# Paludarium build



## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

For xmas I have been bought a 90 x 45 x 60 exo terra terrarium that I plan on doing a custom build on.

I am aiming for a paludarium to house a crested gecko and some fire bellied toads.

This will be my first custom build so i thought i'd start a thread so you can all see the progress with me.

Hoping to get started just as soon as my egg crate arrives 

The terrarium - including a couple of pieces of driftwood I plan to use









A piece of bogwood I have taken out of an aquarium that I want to use in the build. It is covered in java moss and java fern - just how i like it! Currently in a holding tank.


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## s6t6nic6l (May 15, 2010)

:devil: waitin to do the same for my firebellies in one of these, tho mine will be in the low type, for some time now but ain't got the room....yet. 

good luck with the project.


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## Mr X (Oct 24, 2012)

Shame on you for opening your Christmas present early ..... Santa won't be pleased.

Be nice to see how the build gets on though as I spent days getting all my mosses and thing off before I used them.


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Will be watching to see how it turns out! Good luck! 
Josh


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## caddie (Dec 11, 2011)

i am doing the exact same thing with same size viv. Check my thread as i have made plenty of mistakes, no point you making them to (not saying you will tho) cant wait to do a load when in back home for the hols. Cant wait to see your progress.


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## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

my build is going really slowly as I am super busy with work but I managed to get a bit done today.

Cut up the PVC pipe and siliconed them in (siliconed after i took the photo)










Made a cardboard template them cut the false bottom - I used a big plastic crate I had already.










Then tried the front edge in place, will be cable tied in place tomorrow.


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Looking really good so far!


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## COLD BLOODED THINGS RULE (Dec 27, 2012)

awesome awesom awesome....want want want!!!!!!!!!


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## caddie (Dec 11, 2011)

Just a quick note, I wouldn't keep crested geckos and fire bellied together. They secrete a toxin. (this is what I have read)


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## J4MES (Aug 5, 2007)

Where did you get that front edge stuff?

James


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## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

it is from Wickes - it is drain leaf cover -Gutter Leaf Guard 4m - Roundline - Guttering & Drainage -Building Materials - Wickes

Did a bit more today

Corrugated conduit and piece of branch in place (with sellotape - didnt have the patience to silicone and wait, lol!)










Then out comes the expanding poly foam










Didnt have enough to do the other side too, going to wait to see how it looks when its cured. Just waiting now.......


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## J4MES (Aug 5, 2007)

Looks good. Is The conduit going to form part of the water feature ?


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## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

J4MES said:


> Looks good. Is The conduit going to form part of the water feature ?


No, I'm not having a water feature, the conduit is just to give a bit of shape.


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## x_Living_Dead_Girl_x (Feb 16, 2009)

May I ask why you want to keep these two species together? Will you keep them separate from each other somehow? If not, then I'd be worried about the cresties drinking water that the toads had been in due to the toxins they secrete, there is also the issue of the cresties peeing/pooping in the water that the toads swim/sit in. I don't see this ending well.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

x_Living_Dead_Girl_x said:


> there is also the issue of the cresties peeing/pooping in the water that the toads swim/sit in. I don't see this ending well.


if he just kept cresties or toads then there'd still be the same problem of something peeing or pooing in.


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## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

Got the rest of the false bottom secured in place










Then siliconed in the background for the aquatic section, waiting for it to dry now. 










As for cresties and FBT together, someone I know keeps them together with no issues


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## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

Background covered in silicone and eco-earth










Then i realised I had nothing to stop the terrestrial area substrate falling into the aquatic section. So after a bit of consideration I decided to build a pebble edge to hold the substrate back.
(I also filled the aquatic area with pebbles just to see how it looked)


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

looking good.

but do you fancy slowing down, you're making me feel bad about the crap progress on mine.


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## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

Meko said:


> looking good.
> 
> but do you fancy slowing down, you're making me feel bad about the crap progress on mine.


lol, I think I'm doing this slowly as I have been working so much I dont get a lot of time to work on it, just grab an hour every few days.


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Looking really good! I like the pebbled edge! Looking forward to it taking more shape!
Josh


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## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

Weed membrane down and substrate in
(forgot to take a photo of the membrane stage though!)

I also cut a plant hole in the background and stuck a little fern in










Then i had a little play :mf_dribble:
Added an extra branch, another plant and some moss.










I need to order my plants now and my natural pebble gravel for the aquatic area is at work so i cant get it until monday so will be a few days before i can do more, boo hoo.


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Really looking brilliant! We're are you gonna get your plants from? 
Josh


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## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

JPalmer said:


> Really looking brilliant! We're are you gonna get your plants from?
> Josh


i'm not sure. Planting is my least favourite part. Might pick up a few house plants from the garden centre. I have looked on airplants and dartfrog but i am useless at picking plants unless they are actually in front of me.


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

karma_llama said:


> i'm not sure. Planting is my least favourite part. Might pick up a few house plants from the garden centre. I have looked on airplants and dartfrog but i am useless at picking plants unless they are actually in front of me.


Lol it's all good! Find terra world products on eBay shops! It's brilliant! Decent prices and the delivery was amazing! I got a few and they were packaged so they didn't loose a leaf! Lol just order another 7 off there yestaday for my new one! Defonatly worth a look!!
Josh


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## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

JPalmer said:


> Lol it's all good! Find terra world products on eBay shops! It's brilliant! Decent prices and the delivery was amazing! I got a few and they were packaged so they didn't loose a leaf! Lol just order another 7 off there yestaday for my new one! Defonatly worth a look!!
> Josh


do you have a link for their ebay shop?


