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Duff's Unofficial Crestie Tank Journal


Duff0712

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So I am definitely going to get a crested gecko now. Some issue with getting an idea in your head and becoming way too excited to back down haha.

I figured I would journalize my progress and hopefully bounce around ideas!

So this is what I have so far. Got a 24x18x24 Exo terra terrarium tank. My first terrarium tank ever. My god if only aquariums worked with forward facing doors.

Been setting up the tank the past week.

90e9a4ba7c3f23d179fe3dd178c2e22a.jpg

Saw a bunch of videos online on DIY backgrounds and I really wanted to try it. It is definitely fun, I want to try it on an aquarium setup some day. I used spider wood and "grape vine" on the back and other than one more piece of spiderwood to place in the middle, that should be it for wood pieces.

4563bea63818e31ee8ae302347a00c47.jpg

I let the foam sit for a day (anyone trying this use gloves. Dear god USE GLOVES). I should have left it sit longer before I started to mess with it, but everything worked out ok. It was still kinda gooey in the middle of the foam. I carve out some holes for future plants and can't wait to be finished!

I plan to put some black silicone over the foam this weekend and then cover that in organic peat moss to give the background a more natural feel. After that dries I will set up my substrate.

One thing that is interesting is my humidity in the tank is sitting around 60-70 daily. As far as I know Cresties prefer 50-70. Which is fine but I don't even have water in there yet! I was already planning to have the tank fully setup with plants etc and letting it sit for one to two weeks and gauge temps/humidity so it should be interesting.

Will update as I mess with the tank.

-Duffy

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Looking good! I've used great stuff quite a bit in theatre.Don't be surprised if the gooey sections expand a bit more while curing. And YES to gloves!!! Lol

Would brown silicone be better?

Thanks! Can't wait till it's finished.

Brown would be better, but I wasn't thinking about it when I ordered black. It shouldn't be too much of an issue tho. I'm hoping it will still blend well.

-Duffy

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I've used great stuff quite a bit in theatre.

I'm hoping you can answer a question for me about Good Stuff. There is a foamy/plastic (can't describe it well haha) smell from the foam. Does that last long? I put it in like a week ago and it still has a smell to it. Not as strong, but noticeable.

-Duffy

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So I am definitely going to get a crested gecko now. Some issue with getting an idea in your head and becoming way too excited to back down haha.

I figured I would journalize my progress and hopefully bounce around ideas!

So this is what I have so far. Got a 24x18x24 Exo terra terrarium tank. My first terrarium tank ever. My god if only aquariums worked with forward facing doors.

Been setting up the tank the past week.

90e9a4ba7c3f23d179fe3dd178c2e22a.jpg

Saw a bunch of videos online on DIY backgrounds and I really wanted to try it. It is definitely fun, I want to try it on an aquarium setup some day. I used spider wood and "grape vine" on the back and other than one more piece of spiderwood to place in the middle, that should be it for wood pieces.

4563bea63818e31ee8ae302347a00c47.jpg

I let the foam sit for a day (anyone trying this use gloves. Dear god USE GLOVES). I should have left it sit longer before I started to mess with it, but everything worked out ok. It was still kinda gooey in the middle of the foam. I carve out some holes for future plants and can't wait to be finished!

I plan to put some black silicone over the foam this weekend and then cover that in organic peat moss to give the background a more natural feel. After that dries I will set up my substrate.

One thing that is interesting is my humidity in the tank is sitting around 60-70 daily. As far as I know Cresties prefer 50-70. Which is fine but I don't even have water in there yet! I was already planning to have the tank fully setup with plants etc and letting it sit for one to two weeks and gauge temps/humidity so it should be interesting.

Will update as I mess with the tank.

-Duffy

Unless your home is kept at 60-70%, the humidity is most likely coming from the foam. Once it dries the humidity will go down to the levels of your home until you add moisture to the tank.

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lol oh I remember when these open front gecko tanks came out . Think from zoo-med and exo-terrarrium .  They were a big hit with the arboreal gecko bunch .

 

At the time the famous little blue neon geckos which I cant recall the name was a fraction of the cost it is now .

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just looked it up -  Lygodactylus williamsi

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So I am definitely going to get a crested gecko now. Some issue with getting an idea in your head and becoming way too excited to back down haha.

I figured I would journalize my progress and hopefully bounce around ideas!

So this is what I have so far. Got a 24x18x24 Exo terra terrarium tank. My first terrarium tank ever. My god if only aquariums worked with forward facing doors.

