# Rhacodactylus Ciliatus:- Converted Exo-Terra



## Marti3P (Sep 5, 2010)

Part One: - Rhacodactylus Ciliatus: Exo-Terra Planted Tank

Well I've decided to do a proper thread on my Exo-Terra conversion to a planted tank, though the planting part hasn't happened as I need to use the tank to house a young Jungle Carpet Python (Morelia Spilota Cheynei) till its big enough for her 4ft Viv, though absolutely everything else bar the substrate and plants has been sorted.

Ok to start this I want to say a big thank you to a few people for supplies and Information needed for this to work.
Supplies:
www.surreypetsupplies .co.uk
www.essexreptile .com
www.dartfrog .co.uk
www.forttex .co.uk
www.mistking .com
www.teamreptiles .co.uk (For the Exo-Terra Tank - Brilliant Team, My favourite local shop.)
www.homebase .co.uk (For all the tools needed)

Information:
All the Guys and Gals in the Habitat section, In particular the Planted Viv Section, for ideas and information regarding the false bottoms, humidity and the best plants and lighting to use for this type of project to name a few of many;
Spikebrit
Ron Magpie
Sambridge15
Justairplants
Beaniebopps
Chondro13

So I started with an Exo-Terra 45x45x60, even without anything inside its heavy I'm just glad I got it into the house without destroying it, panic is not the word after such an expensive buy!

First is the false bottom, I decided that I didn't want to mess around with Hydroleca so I got some Egg Crate for the partition.










This is it chopped down to size, I covered it with Hydro Fleece and used cable ties to tie it tightly to the crate to stop it from coming loose. 










The Egg crate is from a seller on eBay, unfortunately he doesn't have any on sale currently but there are other sellers on there with it in black and white, the Hydro Fleece I got from Dartfrog.

For the spacers from the glass bottom to the egg crate, I used new drainage pipe cut into sections with small rectangles cut out from the part touching the glass so the drained water wouldn't fill the centre allowing water to flow out to be drained properly. 










After this was fitted into the tank I used clear Aquarium Sealant (Geocel) to seal the edges so no substrate gets under, the spacers themselves are sealed to the bottom so they don't move about as well.



















Next is the Drainage pipe that has been fitted and sealed to tank edge out of the way, a small slit was added to hydro fleece and the pipe fits tight into the small square of the egg crate to get under the false bottom.










Part 1 of 5


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## Marti3P (Sep 5, 2010)

Part Two: - Rhacodactylus Ciliatus: Exo-Terra Planted Tank 

The Background

Well I decided that I didn't want to cover the whole of the sides of the background and wanted to be able to view it better from the sides and front, it also allows more light in which really doesn't matter much as the UV & Plant Lights will be on during the daytime for several hours, I decided not to use Gorilla Glue as it's not as controllable as Expanding Foam especially with only certain areas that I wanted done, so I used Gorilla Filler the expanding foam cousin of the glue. 










To put it lightly I HATE Expanding Foam, the worst messiest thing I have ever had to work with, it definitely makes me glad I didn't use the glue version. 

Thanks to Dartfrog I got some great pieces of Mopani wood and Cork bark for the background, unfortunately with them being so heavy and the foam too loose it was a struggle to get everything to stay in place, eventually I needed to use a couple of the left over spacers I made for the false bottom to prop up the biggest piece so the foam didn't swallow it whole. 










Now for a few pictures Pre-Eco Earth. 

This first one is after I stopped panicking and left for the first side to harden.










This is the one of the sides completed.










This is the finished product after hardening, not so pretty.










After all that I got down to carving the foam itself to be more... well better formed at least! 










Well Next Post will be the Eco Earth and Silicone.


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## Marti3P (Sep 5, 2010)

Part Three: - Rhacodactylus Ciliatus: Exo-Terra Planted Tank

Well this next bit caused some major fumes and was done over the space of two months, headaches and sticky fingers aside, it worked out alright, I got a few tubes of Silicone from a seller on eBay that sells the HA6 RTV Silicone and Adhesive for Marine use, I got a two Tubes of Black and Two of Brown Silicone, (I still have a bit spare of each) I didn't do it this way but I recommend using the Silicone to waterproof the Foam first then use more with the Eco-Earth, i found out the hard way when checking for missing spots I shined the light through the back of the glass and it was full of gaps that could have if put to use straight away destroy the background, I got extra Black Silicone and redid the whole tank again and then used Brown to add the earth after I knew it was sealed. (Lesson Learned!)










Well to the next set of messy photos...




























This one side completed










And then all three done... before I had to redo it all again that is.










