# plexiglass for exo terra lid.



## RepsAndPhibs (Sep 10, 2009)

Where can i buy plexiglass and get it cut to replace the front screen on my exo terra(45x45x45) lid ?
And how much about does it cost.
Also just wondering if anyone uses RUBs to house their darts, if you have lots then i imagen this would be easier and cheaper and still do the same or even better then an exo terra( completly FF proof and will hold humidity well ) it just wont look as appealing to the eye.


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## berksmike (Jan 2, 2008)

RepsAndPhibs said:


> Also just wondering if anyone uses RUBs to house their darts, if you have lots then i imagen this would be easier and cheaper and still do the same or even better then an exo terra( completly FF proof and will hold humidity well ) it just wont look as appealing to the eye.


I think having them in well planted vivs is half the joy of keeping them. Having them in rubs would defeat that.


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

You can get it cut online and it's not too expensive HOWEVER I've had mine on about 2 weeks and it's started to warp.


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## RepsAndPhibs (Sep 10, 2009)

I think i will still enjoy them in well planted RUBs.
But the main reason for me wanting to use RUBs is for breeding.
I want to keep alot of the frogs i raise myself and just watch them grow so i think RUBs will be more practical for this.
I keep alot of animals in RUBs( only if it has the space it requires )and enjoy them as much as the ones in a viv.

I know what you mean though about having them in a nice looking tank it would be 10 times better and i will want a nice tank set up in the future.
But for know large RUBs will be more practical for me and still provide the frogs with everything they need to keep them happy( just means i can keep more frogs without having to spend ££££ on exos )
Will also use some simple clearseal 10 or 20 gal tanks to have ago at practicing my background building skills.


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## detail3r (Jul 13, 2010)

Morgan Freeman said:


> You can get it cut online and it's not too expensive HOWEVER I've had mine on about 2 weeks and it's started to warp.


I cut four panels to fit over the mesh, siliconed the front two and no warping, the back two aren't siliconed but have warped. I will replace with solid top at some point.


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## RepsAndPhibs (Sep 10, 2009)

Morgan Freeman said:


> You can get it cut online and it's not too expensive HOWEVER I've had mine on about 2 weeks and it's started to warp.


What website was that ?


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

Use Lexan, that's not supposed to warp as badly as plexi (another name for acrylic).

As to using a RUB, big thing getting missed here, access. A viv you just open the door to mist and feed. A RUB you will be taking the lid off, I can only imagine that this would really stress the frogs. Would probably be ok for something like tree frogs, but dart frogs are very prone to stress.

Ade

PS. You can even by Lexan or Plexi on eBay by the way, or use that to find a supplier then use their site to order.


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## MrGaz (Jun 6, 2010)

what i dont was take all the mesh out got a 5mm bit of polycarbonate cut to fit on the inside silconed into place and drill air holes 
sorted cost me £5


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## RepsAndPhibs (Sep 10, 2009)

Wolfenrook said:


> Use Lexan, that's not supposed to warp as badly as plexi (another name for acrylic).
> 
> As to using a RUB, big thing getting missed here, access. A viv you just open the door to mist and feed. A RUB you will be taking the lid off, I can only imagine that this would really stress the frogs. Would probably be ok for something like tree frogs, but dart frogs are very prone to stress.
> 
> ...


I dont think that will really matter as ive seen people using glass tanks for darts and the only way of getting into those are by removing the lid so i think it would just be the same with the RUB.
I dont plan on housing every dart i own in RUB, its just that i want a big collection so i think it wil be more practical to house some in RUBs rather than every one of them in an exo or glass tank.


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

Well it's your choice at the end of the day, but I struggle to believe that you wish to house expensive frogs in cheap plastic boxes. You would be better served to wait until you can house them properly, and so would they.

Ade


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## RepsAndPhibs (Sep 10, 2009)

Wolfenrook said:


> Well it's your choice at the end of the day, but I struggle to believe that you wish to house expensive frogs in cheap plastic boxes. You would be better served to wait until you can house them properly, and so would they.
> 
> Ade


My breeding pairs will be houses in proper housing but my froglets will grow up in RUBs, they might be cheap but i cant see why they wouldnt preform as well as an exo terra( i think they would preform better actually ).
RUBs will hold humidty very well and are escape proof and come in some very large sizes.
The only downside to them i see is they dont look as attractive for US as an exo terra would and im pretty sure the frogs wont mind being housed in them aslong as they have plants, leaf litter, good humidty, food and hides i think they will be perfecly happy.


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## ilovetoads2 (Oct 31, 2008)

RepsAndPhibs said:


> I dont think that will really matter as ive seen people using glass tanks for darts and the only way of getting into those are by removing the lid so i think it would just be the same with the RUB.
> I dont plan on housing every dart i own in RUB, its just that i want a big collection so i think it wil be more practical to house some in RUBs rather than every one of them in an exo or glass tank.


Have you considered dividing longer tanks? it is cheaper that lots of separate vivs and serves the purpose. It is also more pleasant to look at, saves space, and I feel, gives a good home for the frogs?

I did this with a 3 ft tank, for every one you have you could have 2 tanks using one light hood and just DIY a lid. i used black acrylic as dividers and it looks fab, though mine is for baby geckos and not frogs.


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## RepsAndPhibs (Sep 10, 2009)

ilovetoads2 said:


> Have you considered dividing longer tanks? it is cheaper that lots of separate vivs and serves the purpose. It is also more pleasant to look at, saves space, and I feel, gives a good home for the frogs?
> 
> I did this with a 3 ft tank, for every one you have you could have 2 tanks using one light hood and just DIY a lid. i used black acrylic as dividers and it looks fab, though mine is for baby geckos and not frogs.