Been setting up the tank the past week.

90e9a4ba7c3f23d179fe3dd178c2e22a.jpg

Saw a bunch of videos online on DIY backgrounds and I really wanted to try it. It is definitely fun, I want to try it on an aquarium setup some day. I used spider wood and "grape vine" on the back and other than one more piece of spiderwood to place in the middle, that should be it for wood pieces.

4563bea63818e31ee8ae302347a00c47.jpg

I let the foam sit for a day (anyone trying this use gloves. Dear god USE GLOVES). I should have left it sit longer before I started to mess with it, but everything worked out ok. It was still kinda gooey in the middle of the foam. I carve out some holes for future plants and can't wait to be finished!

I plan to put some black silicone over the foam this weekend and then cover that in organic peat moss to give the background a more natural feel. After that dries I will set up my substrate.

One thing that is interesting is my humidity in the tank is sitting around 60-70 daily. As far as I know Cresties prefer 50-70. Which is fine but I don't even have water in there yet! I was already planning to have the tank fully setup with plants etc and letting it sit for one to two weeks and gauge temps/humidity so it should be interesting.

Will update as I mess with the tank.

-Duffy

The size you got is a great size . 

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What I love about crested is the fact that you can feed them commercially made food like Pangea PFM. Dont know if you have a source for your geckos but this guy is really good breeder and his website is great source of info http://www.acreptiles.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=316

I'm actually in the process of trying to find sources. Thanks for the link!

The commercially made food is one of the reasons my gf is letting me get a crestie in the first place haha. I'll sneak in a few dusted crickets every now and then though haha. Have heard about Pangea during my research. I've heard Repashy is a good one too. Any experience with either yourself?

-Duffy

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I'm actually in the process of trying to find sources. Thanks for the link!

The commercially made food is one of the reasons my gf is letting me get a crestie in the first place haha. I'll sneak in a few dusted crickets every now and then though haha. Have heard about Pangea during my research. I've heard Repashy is a good one too. Any experience with either yourself?

-Duffy

Never used Repashy but heard good things from very reputable breeders. AC's animals are top notch. Want to do his carpet pythons but snakes is off limits with my wife. Keep track of his website because he will unload his culls which are better than most at really good prices.

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Never used Repashy but heard good things from very reputable breeders. AC's animals are top notch. Want to do his carpet pythons but snakes is off limits with my wife. Keep track of his website because he will unload his culls which are better than most at really good prices.

Will do thanks! I also added myself to his fb page in hopes to get in on some of the auctions.

Also I finally finished the background!! Yay! Took me forever because I am so nit picky. I'll do one more sweep for yellow then get my substrate in. I'm not sure if it exists but if there is a brown great stuff please use that if u ever do your own background. Or black. So frustrating.

2a365673b53e1e4c1fe4a9d934e01a1a.jpg

a65b4eb9ec60a21da44d319cd5310e56.jpg

-Duffy

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Will do thanks! I also added myself to his fb page in hopes to get in on some of the auctions.

Also I finally finished the background!! Yay! Took me forever because I am so nit picky. I'll do one more sweep for yellow then get my substrate in. I'm not sure if it exists but if there is a brown great stuff please use that if u ever do your own background. Or black. So frustrating.

2a365673b53e1e4c1fe4a9d934e01a1a.jpg

a65b4eb9ec60a21da44d319cd5310e56.jpg

-Duffy

How did you get the dirt to stick? Will it stay on after it gets wet, will it hold up over time? That is sweet!!!!

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Nice background, Duff!

How did you get the dirt to stick? Will it stay on after it gets wet, will it hold up over time? That is sweet!!!!

Thanks guys! So what I did was smear silicone over the foam and pack peat moss on top of it. Then over the past few days I shook it/ hit it/ used a air blower and re silicones anything that I missed.

It should last long term. That's the hope anyways haha

-Duffy

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Thanks guys! So what I did was smear silicone over the foam and pack peat moss on top of it. Then over the past few days I shook it/ hit it/ used a air blower and re silicones anything that I missed.

It should last long term. That's the hope anyways haha

-Duffy

Thats a lot if silicone!

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I think you and I may be the only ones building a terrarium/vivarium. You are raising the bar high!

Haha, cause I have a tall tank right? ;) I look forward to seeing your build for the fiddlers!

Thats a lot if silicone!

Took around 1.75 of the ?10oz? ones.

-Duffy

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