New vivarium

[jackrat]

I'm starting to set up a new vivarium.It's 48"x18"x36".I put 30 feet of hydor heating cable under the substrate.Substrate is dirt and composted leaves in various stages of decay.Lots of worms,grubs and other things a redfoot should like.A 300W CHE is doing a good job of keeping the air in the mid 80's.

I put some bromeliads on driftwood.

Added a little live moss

Live plants are going to be planted soon,as are some greens.Any suggestions are welcome.[/b]

 

[Torty Mom]

WOW, that looks awesome!! Love it!!!

 

[terryo]

I am in love with the driftwood. (I'd really like something like that on my table). The whole thing looks great. I was wondering why you need 300 wt. CHE's, as I have the same size tank for Solo. Mine is 48 x 19. and I only have 100 wt CHE's in there, but now I realize that your's is much taller. I have two heat emitters ...one on each side with a long tube 5.0 UVB in the middle. The temperature in mine stays in the high 80's. I have the top covered with clear wrapping tape to hold in the humidity. As the weather gets warmer, especially in the house, I shut off one of the heat emitters.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

It's beautiful...I was getting all excited about the bromeliads when you said you were about to add live plants...Leading me to believe the bromeliads were plastic it's still awesome tho!

 

[Yvonne G]

That's a beautiful addition to the room. At first I thought the fixtures were too high, until I read the size of your emitter.

 

[jackrat]

No,the bromeliads are live.I'm going to plant some stuff in the dirt.Terryo,the height is making it a little of a challange to heat the air,but I think I have it close.Only one of the fixtures has a CHE,the other is a light.The heating cable helps a lot.I find most of my driftwood on the Mississippi River,some around local lakes.

 

[terryo]

Where do you get the bromeliads? They are beautiful and I can't believe they are flowering. Wow!

 

[jackrat]

Where do you get the bromeliads? They are beautiful and I can't believe they are flowering. Wow!

I ordered them off of EBAY.They are mostly tilandsias.I'm thinking about putting some Spanish moss,which is plentiful here,as a background.Just to cover the wires and the wall behind.

 

[onarock]

Verry Cool Jackrat!!

 

[Balboa]

I love it Jack! I imagine it could be tough to heat a tall enclosure, that's something I've been thinking about for the next one, glad its working for you.

For plants I like prayer plants. They're tort safe and they really do well in those tropical redfoot conditions. My guys really like the leafy cover they give them.

 

[Candy]

Beautiful enclosure that you're making. I can't wait to see pictures of your tortoise in there when it's done. Can you please post more when you're done?

 

[Angi]

What is the mossy looking stuff?

 

[dmmj]

did you build it yourself? if so why did you go so tall with it?

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nice looking BTW

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Looks great sir.

 

[jackrat]

LOL.It is kinda tall.That's just how it worked out.It's the only one that Penn Plax makes with a 48x18 footprint.That's "frog moss".That's what the ebay ad said.Got a lot more work to do,getting the temps adjusted,but it seems to hold the humidity very well.

 

[matt41gb]

Awesome Jeff!! Thanks for posting the pictures. Now I'm jealous, hahaha!

-Matt

 

[luke]

cool !
I want some bromeliads now.

 

[jackrat]

I love the broms myself.Going to the swamp this evening for some spanish moss.

 

[Jacqui]

When I first saw the height, I was thinking, "why?", then I started thinking how awesome you could use that height for the plants. Like having a potho vining or even having a tropical hibiscus in there blooming away... of a nice gecko to help with the bugs....

Very nice work so far, look forward to seeing it all done.

 

[terryo]

My sister collects drift wood from the beach near her son's house, so when I showed her your pictures she got right on e-bay and ordered a bunch of bromeliads. My daughter-in-law wants to make them now and sell them....look what you started! Keep those pictures coming..........