Diary of my first reptile-related DIY project

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Thanks, Gruni. Weird that you couldn't order the shelf. I ordered mine from the US, along with a skull hide I couldn't find for sale in Australia, and no one complained. It was some time ago, so maybe they changed their minds.

One other nice thing about the grippy pads is that they've stopped the stand from rocking. I've put the aquarium up on the stand. All I need is the hasps I ordered from the US. I have spent too much time and money on this project and it probably would have been cheaper to buy an enclosure outright. Still, I've learned a lot.

Some pictures of the converted aquarium that I've already posted in another thread, but I put them here again just to keep everything in one place:

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Another update on this slow but now nearly finished project. The finished aquarium is on the stand. After a few months, the soft grippy things I stuck to the bottom of the legs have actually migrated out from under the stand. They didn't work as well as I'd hoped.

I have installed hasps to keep the lid shut. They were stainless steel and therefore silver, a colour I didn't want. I painted them with black nail polish. I don't know how long it will last, but it looks the way I want it for now.

I've installed the thermometer/hygrometer and made a heat tile. One of the tile photos shows the heat cord being siliconed underneath a tile. I then siliconed another tile over the bottom to create a heat cord sandwich. The second photo shows me testing the new heat tile. The thermostat is a Habistat Mat-Stat from the Herp Shop. The Blu-tack has since been replaced with silicone, which seems to hold the probe in place quite well.

The silicone in all cases is Selley's wet area speed seal. It's heat resistant to something like 150 degrees according to the material data safety sheet.
 

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Another update on this slow but nearly finished project. The finished aquarium sits on the stand:

View attachment 293215

After a few months, the soft grippy things I stuck to the bottom of the legs have actually migrated out from under the stand. They didn't work as well as I'd hoped.

I have installed hasps to keep the lid shut. They were stainless steel and therefore silver, a colour I didn't want. I painted them with black nail polish. I don't know how long it will last, but it looks the way I want it for now.
View attachment 293214 View attachment 293213

The thermometer/hygrometer:

View attachment 293211

Siliconing heat cord underneath a tile:

View attachment 293212

I then siliconed another tile over the bottom to create a heat cord sandwich. Here, I am testing the new heat tile. The thermostat is a Habistat Mat-Stat from the Herp Shop. The Blu-tack in this picture has since been replaced with silicone, which seems to hold the probe in place quite well.

View attachment 293225

The silicone in all cases is Selley's wet area speed seal. It's heat resistant to something like 150 degrees according to the material data safety sheet.


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They've changed the way you upload photos since I last posted. :-( Should be fixed now.
 
Done! Furniture placement is not set in stone. For example, I'll see how the snake goes with that ledge. If she doesn't use it or it looks like she might fall from it, I'll take it out. I have a water bowl of a similar colour that I will put in there instead.

So far Zephyr has spent a lot of time coiled up in a corner. She will occasionally put parts of herself in contact with the heat tile. I expect she will move more when the weather begins to heat up. Naturally, she has not used her skull hide at all.

DSC_0301.jpgDSC_0300.jpgDSC_0299.jpgDSC_0295.jpgDSC_0293.jpg
 
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