large scale vivarium project

[bugarella]

So I don't have pictures or anything put together yet. I'm waiting to move into my new house before I start the project. But here's what I have gathered so far:

4-6'x4' acrylic sheets that are 1/8" thick
2-4'x4' acrylic sheets also 1/8" thick
Maple burlwood from a tree on my parents property (kinda sentimental) for a custom stand/light hood
Clear acrylic locks and hasps and hinges for the doors
Galvanized steel mesh screen and rings to custom make vents (the joys of having a dad that works in constructoon and electrical)
Natural light bulbs for plant growing (going into custom hood to provide nice natural lighting)
Thermostats and hygrometers and timers to keep the "natural" temps/humidity and day/night cycle running smoothly.


I have been picking everything up piece by piece each payday or when I run across good deals on craigslist. I should be in my new house in a few months, but I just couldn't wait to share my huge project! I will be picking up plants and stuff once I figure out the direction I want to take it. I know I want a rainforest/jungle theme, but which part of the world, you know?

I have just 1 dilemma... I have no idea what to put in it :: I can get a screaming deal of a dozen or so P. Ornata/regalis/metallica or an even better deal on 40 or so A. Versicolors. Or I can put a giant snake or a bunch chameleons in it. Or try to experiment with a few different animals and see how long it takes them to eat each other :unhappy: it would be neat to do a few different things like an aboreal T, a lizard and something that burrows, maybe do a small pond with a few fish in one corner, and maybe small things like roaches/beetles an mantids. I just don't know though. I guess I will figure that out once I get it put together. This will be going in the livingroom of my house, there is this huge empty space between 2 brick walls (I have no idea what used to be there, the house was built in the 1960's so who knows) and this will fit perfectly between them. Figured a large scale display tank would be an amazing discussion piece :biggrin:

I will update this thread with progress (once started)

 

[Msh]

40 versi would be pretty incredible then you could add in springtails and/or isopods, roaches maybe multiple sp for display and feeders purposes, could maybe get away with some kind of millipedes, other inverts, who knows. A water feature sounds awesome as well. I can't wait to see some pictures of it coming together.

 

[ShredderEmp]

You coud try having a crayfish and scorpion in it if you can work out the pond part of it.

 

[Msh]

You coud try having a crayfish and scorpion in it if you can work out the pond part of it.

Great idea on the crayfish, I was trying to think of a suggestion for the water but all I couldn't think of anything besides some kind of fish.

 

[bugarella]

You coud try having a crayfish and scorpion in it if you can work out the pond part of it.

That's a great idea! Crayfish would be wonderful for the water feature. I was also thinking of some C. Gracilis and the A. Versicolor. There should be enough room in a 6 foot tall behemoth tank to accommodate some of both. I also wanted to put in green banana roaches (if I can find some) as a self renewing source of food for the Ts and scorps. And I am looking into stick/leaf bugs and maybe an amphibian for the pond.

 

[josh_r]

We were in Shelton once, using the restroom at a gas station.
Yeah, so we're there.
We're waiting outside it.
And ummm these guys in this big truck pulled up and they said,
They said, "you boys are in Shelton... so beware!"

Good ol Shelton!!!!!!

---------- Post added 06-12-2013 at 09:03 AM ----------

For something that large, have you thought about dart frogs? And for all of your information needs, I HIGHLY suggest you check out www.dendroboard.com You will find more information there about building custom vivariums and all the plants and their care than you can care to look at. Great information about proper lighting and everything. Before you tackle this project, I suggest you look there... If you haven't already... I don't remember if I made that suggestion to you on facebook already... If I am repeating myself, my apologies.
I would also be careful with mixing too many species.... especially with things like crayfish.. you may find things missing or murdered in time.... In the captive conditions we typically supply, the fewer species the better. If you want to mix species, really consider the species and the benefits/ disadvantages of that species in a communal interspecies environment. Some species just don't play nice with others... Crayfish are a good example... UNLESS, you get the dwarf crays.. then they are fine there are some cool dwarf crabs as well. Check out www.aquabid.com and look in the invertebrate listings.

If you need ideas or pointers on construction, feel free to ask me. I kept and bred a lot of dart frogs in the past and made all my own custom vivariums and whatnot.

Here are a couple examples that I have built in the past

I cut the glass and built this viv. I made side opening access to prevent the front viewing area to be obstructed by a seam. I hate that.



Here was the building of the fake roots



Here is something I build for arboreal vipers.



I made this for a colony of Liphistius malayanus.



This was for a group of 5 ranitommeya sirensis red morph.



All the information I have learned for buildin this stuff has been from dendroboard. I highly recommend it.


