What is the opposite of a False Bottom?

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DorgEndo

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Devlyn
I have the dumb question of the day. What is the opposite of a False Bottom for an enclosure? Does this mean a drainage hole like a typical Terra cotta potted plant has? Does this include an enclosure with a drainage port that be opened or closed? Is there a proper term for an enclosure or terrarium with a true bottom? A draining bottom...if anyone knows the proper terminology I would appreciate the help. Thank you
 

DorgEndo

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Devlyn
Thank you, I thought that is what it must be called. But I'm searching Google trying to find "true bottom terrarium" and other similar search terms and came up with nothing.
 

MrSpectrum

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In that context, I think it's just a terrarium.
May I ask what you're trying to get at/reason for asking?
 

DorgEndo

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Devlyn
Eventually I'd like to give my Devlyn a bigger enclosure. Thinking of the size and cleaning I thought installing a drainage port at the bottom might work well. That way everything could be removed and if necessary I could run a hose from the sink to spray down the entire thing, capturing the drainage in a bucket. Her home is fairly good sized for now, 4'x1.5'x1.5', but for her whole lifetime a bigger spot is what I want for her
 

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
Ah... OK. I started with a somewhat larger (5 x 2 x 2) enclosure, but I also considered going 8 x 2 x 2.
The 8' enclosure I designed has a moveable divider to make it 8', 4/4, 3½/4½, or 3/5.

The floor of the 5 footer is five (nominal) 1' x 2' slate tiles--no grout. They're surrounded by 3 wood strips to keep them tight to each other. Under the tiles is waterproof shelf liner. So far, he's pooped on the tiles twice (he usually uses one of the decor stones) but not on a seam between tiles (the larger the tiles, the smaller the chance he'll hit a seam). If I do have to remove one, all I need do is remove the front spacer strip, lift out the affected tiles, clean & replace.

For spot cleaning, I'm using Nature's Miracle for small animals. It works great at permanently killing the stank, and it can be used for cleaning an entire enclosure as well (pretty good stuff).

What you're describing sounds like maybe you're contemplating bioactive(?) Your choice--I think they're a PITA for a beardie, but I'd do it for a panther chameleon, New Caledonian Gecko, or any of the non-arid/desert lizards on my list to add later.

One tip I can offer. I first designed for ½" plywood. Wanting more quality, and having a tendency to over-design, I found out ¾" was only 5% more $ than ½", so that's what I built it out of. Where I messed up was in not thinking that ¾" plywood weighs 50% more than ½", so my 5 x 2 x 2 comes in over 250 lbs. empty (glass, tile, decor removed), and requires 4 people to lift/move. Moral: Think about the weight before you go too big.
 

DorgEndo

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Beardie name(s)
Devlyn
Weight is a factor I was considering. Such as how to connect the bottom, sides, top so they could be deconstructed then reconstructed as needed. I thought a drainage port could be handy, so one side can be tilted up for a deep clean. I do think Devlyn would benefit from some dirt, but not bioactive. A section with dirt on the cool end. Then stone tiles for the rest.

For a fun extra I am starting an indoor garden box for her. She already had fun digging around some potted plants inside. This will be a real plant area she can explore. This can also test my construction skills for making an open box with dirt that drains and lights on top. I can keep plans alive in their own seperate box, in her enclosure I also think it would be a pain. Too dry and hot for plants. I have some echeveria (perle von nurenberg), and other echeveria to add. I want to add callisia repens. I have some dwarf aloe plants, aloe x gasteria hybrids. I don't know all the names. I have the lights, dirt, plants. Just need one solid container!
 

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
DorgEndo":q4cv9i9v said:
Weight is a factor I was considering. Such as how to connect the bottom, sides, top so they could be deconstructed then reconstructed as needed.
That's something I hadn't considered. Come to think of it--I did --when I was contemplating building a frame out of various kinds of aluminum extrusions (T-slot, Quick Frame like Zen Habitats, etc.) but at the time I thought that was (for me) prohibitively expensive. NOW that seems ludicrous considering all the overruns, overdesign, incidentals, decor, etc. I've accumulated.

I thought a drainage port could be handy, so one side can be tilted up for a deep clean. I do think Devlyn would benefit from some dirt, but not bioactive. A section with dirt on the cool end. Then stone tiles for the rest.
IC. What are you planning to build it out of? If (essentially) a wood box, a drainage port might be as simple as a hole drilled at one end/corner, plugged by rubber stopper.

I'm sure you realize the dirt will be all over the enclosure anyway, right? :laughing6:
I've been seeing/hearing about that Excavator Clay stuff, but have no personal experience/feedback.

For a fun extra I am starting an indoor garden box for her. She already had fun digging around some potted plants inside. This will be a real plant area she can explore.
That's kinda what I envisioned when I assembled these...
full

..except the plan was to distribute them around the enclosure, like this...
full

The pebble "mulch" keeps the humidity down, and the succulents from drying out. The pebbles are way too big to be swallowed, but I can change them if necessary. I also have some various colored Tillandsias (air plants) and Hens & Chicks I'm going to try to establish in the back wall.
It's not finished yet. More decor to come.

Thing is... the li'l monster loves climbing all over them, so your idea may be better. I may just cluster the planters at one side or in a corner to create a "bush" area. He's too little yet to do any real damage; he's tasted one, and somehow dug a pebble out of another. I was (foolishly) hoping that if he grew up with them, he might not get destructive, but after what I've been reading about beardie adolescence/teenagers... :lol: Who'm I kiddin'? :laughhard:

This can also test my construction skills for making an open box with dirt that drains and lights on top. I can keep plans alive in their own seperate box, in her enclosure I also think it would be a pain. Too dry and hot for plants. I have some echeveria (perle von nurenberg), and other echeveria to add. I want to add callisia repens. I have some dwarf aloe plants, aloe x gasteria hybrids. I don't know all the names. I have the lights, dirt, plants. Just need one solid container!
That all sounds so familiar (aside from the drain). :D
 

DorgEndo

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Beardie name(s)
Devlyn
A t-slot style framing is something I have considered, but probably not the pre-made metal t-slot I see online. I do not know the correct terms for most building things. Wood for main structural pieces, the insulation wood provides has been nice for her current enclosure. I'm flexible between natural wood or composite for top/sides, real wood for the framing pieces. What I picture are a wood frame skeleton for enclosure, reinforced corners, then the walls slide in (and out as needed). The bottom might function best attached to the skeleton frame. The top piece can come off, but is held in place by locking brackets, rubber gasket between the pieces to insulate. Front doors are acrylic or glass, sliding would be more functional - in my opinion than swing open doors.

Anything pre-made that is the size I would want and materials that work best would cost me about $500. So making an enclosure, even if I end up spending $500 will be exactly what I want and can fit the odd shaped corner that will work best for Devlyn's house. My house is a 4-story split level house. Lots of odd corners. I knew going into this house I would want to DIY various things to fit the many angles. A pre-made 120 gallon enclosure simply wouldn't fit well where I think Devlyn's home should be. Between living room and dining room, windows nearby to look at all day. I can make something like a 5'x2'x2', which is 150 gallons (?). It won't be square...I can make an asymmetrical enclosure. Why not. It'll fit the odd angle of the wall
 
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