Building viv, want to know if material is good.

[dolphinsilversea01]

I have previously posted about making a vivs out of display fixtures I recently purchased. I picked up some wood and vents a few days ago, and am wondering if anyone knows how well it will work for the purpose I bought it.

I picked up 3 sheets of plywood sturdifloor 3/4" - 4'x8', I am going to use this for the floor and backing of each viv. I grabbed 2 sheets of CDX plywood 3/8"-4'x8', which I plan to use for the sides and possibly the top. I also picked up 2 vents 30x6".
I haven't made up my mind yet as to whether I will be making the top of each viv screen with wood trim, or just simply inclosed with the vents. This will depend on how hard it will seem to be with the lighting and electrical part.

So, I am just curious if anyone has used the type of wood I purchased, and knows whether or not it is good wood to use for the vivs, at least if it will work or if I should totally forget using what I purchased.

Thanks =)

 

[GoFast]

how big of a tank are you making?! :shock: 3 sheets can make a huuuuuge viv. you could make a 4' x 8' viv with that if you wanted. :lol:

The material itself will make for a very sturdy viv but finishing it might be a bit tough. Were you going to paint that or just leave it unfinished? I am not sure what to tell you for ventilation yet until i know the size it is going to be when finished.

 

[dolphinsilversea01]

I am turning two display fixtures into vivs... pretty much just going to keep the front sliding glass door parts, building off of them and pitching the metal (or taking to salvage).

Above is a pic of them stacked ontop one another. Each fixture measures L-4', D-16", H-25", but all I am really going to use is the front sliding part so all I really have to worry about is the length -4' and the hieght - 25", I can make them as deep as I want.

I wanted to be sure I had enough wood for both vivs, extra just in case I make some errors, and so I can take advantage of making them as deep as I like. I also am not sure if I am going to make the top just a wood sheet or wood frame with screen, although I recently came upon another post about tops and really like one someone else made where it is pretty much 1/2 wood and 1/2 screen with hindges inbetween for easy cleaning etc.

Besides any advice or suggestions I am wanting to find out if the kind, type, thickness, etc. of the wood I got is suffice for the job. I was going to go with the melamine, but the wood I did get was on sale and saved me over $60 compared to the melamine!, plus I couldn't find any sheets of melamine big enough to match the measurements I wanted to work with.

 

[GoFast]

wow nice find...why ditch the metal though? personally, I would just put some vents in the top and call it a day. Otherwise, you are basically just reinventing the wheel so to speak. If you do decided to use wood instead, that 3/4 cdx will work fine but like i said earlier, it is just going to be harder to make it appear nicer.

 

[dolphinsilversea01]

I am choosing to go with the wood because after looking into it I have found that keeping the metal safe for the beardies with heat lights, etc. will be more hassle than just changing it to wood now (plus I can make them deeper). It isn't safe to use heat pads, heat rocks, and the like with beardies, I feel it will be safer in the end to not use the metal and make an oven for my beardies.

 

[DistDrag]

I wouldn't go with 3/8" cdx on the sides. One it has a tendency to warp and it is not really for finishing. I'd recommend using 3/4" melamine or birch plywood. The nice thing about these is you can also get iron on edging for a nice finished look.

Kevin

 

[foolsgold]

If you want to make them deeper and have a wood tank the dragons are in why don't you just take the metal back off, measure the inside of the tank and (for example) cut the sides top and bottom 38" long and just slide them all the way into the metal box. The box would help keep everything together and make it stronger. You would have wood for the tank and not that much rework involved compared to removing the doors and building a whole new tank. Those look awesome btw, how much did you get them for?

 

[rockstar1992]

good luck

 

[dolphinsilversea01]

I am just going to use the front sliding part. If I am going to do it this way, I might as well do it right and just take the metal out of the equation. Besides, I thought about just putting the wood inside the metal, but back to my comment about not wanting to make an oven for my beardies - in my opinion, keeping the metal with the wood inside it to me would be slightly different then just having the metal.

I plan on making them seperate. They are seperate fixtures. I then hope to build a shelving unit to hold the two fixtures and then my roaches on the bottom.

Due to money and such the actual construction of these are going to have to take a back seat for a couple of weeks. I took back the cdx, and only kept the other wood because I am going to use it to build a temperary ramps until I can make them out of foam.
I can't seem to find melamine big enough - mainly wide enough, especially for like the bottom of each tank. Where do you guys find big enough pieces?

I am almost done with Spikes new home (a 100g tank), and for the time being once that is completed I am going to put the two new beardies in the 55g that Spike is in now. I hate that they are still together, but they don't seem to bother each other too much (which I think is partly due to the fact that both of them have some type of "issue") And, the 55 will give them more room, epecially from what they came to me and are presently in - a 20g!!

 

[zebraflavencs]

I am actually finished with the 2nd of 3, here is a picture journal:
Roughed out frame:

Sealed, shelf in, fixtures in:

Painted and tiled:

Runners in for the plexi and lit up:

Finished product with dragon installed (Orion):

Close up:

There does that help ?
Janie.

 

[dolphinsilversea01]

Orion is a cutie!! Love how he is looking into the camera and almost saying, "Oh yeah I am cute and you know it and this is my abode, so what??!!!!" The tilt in his little head expresses so much attitude. way too cute!

 

[zebraflavencs]

Shortly after I moved him in, he turned into a tyrant ! Wouldn't let me hold him or even stroke his head ! I am working daily with him and he is getting more and more comfy with the enclosure and mommy working inside it ! Little monster ! :twisted:
Thanks, I am embarking on the third enclosure this weekend ! Wish me Luck !
Hope this helps !
Janie.