New Crested Gecko Tank Build

[Vicious_Fish]

Well It's finally done....well almost done.

Anyways, last month I got a great deal on a Oceanic® 39E Chameleon Lounge that was 50% off at That Fish Place. It has screen sides and top but a glass front and back. There are doors on either end of the tank which is pretty cool. It also has a removable wire lid. I was planning on buying an ExoTerra Enclosure for my crested gecko but for $50 bucks I couldn't pass this deal up. My plan was to make a nice fake wall for the background, similar to my leopard gecko tank but with an Eco Earth covering instead of tile grout.

Here's the tank. I believe it's 28"x12"x30".

The first step was to cover the inside back wall of the tank with 100% Black Silicon Window Caulking. It's safe and non-toxic for animals. The reason for doing this is to have a place for the Great Stuff Spray Insulation Foam to stick to. In my last build, I just stuck the spray foam to a piece of insulation foam board. But because this tank is not very deep I didn't want the foam board taking up extra space.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

After I let the silicon dry for a day it was time to design the back wall. I had a few pieces of scrap foam board left from my last build so I made a few shelves with it. I wanted to make a hollowed out shelf at the top that I could place a hanging plant in like a pothos.

I placed a piece of cork bark on the one side of the tank. My plan is to attach ephiphytes to it in the future.

I used 2 cans of Great Stuff Foam on the back wall and sprayed a little bit under the bark so crickets didn't have a place to hide. After the foam had about 10 minutes to set, I stuck a flat rock into it to make a shelf. I plan on using the it for a place to put the dish my crested gecko eats from. Make sure when You do this you flip the tank on it's back. Gravity is a pain like that.

After the foam dried for a few days it was time to cover it with silicon followed by the coco fiber covering. In this case I bought brown silicon instead of black. Make sure the tank is still sitting on it's back with the wall facing up.

This is the part that I kind of screwed up on, lol. I made the mistake of covering the whole foam wall with silicon THEN placing the dried Eco Earth on top. Bad idea, the silicon dried too much by then and the Eco Earth didn't want to stick. After some swearing I ran out the next day and bought more silicon caulking. I applied it in small areas I immediately sprinkled Eco Earth coco fiber on it. Make sure it's pretty dry when you do. I baked mine in the oven for a few minutes to help dry it out. Once the whole thing is covered, gently pat the coco fiber to help it stick tight to the silicon.

I let the silicon and Eco Earth dry for a day and then I flipped the tank upright. I was happy to see that nearly all the coco fiber stuck. There were a few place I had to touch up but not much.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

I picked up a bag of dried moss and using the leftover silicon I put a few dabs of it here are there an attached the moss.

Next I placed a bag of river stones in the bottom of the tank for some extra drainage.

Then it was time for the decor. I found a nice piece of dried grapevine and a small piece of driftwood for climbing on. I used one brick of Eco Earth to fill the bottom. I also added a small Snakeplant and a Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) that I divided out of a larger one. Hopefully it stays alive! I still need to pick up a small pothos or other tropical vine to plant in the one hollow shelf I made near the top. Eventually I want to add a few bromeliads and live mosses throughout the tank. Right now I used the rest of the dried moss to cover the bottom to help hold in humidity.

Well last night I finished the tank up and placed my young Crested in. She looks so tiny in that tank! See if you can find her.

The tank misted.

 

[varanio]

Nice dude!!!!

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Nice dude!!!!

Thanks man! I'm pretty happy with how it came out.

 

[skateatburners]

nice

 

[ian brebner]

Very nice set up man! i see her on the log taking it all in!

 

[evilxyardxgnome]

Wow Seth this is amazing.

 

[Jfitz]

sweet!
im glad it worked out

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Here's the little lady. It's a shame my camera can't capture her true colors. She's got wonderful shades of orange all through her.