# New beardie viv 5"x20'x2"



## wezza309 (Jun 21, 2012)

Ok this is my attempt at a new Viv for my g/f beardie at the minute she is in a small viv she is fully grown so it is far from ideal and its very basic so the plan was it had to have 

1 more space 
2 interesting for Einie (BD)
3 better lighting 
4 ledges to climb if required
5 focal point in the room

So we got the viv a 5foot by 20inch by 2foot this size was too fit in the space and we did not want it out too far cause the sofa is in front 
The viv was made by Volly and its a nice job he made it just the way we asked and was helpfull when we asked for an alteration 

The back board was changed and the metal brackets fitted because we had planned to put a tortoise table on top and it needed the extra strenght cause of the soil but it would have been too tall so change of plans for now 



i then went looking for a basking log and found two so and an idea have both: victory:




So this was the plan 


and a load of pink insulation boards this was the basic build 



these where the tools i have been using let me know what you think i have been planning this for a while and have pinched a few ideas hope it will look good when i finish


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## Manic Marley (Apr 21, 2012)

Looking good so far, make sure you keep us posted with more pics and updates


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## wezza309 (Jun 21, 2012)

Will do i have more or less finished the build i just need to sort out the vents and a few bits 

Just about too order some fake grasses from 

Artificial and fake plants,trees, flowers,fruit, vegetables, hanging baskets,

but i do have a question for everyone 

I am putting two digital thermometers one for each side but i was wondering where is the best place to put them as in but should they be at the top middle or bottom of each end


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## Manic Marley (Apr 21, 2012)

Bottom, but keep the probe bit off the floor, you want them so it gives you reading of the height the beardie and not the actual floor or wall.


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## wezza309 (Jun 21, 2012)

thanks will do that 

this is a close up of the metal plate i have for the log to stand up i am planning on giving it a coat of grout when the rest gets done 



ok i got a good crack on with the viv and this is where i am at now 




i am not happy with the upper corner on this so there may be a change before i finish and i have the cut outs for the food and water bowls ( left a good 3 mm around so hope the grout is not too thick ) .I plan on having sand in the corner because she likes too dig i had thought about some of that excavator clay but not made my mind up yet 





i am more or less finished just got too cut the vents in this side 



this is what it looks like with the basking log in i am happy with it it still all needs sticking down and too the walls 



i have got a large bucket of acrylic grout to use soon and also the temp probes too sort

is there anything i have missed so far :blush::blush::blush:


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## Manic Marley (Apr 21, 2012)

It's looking great, can't wait to see more pics.


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## wezza309 (Jun 21, 2012)

Well not done much on this cause of the doncastor show ( picked up two new family members : victory::whistling2::whistling2: ) and a racing weekend so thought i had better get back to this so I started with putting some tubes in the sides so i can put the exo terra thermometers down and still remove if they break i also wanted the wires hidden 


i still need to do some blending in when this is all stuck in i think its slowly getting there


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## wezza309 (Jun 21, 2012)

I then got paid and thought what the hell if I am going to make a good viv why not get the best thermostat to go with the viv and the arcaida T5 I have so I got this little beast :blush: prime 2
 
so i had too do another tube good job i had left the left side off :whistling2:


the tubes and the last side all stuck in ( i am using no nails around the edge and marine silicon in the middle to stick it all together i have a load of the silicon and its cheaper lol 



these are the grasses i got from Plastic Grasses i took them apart far too big at the min but it may work

 

so I have thinned them down abit and made these ( i copied the idea of putting them in a tube and fixing another tube in the walls or floor )


so hopefully i will have done the tubes for the grasses and the final blending . So i can start with some thin coats of grout in next two days hope you like :whistling2:no pics of where the grasses are going yet


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## Manic Marley (Apr 21, 2012)

Coming on a treat


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## wezza309 (Jun 21, 2012)

Well i thought i had better post an update i have had a few busy weeks and only had time to put a coat of grout on once a week any way some pics 

I put some colour in too see what shade I wanted and also so i knew where i have been with the grout 








So I though that i may want a darker rock look than most have done as our beadie is a citrus colour so i thought i would have i look what a coat of dark grout would look like and thought yes i like it so i got my brother to do the sky and dry brushing ( he is the artistic one i am the builder lol )


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## wezza309 (Jun 21, 2012)

This is what it looks like with the dry brushing 





so what do you think it's odd it looks dark grey but its dark brown ??
just the varnish to do and I will be today nearly done


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## Manic Marley (Apr 21, 2012)

It's looking great mate, I love seeing a project coming together.