And just so you remember who I am.... You should recognize this photo




Josh

 

[bugarella]

I signed up for dendroboard and I will start doing the in depth research tonight.

I also don't want to put too many different species in there but I would at least like to try 2. I know I want an aboreal tarantula (I decided on the A. Versicolors) and then something for the ground. I wanted to try to keep the species in the display from the same area in the Caribbean. That's where I'm running into problems, I'm having trouble finding info on what other species live in the same area as the A. Versicolors. And if the tarantulas don't do well in the tank then I will take them out and put a ton of frogs in there I guess

I recognize you but your not on my facebook anymore.

 

[josh_r]

Yeah, facebook decided that I wasn't a real person so they froze that account... Lame

Avicularia would do really well in a paludarium setup. You could have a nice, deep aquatic section with an array of fish and shrimp. Mixing any other land critters in there will be touch as they will likely be eaten by the spiders... unless you had something very large that won't eat the spiders... I don't really know.... If I have any ideas, I'll let ya know..

 

[bugarella]

Yeah, facebook decided that I wasn't a real person so they froze that account... Lame

That's just dumb I wonder why they decided that, I was having a blast looking at your photos and talking to you.

Maybe a large gecko or a chameleon? I would assume that they would leave the tarantulas alone. I could be wrong, I'm not too educated on reptiles. Let me know if you think of anything. It will help me plan out the inside decorations.

 

[josh_r]

That's just dumb I wonder why they decided that, I was having a blast looking at your photos and talking to you.

Maybe a large gecko or a chameleon? I would assume that they would leave the tarantulas alone. I could be wrong, I'm not too educated on reptiles. Let me know if you think of anything. It will help me plan out the inside decorations.

Tarantulas really aren't the best thing for an interspecies vivarium... Chameleons wouldn't fare very well in a setup like that as they require very very good ventilation, LOTS of UVB and I am not really sure that the spiders and chameleons would play nice.... I wouldn't want to risk it with the price of some chameleons

Geckos may work... but then you run into the problem of potential predation... Avicularia eat geckos in the wild on occasion... So your setup would require a rather large gecko to avoid predation.... Most gecko species that are large enough for this would also be large enough to potentially predate on your avics... I would say your best bet is a colony of avics, or change what you want to put in there.... You may be able to do a colony of avics with a colony of trapdoor spiders....

---------- Post added 06-13-2013 at 09:32 AM ----------

some ideas...

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/57563-pics-my-new-constructed-vivarium.html

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/me...best-vivariums-paludariums-you-have-seen.html

---------- Post added 06-13-2013 at 09:37 AM ----------

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/65988-peninsula-67.html

 

[bugarella]

Ok. So omit the tarantulas. How about little dart frogs? I can keep the 4'x4' footprint and cut the height down to 3' tall instead of 6'. 6' is too tall for a few little frogs I think.

An interspecies setup would be nice, but it doesn't look like it will work out. Good thing I posted this up now instead of starting the build without input from others.

 

[josh_r]

Ok. So omit the tarantulas. How about little dart frogs? I can keep the 4'x4' footprint and cut the height down to 3' tall instead of 6'. 6' is too tall for a few little frogs I think.

An interspecies setup would be nice, but it doesn't look like it will work out. Good thing I posted this up now instead of starting the build without input from others.

You would be pleasantly surprised at how much space a few little frogs would use in a 6' tall enclosure. They would utilize all of it if given the chance. And with such a parge enclosure, you can keep a couple different species together easily. Something like leucomelas and a thumbnail like sirensis or imitator. You will get a lot of action in a set up that size all the time. If you have a chance to make a dart frog setup at 6' tall, do it! The tarantulas would waste that kind of space more than frogs. I think you should stick with that larger size no matter what you end up choosing as an inhabitant.

 

[exokeeper]

I've been meaning to build a large Viv for awhile but just haven't had the time to do so. I'm currently doing a 30 gal split 3 ways for baboon spiders. Ill make a thread for that eventually cause its almost finished. But. I think being that your utilizing lighting for real plants that you could try a true spider? Maybe a huntsman or fishing spider. They're pretty fast little beasts and this setup sounds perfect. One of these days I'm going to make a nice big Viv with a nice simple American forest layout maybe a nice waterfall feature and throw a fishing spider and some fish in it. Maybe even a couple newts or salamanders. Great ideas can't wait to see the build. Research dolomedes sp. you can find them in many places in the u.s. or order one from kenthebugguy.

 

[JZC]

are versis communal? They could use the climbing space, some kind of millipedes and roaches for terrestrial, water feature for looks/humidity and most dart frogs tend to be goundwellers.