No i never thought of that, that sounds alot better.
Thanks for that will try it out.:2thumb:


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

My apologies, but you never mentioned that they were TEMPORARY housing for froglets you produced, for which purpose lots of people use plastic housing such as RUBs. I have no objection to their use as temporary housing for froglets until they have grown enough to sell or move into more permanent housing, my only objection is there use as a longer term solution.

I would agree though that if you have the space the divided tanks idea is an excellent one.

Ade


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## RepsAndPhibs (Sep 10, 2009)

Wolfenrook said:


> My apologies, but you never mentioned that they were TEMPORARY housing for froglets you produced, for which purpose lots of people use plastic housing such as RUBs. I have no objection to their use as temporary housing for froglets until they have grown enough to sell or move into more permanent housing, my only objection is there use as a longer term solution.
> 
> I would agree though that if you have the space the divided tanks idea is an excellent one.
> 
> Ade


I should have made it more clear about what i actually wanted to use them for.

Any one got any tutorials on how to make a lid for a 10 gallon glass tank suitable for darts and good at holding humidity, i have a spare 10 gal with no lid.
I will also be using an exo terra light canopy so would need it so the uv can get through.
Would me much appreciated.


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## stewie m (Sep 16, 2009)

u could get a 4ft fish tank cheap and divide that


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## liamb111 (Apr 2, 2010)

using rubs for froglets is fine imo...
for making a lid you could adapt the making of this... Constructing a Euopean type Vivarium Step by Step - Dendroboard
just have part of it which has a plastic hinge siliconed into place and then you've got a hatch... and put the vent in the middle so it can allow the uv through?????


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## RepsAndPhibs (Sep 10, 2009)

Thanks for that will have a look at it.
Do plants actually need the UV ?


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## liamb111 (Apr 2, 2010)

im not great on lighting, but think there's uva and uvb and i thin kit's the uvb doesn't go through glass but uva does and plants use the uva so it should be ok. although, you'd have to do your own research on that or wait for someone else to reply, cuz like i say im not 100% sure...


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## RepsAndPhibs (Sep 10, 2009)

liamb111 said:


> im not great on lighting, but think there's uva and uvb and i thin kit's the uvb doesn't go through glass but uva does and plants use the uva so it should be ok. although, you'd have to do your own research on that or wait for someone else to reply, cuz like i say im not 100% sure...


Ok thanks, im rubbish with plants too i dont have a clue.


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## sambridge15 (Nov 22, 2009)

RepsAndPhibs said:


> Thanks for that will have a look at it.
> Do plants actually need the UV ?


they need bright light such as reptiglow 2.0 or sunglow not uv just brightness of the light


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

Most plants mainly utilise light in the blue and red wavelengths, with only a tiny amount of UV used. However, if you want really gorgeous reds, you are going to want UV. Reason been that red pigment is a response by some plants to the presence of damaging UV light, it protects the plant from the mutations that UV can cause. The red is created by red light reflecting pigments called flavenoids, which protect plants from UV-B and often give the red colour.

I've seen this myself, where in the presence of lighting emitting UV-B light, red plants or plants with the potential of having red on them show far more red than they do when kept under light not containing this, no matter how 'bright' it might be (quick note, brightness isn't a very good measure of quality of light where plants are concerned as it is determined by how the human eye perceives the light. PAR is far more useful. As an example, a 8,000 Kelvin T5 light will look very bright to the human eye because of how white it is, whilst a 6,500k Cree XP LED array will look quite dull due to the 'brown' colour. The LEDs however have a much higher PAR per watt ratio, and so plant do far better under these, despite the apparently duller light.).

Had you worried, the simple truth is that so long as you use lights of a certain type, colour and wattage per certain distance from light, you will get adequate PAR for the plants to grow. Hence established lighting methods work fine, and everybody isn't dashing out to buy a PAR meter, or trying to find out what PAR per watt their lighting is. 

My fave branded compact flourescent to date is actually the ZooMed RetiSun 5.0. It has a similar colour to the ReptiGlo 2.0, but with the UV-B of the ReptigGlo 5.0 which I find too yellow for my tastes aesthetically. Best lights I have used by far though are the Narva BioVital T5HQ tubes, designed for the treatment of seasonal affective disorder in humans, so are properly full spectrum including UV-A and UV-B at safe levels.  Plants go absolutely nuts under these in my experience, and they are way cheaper than reptile branded tubes. 

Ade


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

That's awesome info regarding uv and red plants. I'm going to put one (UV bulb) over my fireballs and neos, see what happens.


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

Morgan Freeman said:


> That's awesome info regarding uv and red plants. I'm going to put one (UV bulb) over my fireballs and neos, see what happens.


Glad you are finding it useful.  I have fireballs in some of my vivs, they arrived green, but are already starting to turn red, probably thanks to the UV. : victory: Cryptanthus as well, the one I have that doesn't get much light from the UV is 2 shades of green, whilst the ones that get UV are either pink, or in the case of 1 DEEP red.

I tested the theory in an aquarium as well, but there you only see the phenomena in the top 3 inches of water, deeper than that and the UV is all absorbed/refracted by the water column. lol Makes for some stunning red tips to your plants though. :lol2:

I absolutely LOVE plants, and came to phibs via planted aquariums and planted shrimp aquariums, so have read a lot, and done a fair bit of testing, about/with lighting.

Oh, you can also get more vivid reds just by upping PAR, but it's nowhere near as easy to achieve without getting an effect akin to a sunbed, or investing in something like the TMC AquaRay GroBeam 1000ND LED lighting system, which will sting you for nearly £300. UV-B is far easier, and may even help your phibs into the bargain. : victory:

Ade


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