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## wezza309 (Jun 21, 2012)

Well it's all gone wrong and i have no idea why or if i can fix it :blowup:
I went out to do a second coat of varnish this morning before work and found it like this the 1st was a watered down by 10% mix i was using polyvine flat 
any one any ideas will also post just this Question


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

Hmm, that is strange. I use polyvine too and never had an issue. It seems to have reacted with something. What was the paint below? Are you totally sure it's 100% dry, it can collect in areas and dry a milky white but usually disappears after a day or so.


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## wezza309 (Jun 21, 2012)

the paint was acrylic paint and acrylic grout which should be ok 
the temp was only 14degree so not cold ( temp probs in there tubes ) 
my bro has said it my have been too thick but it was watered down with 10% water


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

I can see the pic better now, doesn't look like a reaction. 14c is fairly cold so it may still simply be drying. I'd leave it for now and see if it improves.


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## Manic Marley (Apr 21, 2012)

I agree with tom, leave it longer to dry as it was diluted it may take longer. I never diluted mine and still left it 24 hours between coats


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## wezza309 (Jun 21, 2012)

Ok will look tomorrow I hope its just taking time 
As for temp thought it was below 10 paint goes funny that was why I thought it was ok 
Thanks for the advice as you can see tom I pinched a few of you ideas hope you didn't mind


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

wezza309 said:


> Ok will look tomorrow I hope its just taking time
> As for temp thought it was below 10 paint goes funny that was why I thought it was ok
> Thanks for the advice as you can see tom I pinched a few of you ideas hope you didn't mind


Not at all mate. Hopefully it'll all dried out properly by tomorrow and you can get cracking!


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## wezza309 (Jun 21, 2012)

well it looks no different today so not sure what too do will try next week with my bro he has a few ideas i just have am not sure what to do ????

Tom you said it may be too cold so will have to bring the viv in house too varnish i guess any other tips or ideas :notworthy:


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

wezza309 said:


> well it looks no different today so not sure what too do will try next week with my bro he has a few ideas i just have am not sure what to do ????
> 
> Tom you said it may be too cold so will have to bring the viv in house too varnish i guess any other tips or ideas :notworthy:


I'm just guessing as really I haven't a clue. Never had any problems myself. I've had cloudy patches where the varnish sits thickly in dips. My guess is this is what's happened with yours if it isn't to do with temp. I'd suggest rubbing it down to remove the patches and revarnishing really thinly in an area. See if it dries properly, if so then you know what was wrong.


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## wezza309 (Jun 21, 2012)

Ok I final got this all painted back up ( had a few other projects and no time and my brother was competing but back on track now ) I am just up to putting the varnish on and was after someone's ideas on this .
As I had a reaction to the pollyvine I was planning on using ronseal yacht varnish but its only satin so to get a matt finish could I put two coats of the pollyvine matt varnish on after as the two coats of ronseal will seal it and the two coats of pollyvine will give the matt finish


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## wezza309 (Jun 21, 2012)

well here is the last few pics thought some may like a look and tell me what you think :whistling2:that whole thing had to be repainted due to the problem with the pollyvine 



thats what it looked like with the 2 coats of ronseal satin yacht varnish ( 3 coats in high walk parts ) looks so wet but bone dry 



this is what it lookes like with 3 coats of pollyvine dead flat over the top 
i had the metal plate powder coated which is screwed to the base of the log



this is what i am using for a heat lamp i tried a few other bulbs which were lower wattages but this seems to get the correct temps also shorter in depth 



and this is the finshed viv all working i am happy with it she seemed ok so much she had a poo in it with in 2 hours lol 


she seems happy like only a beardiecan lol 
reptile-inks leds starting there night time cycle 



full night time blue set at 100% i have since turned this down to 25% 



I have the white leds come on 1st in the day. then i have the heat bulb come on its on a dimming setting on a prime 2 .i am using a second channel of the prime to turn a arcaida t5 on, after 6 hours this turns off. the heat lamp on and slowly dimmes off after 2 more hours leaving the led's to be on the white setting then slowly turn blue ( the 3rd channel of the prim2 will be used for the lepoard gecko i am planning on putting above ) i will be tweeking the settings again in a week or too 
any comments ?

a big thank you to volly for the viv, reptile-ink for the brill led kits also the infomation that tom cannon and arcaida john has given me over this long winded build


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## wezza309 (Jun 21, 2012)

The last of these heat bulbs have gone and they seem to be very hard to get hold of now. Any one have any ideas or recommendations ?


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