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## COLD BLOODED THINGS RULE (Dec 27, 2012)

what ya gonna put in there?


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

Stupid iPhone app eBay not giving me a weblink! But type "seller:sparks0412" into the eBay search and his stuff comes up! Really brilliant! 
Josh


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## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

COLD BLOODED THINGS RULE said:


> what ya gonna put in there?


Crested gecko and fire bellied toads :2thumb:


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## s6t6nic6l (May 15, 2010)

nice.
how are you gonna drain the substrate area?
are the pebbles siliconed together for the substrate wall?
what covering are you having for the floor or just the earth you have now?
sorry for the questions but making sure you are covering all issues that may incur future wise!!


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## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

s6t6nic6l said:


> nice.
> how are you gonna drain the substrate area?
> are the pebbles siliconed together for the substrate wall?
> what covering are you having for the floor or just the earth you have now?
> sorry for the questions but making sure you are covering all issues that may incur future wise!!


substrate will drain through into the aquatic area which will have a small filter in.

Pebbles are siliconed so arent going anywhere 

I will be putting some spaghnum moss over the earth once it is all planted.

any tips are welcome so if you think i've missed something please say :2thumb:


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## s6t6nic6l (May 15, 2010)

karma_llama said:


> substrate will drain through into the aquatic area which will have a small filter in. :hmm:
> 
> *explain please!!*
> 
> ...


not understanding your drainage setup yet :?


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## fatlad69 (Oct 22, 2009)

The viv has a false bottom made of eggcrate with mesh to stop the substrate falling through. Any excess water simply runs down into the area below the false bottom which is then filtered.

Only problem with native moss is it doesn't tend to do well in a tropical environment.

Adam


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## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

s6t6nic6l said:


> not understanding your drainage setup yet :?


as adam said above, the substrate sits of a false bottom above the water level, so any excess with drain through and into the water below to then be filtered.
There is only a couple of centimeters depth of soil substrate.

I will finish the landscaping once my plants arrive, until then I dont know what will be going where.

hope to be aquascaping the water area tonight


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## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

Well the water is in!!

Did the aquascaping all in one go. Gravel in, stones in, moss in, plants in and then the water.










I also installed a heaterstat so the water will be low tropical temperatures.

Really pleased with it. Just waiting on my terrestrial plants now.


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## JPalmer (Jul 7, 2012)

It is looking better and better as it progresses!  
Josh


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## s6t6nic6l (May 15, 2010)

fatlad69 said:


> *The viv has a false bottom made of eggcrate with mesh to stop the substrate falling through. Any excess water simply runs down into the area below the false bottom which is then filtered.*
> 
> Only problem with native moss is it doesn't tend to do well in a tropical environment.
> 
> Adam





karma_llama said:


> as adam said above, *the substrate sits of a false bottom above the water level, so any excess with drain through and into the water below to then be filtered*.
> There is only a couple of centimeters depth of soil substrate.
> 
> I will finish the landscaping once my plants arrive, until then I dont know what will be going where.
> ...


:devil: i build drainage systems in my projects so i know how it all works. i'll put it another way: whilst watching the build thread i don't see where you have incorporated a pump/siphon etc in the reservoir to drain off the excess water or am i just missing summat here :whistling2:


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## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

s6t6nic6l said:


> :devil: i build drainage systems in my projects so i know how it all works. i'll put it another way: whilst watching the build thread i don't see where you have incorporated a pump/siphon etc in the reservoir to drain off the excess water or am i just missing summat here :whistling2:


this isnt a high tech build, lol. Excess water will be removed as and when with the wonder that is......a cup :lol2:


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## fatlad69 (Oct 22, 2009)

karma_llama said:


> this isnt a high tech build, lol. Excess water will be removed as and when with the wonder that is......a cup :lol2:


Or a turkey baster.


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## s6t6nic6l (May 15, 2010)

ah right so the pool won't be filtered as stated earlier in the thread. i thought you had sealed the pool area from the land section. so what your saying is that the water drained through the substrate will mix with the pool section. this scenario will not be ideal long term, twofold, as you are introducing unwelcome waste from the substrate for the toads wellbeing and worst still will be that after quite some time the mucus from the toads will accumulate under the drainage area which will end up rank.
just something to consider with the cup/baster routine :Na_Na_Na_Na:

the viv is looking very nice tho' one has to say : victory:

good luck with the upkeep.


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## karma_llama (Jan 4, 2009)

s6t6nic6l said:


> ah right so the pool won't be filtered as stated earlier in the thread. i thought you had sealed the pool area from the land section. so what your saying is that the water drained through the substrate will mix with the pool section. this scenario will not be ideal long term, twofold, as you are introducing unwelcome waste from the substrate for the toads wellbeing and worst still will be that after quite some time the mucus from the toads will accumulate under the drainage area which will end up rank.
> just something to consider with the cup/baster routine :Na_Na_Na_Na:
> 
> the viv is looking very nice tho' one has to say : victory:
> ...


It doesnt presently have a filter in but I do have one to use if i feel the need, I was going to use it (hence mentioning it earlier in thread) but didnt put it in yesterday as I am considering getting an external one instead, havent decided. 

I can access the reservoir behind down the back corner behind the foam if needs be (where the plastic conduit is) for cleaning purposes.

For the time being though I am happy with how it is. :2thumb:


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