Well that ends the Background portion, and now onto the Heating, Misting, Lighting and Thermostat section.


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## Marti3P (Sep 5, 2010)

Part Four: - Rhacodactylus Ciliatus: Exo-Terra Planted Tank

Well finally to the most expensive section, my card has been burning with everything that I've bought for this section.

So let's start with Lighting first, I have gotten a 45cm Exo-Terra Dual Top Canopy , (A little disappointed I was hoping to get an Arcadia Canopy but they don't do the 45cm ones yet as John needs to redesign the bulbs because of the unusual size!) and also a 30cm Exo Terra Canopy, the Dual Canopy will have a 6500nms Sunlight Bulb... (Sylvania Mini-Lynx Fast Start 23watt ES Fitting - thanks goes to Beaniebopps as it came recommended.)
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/planted-vivariums/823511-amazing-compact-light-bulb-plant.html
... the second fitting is for a 5.0 13watt Exo-Terra UV Bulb, the 30cm canopy will have another Sunlight bulb for the plants in the Viv.










The heating for this is two Exo-Terra Medium Rainforest Sticky Heat Mats, one on the base (outside the tank) that'll warm the water that gathers there from the drainage, and one on the back that will heat the foam this placed to cover the top bit of wood and a cut out from the foam above the bottom piece where the gecko can be hidden and stay warm, with normal house ambient of around 69F and the inside with heating it easily reaches between 86F to 90F (Surface) if allowed to heat without stat and with stat ambient is around 73F to 78F this doesn't include extra from light from UV during day which can reach on basking spot around 80F (Surface) during the daytime when on. 










The Thermostat I'm using is the Forttex ATC-210 Dimming Stat, a great bit of kit it can control both Heat mat's and has a built in Thermometer and has a timer for the Lighting to come on and off as well as a setting to have a different temperature during the night as well. (Funnily enough it is a great bit of kit but there website has been down since May and in June there eBay account stopped being used so unsure if there are still trading or not, hopefully they are as I'll be getting another ATC-210. 










The misting system I probably got a little carried away with as I got a Mistking Ultimate Value Misting System from Canada, not cheap by any means but fantastic all the same, Unfortunately the only real problem was the corner Acrylics that you can get for it so you can suspend the Nozzles through the mesh, Unfortunately Exo-Terra has redesigned their new tanks with swivel locks, these stick up in the way of the spacers as there designed with the old Exo-Terra Tanks and Zoo-meds in mind, this causes them to be trapped under them, this won't really cause a problem unless you need to be lifting the lid off the tank all the time, thankfully I won't once its running fully. 










(Image from Mistking.com)









This is it mounted on a wooden board with the Thermostat and then mounted to the back Exo-Terra Tank.










Well that's the end of this section, the last part is for the other bits and bobs that I've done and what will be done when it will get the custodians and the plants.


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## Marti3P (Sep 5, 2010)

Part Five: - Rhacodactylus Ciliatus: Exo-Terra Planted Tank

Ok the other bits I've done to the tank is seal the cable holes up with a bit of thin Metal Gauze to stop custodians from escaping, as well as spray painting the outside of the tank that I wanted covered with Gloss Black paint, word of warning do it in bright daylight, and make sure you have a couple of cans as it'll need a few coats, also lie the tank flat and spray down, stupid me decided to do it standing on the back first and there was some movement before it dried. 










I have left side windows on the tank so I can see in, I have followed the edges of the silicone where I've done the background to hide it but also make it blend in instead of having a straight edge and being able to see the paint from the other side. 










Well apart from it not actually been planted yet as stated above it will be used temporarily for a young snake till it gets settled and eating fine and can be moved to the 4ft tank.

(Pick up from Donny from Bladeblaster / Precision Reptiles) 









The plants that I have in mind to get hopefully from Justairplants or Dartfrog is some Fittonia sp, Pothos and maybe one the Tradescantia varieties, I may get a bromeliad or two but not too sure yet. 

So pictures of the final product. (Finally...)




























So... Tell me what you think? 

Thanks

Phil

:2thumb:


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## x_Emmie_x (Feb 3, 2011)

Looks really good!


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## Moony14 (Aug 20, 2011)

Looks great! Will be even better with some plants, can't wait to see it!


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## Marti3P (Sep 5, 2010)

x_Emmie_x said:


> Looks really good!


Thanks :2thumb:



Moony14 said:


> Looks great! Will be even better with some plants, can't wait to see it!


Same here can't wait to get a proper bio-substrate in there hopefully I can finish it and get everything ready for a Crestie early next year.

Thanks 

Phil


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