Tropical Vivarium DIY - Background and Front-Opening Door

[mainbutter]

In this next installment of my 20G high aquariums converted to vivariums project, I'm going to go over my backgrounds and front doors.

The backgrounds are really simple. There are many options out there, but I really like tree fern panels for the drainage they provide plants that are mounted in them.

I basically just took a tree fern panel, cut it to size, and siliconed it in place. I was lucky to find a handful of large affordable tree fern panels, but usually they run quite a bit more and can be pricey. If you can't find large tree fern panels, you can take multiple smaller ones and tile them, it actually comes out looking quite nice.

Tree fern panel and the aquarium


100% silicone, no anti-mold agents (same as aquarium silicone)


Tree fern panel pressed into place, and a weight on top to hold it during curing (I just realized this is a pic of the zoo-med terrarium we're also doing, but you get the idea)


For the custom doors, I hit up JungleBox.net for their 20G High vertical conversion kits. They put together a kit of two glass panels cut to size, a horizontal hinge, and a component that incorporates the door locks and ventilation.

Siliconing the bottom glass panel in place, behind the plastic rim of the aquarium. This will creates vertical height for your substrate and drainage. I add a layer of silicone to the back of the panel after it's in place to make sure it's water tight. I smooth it out just using my finger, though any silicone/grout smoothing tool may work just fine.





I missed a few pictures in this process, but it's simple and easily spelled out in the directions that Jungle Box provides. The top ventilation section just clamps on by placing it on the plastic rim on the aquarium and tightening a pair of washers to it via a bolt and nut. The hinge just slides on to the bottom glass panel and the middle glass panel that serves as the door. I use silicone to secure the hinge to the glass.

I marked the hinge and ventilation in this picture.

[jsmorphs2]

Wow, that's really cool! Can't wait to see how it turns out.

[CherryBlossom]

That looks awesome so far! i agree, i can't wait to see what it looks like when you finish it! Way to go! Your doing an awesome job!

[JAYGEE]

Looks great! Cant wait to see the finished product!

[mainbutter]

Thanks guys I'm still waiting on stuff for substrate to ship, so we're at a bit of a standstill until we get supplies for the next part of the build.

This is even kind of the boring stuff, the hardware is installed (except for the misting system, but that's not even necessary for the function of the vivs), but until we get the substrate here we can't do any planting or landscaping or anything else. I'm particularly looking forward to culturing and seeding the vivs with at least two different kinds of bugs for janitor duties.

[fishmommy]

nice job.
I have done backgrounds with cork, and others with 'great stuff' foam and coir, but never tried the tree fern. It really looks great!

FYI I have been hearing from orchid forums that natural tree fern is becoming scarce, so availability and price may become difficult. Epi-web is a good replacement I hear.