Exo terra 36x18x36 :)

[Heatheranne]

So, the question is....convert a cabinet...
Or purchase this exo terra 36x18x36?

What to do? What to do?

[HerpDerp]

Oh man this is tough! If I had more skill in building enclosures I would love to convert a beautiful cabinet like that. I would assume there would be a ton of work going into it. You would have to make the bottom water tight and you would probably have to seal off corners and such with silicone. And I'm not sure how much ventilation you would need but that might be a pain. But I say, if you're up to the work, go for it! You have tons of room to make a beautiful background and just an awesome set up. I think you would get tons of advice from people on here to make it just wonderful. Oh and one more thought, the wood enclosure would probably make it easier to hold in heat. Glass isn't a very good insulator. If you do decide to convert the cabinet I'm excited to see the progress!

[Benedicta]

Hi...
I am not sure about the quality of the Exoterra cabinets that you have there as we are from different regions.
But all i can say for the ones i get here...its not good
I bought one for my 2ft x 2ft tall Exoterra tank thinking that it will be great fitting.
To my dismay, the construction manual is not clearly drawn up.
I've installed Ikea cabinets and in comparison, i must say that the Exoterra one is only 50% helpful as you have to figure out the rest by your own.
The fitting of hinges are not good also...i had to make my own holes or the doors will not shut properly.
I finally managed to fix it up only to find that it is very wobbly...so i opted not to mount my tank on it fearing that it will give way.
I have tried to reinforce it with L joints...in fact i added like 8 additional joints to up the support...but it still swings.
Overall...i would say...try to look for a better option
I now use an office locker with roller to mount the tank on
Cheaper and stronger plus more mobility

[Meade Hamilton Lewis]

I would make the purchase of the exoterra 36-18-36. The problem with converting is there are chemicals in the wood that could potentially harm your amphibians. Also it probably would not hold humidity well and probably rot with high humidity. The idea of the conversion is wonderful, but may not be practical. The end costs of the cabinate conversion would also probably be more than the exoterra. These are just my thoughts.

[Heatheranne]

Oops! I forgot to mention that the exoterra is the glass reptile tank in the image above. It's a larger version of the 23x18x18....

[deranged chipmunk]

heather, could you post a few more pics of the cabinet? like a close up of the interior and a pic of the back? i would like to see what's back there. i am guessing though, that the back piece is constructed with something like 1/8" birch plywood, which would need to be replaced with at least 3/8" plywood. sealing, as we discussed, isn't really THAT big of a deal, just time consuming. don't worry about the wood rotting, if sealed properly, it won't be an issue. i truly believe the decision you need to make is, do you want a tank you can toss together quickly? or something that will be truly original and breath taking. of course, i'm the guy building a 125 gallon palu for 4 tiny frogs......LOL go big or go home!! seriously though, you know you can do the conversion if you set your mind to it. i have seen them done many times. it's just that the exo terra would be finished quicker. ultimately, the decision is yours

btw.....i did some research recently on wood viv construction, since i'm gonna build one for Red-Eyed Leaf Frog's as well. it's really not as god awful as you would think it is. any ?'s, pm me.

[Heatheranne]

Yes, I can take pics next week. Off to bed for work soon. I work 12 hrs shifts which are usually 14 hrs, both Saturday and Sunday. I'll take some pics next week. I think you may be right. My concern is what if it fails the waterproof test and I have to purchase the exo? I love the cabinet. It's be just under 160 gallons (us).

After watching that awesome paludrium video and reading through the post on that fish tank forum, I'm quite intrigued.
Much to ponder....

I'll post again next week.

Thanks!

[DartEd]

I know this is an older thread but I'm curious to know what the final verdict was. I really hope you went with the cabinet conversion. As Bill said, it would truly be an amazing showpiece. I want to live vicariously through you, since I do not have the skill take on something of that magnitude.

[Heatheranne]

Lol!

The big tank(s) are currently on hold while I make my dart tank. Waterproofing the inside of the cabinet is the biggest concern. I have the cabinet in storage and am still thinking about getting the Exo terra. I will likely do the Exo terra. This is mostly because my big bullfrog is growing quickly and would like a nice 110 gallon .

I'll have lots to do this spring and summer .