the work begins  I may just put in vents instead of the fan  I'll need holes anyway for the UV I feel


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## plasma234 (Feb 27, 2013)

Don't get the silicone from b&q. Get it from here 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B005Z110TY/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1373127514&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX112_SY192


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