# Exo Terra stand...



## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

A couple of weeks ago I decided I was going to use a spare Exo Terra and do a fully planted frog viv. 
Like with everything else, the Exo Terra stands are expensive and I don't like spending money if I don't have to, so I decided to improvise.

I had a small glass and chrome TV stand which was roughly the right size but not quite.










So using some spare OSB and timber I had a bash to see what I could do, and came up with



















It's not perfect but I used kiln dried wood which is fairly rough, so you get what you pay for and I paid nothing. 

Then I decided to sell my spare vivs and buy a larger Exo Terra, so I needed a new stand. The idea was to buy a wider TV stand but then I'd be spending more money and still have a TV stand that I wasn't using.

So off I went to B&Q. Unfortunately I went shortly after they opened and there was no spare off cuts, which meant I ended up buying a 4x2 sheet of OSB (as it was the cheapest). an 8ft length of 19x22mm Rosewood and an 8ft length of the same kiln dried timber i used before.

You start with your wood










Then measure the size of the top of the TV stand and cut a frame from the timber..










measure from the edges so it's in the middle and glue / screw it in place 










I just used a cheap mitre to do the cuts










then cut the rosewood to make an edge / barrier. Looks a lot better than just having the viv sat on a piece of wood.
And fix it in place










Give it a test










Paint it white - I find that black paint sits better on white compared to painting black gloss straight onto wood.











then black










I paint the inside edge just incase there's a gap, so you can't see the white. The white in the middle will be hidden by substrate so it doesn't matter.


Give it a test fit




















and then buy the biggest Exo Terra they do, from Reptacular and fit it into place.










You can pick the stands up pretty cheap off eBay, the timber was a couple of quid and the top wood depends on what you use and how you get it. Scrap wood, buy it.. whatever. so anything from free to a few quid to £15 if you have to buy it. I already had the paint.

It won't be to everybody's taste but it took no time at all to knock up and 
I like it.


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## tomcannon (Jan 2, 2008)

That looks good mate. I agree with a larger tv stand it would look better but it looks great considering it cost next to nothing. :2thumb:

So what's going in it?


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

most of the bigger ones that I could find, were too big, around the metre / 4ft length.

I want to do a planted viv, probably for frogs.


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## Shellsfeathers&fur (Jan 18, 2009)

Looks good - a man with many talents :mf_dribble:


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

That looks cool! Will be looking out for pics of the tank all finished!
Josh


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## fatlad69 (Oct 22, 2009)

That could look awesome planted up. What sort of frogs you got in mind?


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Not a clue. Will have to be some kind of tree frog to make use of the height though


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