6ft Chameleon Bioactive Vivarium

[diablomaster9045]

Foamed in and ready to carve.

 

[diablomaster9045]

Got the sliding doors made and got the final shaping done for the background. Currently trying to bake all the moisture out of the coco coir and coconut husk chunks so I can start covering the background.

 

[MissSkittles]

Looking great! I have to ask though…did you provide a way for your plants to drain? I see you used the mesh pots, which are great, but are there some holes or channels for the water to exit from there? With all of the work you’re putting in to this, you don’t want your plants sitting in water and getting root rot. When I had done faux foamed backgrounds, I copied what another had done here and used somewhat sturdy tubing to guide the drainage beneath the foam. You can see in the pic what I did. With the mesh that you’re using, if needed you can just carve or poke through a drainage channel.

 

[diablomaster9045]

Looking great! I have to ask though…did you provide a way for your plants to drain? I see you used the mesh pots, which are great, but are there some holes or channels for the water to exit from there? With all of the work you’re putting in to this, you don’t want your plants sitting in water and getting root rot. When I had done faux foamed backgrounds, I copied what another had done here and used somewhat sturdy tubing to guide the drainage beneath the foam. You can see in the pic what I did. With the mesh that you’re using, if needed you can just carve or poke through a drainage channel.

I used a coat hanger and stabbed a bunch of holes in the bottom. Do you think it would be better to install a drain tube like your picture?

 

[MissSkittles]

I used a coat hanger and stabbed a bunch of holes in the bottom. Do you think it would be better to install a drain tube like your picture?

No need for the tubing. Before you finalize everything though, maybe do a test run and fill the empty pots with water and make sure it all drains thru well enough.

 

[diablomaster9045]

Well got it on the stand and its kinda taller than expected....

with this height I dont think a traditional basking light dome would fit. Anyone have any thoughts of alternatives? Or would some of the radiant heaters used in combination with the UVb lights?

 

[diablomaster9045]

Scratch that question, I am going to have to cut down the stand height about 6 in.

 

[ehdee6]

Well got it on the stand and its kinda taller than expected....

Anyone have any thoughts of alternatives? Or would some of the radiant heaters used in combination with the UVb lights?

I also had this issue with my cages, and ended up having to make hight alterations for the basking light to fit... Beautiful set up you have!

 

[diablomaster9045]

Got the plants and vines in! Added springtails and isopods a few days ago. I finished up the programming and not just waiting the cycle period for Skittles to go in.

 

[jamest0o0]

Very cool I really like this!

 

[Veiledkeeper]

Sounds like a great build so far. The crossflow ventilation idea is really interesting

 

[Richcypher]

Got the sliding doors made and got the final shaping done for the background. Currently trying to bake all the moisture out of the coco coir and coconut husk chunks so I can start covering the background. View attachment 368316

Just curious, did you paint over that with drylok? I can’t tell if that’s closed cell foam. But to my understanding unless you drylok gap and crack foams, they offgas toxic fumes for years. If you seal with drylok the fumes can’t escape.
Alternatively, pond and stone foams of any brand are generally safe after curing and uv resistant, and require no coating with sealants.