Hello all,
This is my first post on MFK, and I've been pleased and surprised at the dedication that this forum has to offer from its members. Everything from fish to crocodiles are fair game and that's pretty cool.
I've owned various reptiles since 1995 in mostly small terrariums from 10g to 150g. Currently, I own several 10gs, a 40g breeder and a 55g. The 55g is 15+ years old and the custom top and stand for it are kaput, so I bought a 40g to set up for my current pet, a Ribbon Snake (Alfred the Great). I like the 40g because of its depth and its not too big for apt living and transportation, as I am in college and go home for breaks. So far everything with Alfred has worked out great. I bought him August 2010 at a local PETCO, after a 2-year hiatus from reptiles. He's currently housed in a 10g, but he's just now to the size where I'd like to move him up in the world to the 40g.
SO. I have read many many paludarium, vivarium and semi-aquatic forum threads, youtube videos, etc. and have been impressed by what seasoned pros can achieve. My ribbon snake particularly loves the water and the 10g obviously can't offer this amenity to him adequately. For those of you who have small tanks, I would suggest a "water's edge" bowl if you go the preformed bowl route, as it is easily accessed by the animal and doesn't look so horrid. I've had fish in the past, but nothing serious and an outdoor koi pond (new one being built), so my filter knowledge is average, but not good enough. I researched a lot of turtle amenities, and found a nice smaller turtle filter that can operate in 2in of water and has 2 filtration devices. So, I'm a realism fanatic, so I cringed at first of the idea of using foam and artificial environment additions but I found that many people had found success through false bottoms and polystyrene.
I found a piece of polystyrene that fit my water:land ratio in my head and I have spent the last 3 days waterproofing it by using Drylok. After multiple coats of it, the polystyrene seemed unrecognizable because it had formed a hard coat around it. Satisfied, I molded it using a woodburning tool and re-waterproofed the exposed areas. Now, after all that, I purchased clear silicon, just like the type used in the aquarium and siliconed it around the base and two vertical seams and put it into place. The tank is split about 50/50 for water and land, and tomorrow I am checking the waterproofing. The foam is about 4 inches high so 3.5 in of water should be adequate. Right now it looks pretty ugly because its just a glass box of emotion with a piece of foam in it, but my plan would make it invisible at the end of the construct. The foam is "hollowed out" in the sense that it is not 4in thru and thru, but instead has 4 in walls. The middle is not much, just as a "cradle" for the soil, plants and rocks. Im planning on tapering rocks down to the water to make an easement for the snake along with some driftwood that I have. The bottom of the aqua-area will be covered with a 1/2in layer of white aquarium gravel. The turtle filter will sit in the back corner and pull the water around the back of the terrarium, as the foam does not span the entire width of the terrarium. The 50/50 split should keep the humidity higher than normal but not over the top. As long as the polystyrene passes my water test, i should be good to go with the actual flora stage of the build. Also, I did check that 3 in of water in a 40g breeder would not compromise its integrity.
I do have a few questions:
Whats a good plant website or store to order from for mosses/semi-aquatic plants?
Does anyone have experience with ribbon snakes co-habitating with another reptile or aquatic life?
Did I miss any aspect of the polystyrene waterproofing or safety step for the animal?
Any fun suggestions so that one can vicariously live through me?
Any feedback is greatly appreciated, and if there's some participation, Ill attempt to post pictures of the progress.
Thanks MFKers.
This is my first post on MFK, and I've been pleased and surprised at the dedication that this forum has to offer from its members. Everything from fish to crocodiles are fair game and that's pretty cool.
I've owned various reptiles since 1995 in mostly small terrariums from 10g to 150g. Currently, I own several 10gs, a 40g breeder and a 55g. The 55g is 15+ years old and the custom top and stand for it are kaput, so I bought a 40g to set up for my current pet, a Ribbon Snake (Alfred the Great). I like the 40g because of its depth and its not too big for apt living and transportation, as I am in college and go home for breaks. So far everything with Alfred has worked out great. I bought him August 2010 at a local PETCO, after a 2-year hiatus from reptiles. He's currently housed in a 10g, but he's just now to the size where I'd like to move him up in the world to the 40g.
SO. I have read many many paludarium, vivarium and semi-aquatic forum threads, youtube videos, etc. and have been impressed by what seasoned pros can achieve. My ribbon snake particularly loves the water and the 10g obviously can't offer this amenity to him adequately. For those of you who have small tanks, I would suggest a "water's edge" bowl if you go the preformed bowl route, as it is easily accessed by the animal and doesn't look so horrid. I've had fish in the past, but nothing serious and an outdoor koi pond (new one being built), so my filter knowledge is average, but not good enough. I researched a lot of turtle amenities, and found a nice smaller turtle filter that can operate in 2in of water and has 2 filtration devices. So, I'm a realism fanatic, so I cringed at first of the idea of using foam and artificial environment additions but I found that many people had found success through false bottoms and polystyrene.
I found a piece of polystyrene that fit my water:land ratio in my head and I have spent the last 3 days waterproofing it by using Drylok. After multiple coats of it, the polystyrene seemed unrecognizable because it had formed a hard coat around it. Satisfied, I molded it using a woodburning tool and re-waterproofed the exposed areas. Now, after all that, I purchased clear silicon, just like the type used in the aquarium and siliconed it around the base and two vertical seams and put it into place. The tank is split about 50/50 for water and land, and tomorrow I am checking the waterproofing. The foam is about 4 inches high so 3.5 in of water should be adequate. Right now it looks pretty ugly because its just a glass box of emotion with a piece of foam in it, but my plan would make it invisible at the end of the construct. The foam is "hollowed out" in the sense that it is not 4in thru and thru, but instead has 4 in walls. The middle is not much, just as a "cradle" for the soil, plants and rocks. Im planning on tapering rocks down to the water to make an easement for the snake along with some driftwood that I have. The bottom of the aqua-area will be covered with a 1/2in layer of white aquarium gravel. The turtle filter will sit in the back corner and pull the water around the back of the terrarium, as the foam does not span the entire width of the terrarium. The 50/50 split should keep the humidity higher than normal but not over the top. As long as the polystyrene passes my water test, i should be good to go with the actual flora stage of the build. Also, I did check that 3 in of water in a 40g breeder would not compromise its integrity.
I do have a few questions:
Whats a good plant website or store to order from for mosses/semi-aquatic plants?
Does anyone have experience with ribbon snakes co-habitating with another reptile or aquatic life?
Did I miss any aspect of the polystyrene waterproofing or safety step for the animal?
Any fun suggestions so that one can vicariously live through me?
Any feedback is greatly appreciated, and if there's some participation, Ill attempt to post pictures of the progress.
Thanks MFKers.
