Turning a glass tank vertical?

Been researching a lot about cresteds lately since I have a tank that is empty and I'm looking for some more scaly company. It seems like cresteds are the direction I want to head in.

The tank I have is just a regular fish tank (all glass sides, open top - I have a screen top for it though) so I was going to turn it vertical because cresteds are arboreal so I want him/her to be able to climb all over!

So, I was just wondering if anyone has a DIY or a quick explanation of how to get a tank functioning well on it's side (standing vertically). I mostly just don't know what I would use for the front (originally the top) which would be easy to open and close for feeding, misting, etc.

I tried to google it, but to no avail.

If you did this for your reptiles, pics would be very appreciated :]

I do not have a pic on me but I have a 10g that was set up this way for some small treefrogs. I'll pop a couple pic tonight and post them tomorrow

The quick and dirty way (3 days set up time, mostly waiting on glue to cure):

-Get a pane of glass cut to 3" shorter than the length, then cut this in half.

-Silicone the lower one into place (I run a bead inside and then go back over the outside seam) and let dry before next step

-Along the inward facing side of the second pane along the edge that will meet up with the affixed pane, run a length of masking tape. Place the loose pane on top of the affixed pane and tape together (basically you are creating a hinge with the tape.)

-Fold the loose pane up so it is now resting in the recess.

-Run lengths of masking tape 1/2" above and below the seam where the two panes meet (if your masking tape from the above step is on the outside you messed up, flip the loose pane over

-Place a nickle on each end of both pieces of tape.

-Run a very generous bead of silicon over the seam. And I do mean generous, you are going to want enough to cover the entire 1" section of exposed glass between the tape strips.)

-Wrap a heavy book/board/flat something in foil

-Smear a strip of vasaline on the foil.

-Set your wrapped flat something down so that the nickles act as spacers keeping it above the glass. You want to "flatten" the silicon bead

-Let dry with flat somthing in place

-Remove flat something (the vasiline should make this easy.

-Remove maskin tape from outside.

-You should now have a silicon hinge.

-Fold loose pane back and remove tape from inside.

-For the 3" gap you have at the top, use screen frame and screen to make a little screen window (I can talk you through that too if you need.)

-Silicone screen into place.

-Mount a pair of swivle locks on the screen frame, these will lock the loose pane in position.

-Silicone a knob on the top of the loose pane.

-Right tank and set up for inhabitants.


For a bit more involved method you can mount sliding track. I can talk you through that too if you want.

Cheers

Or, you can just use a screen lid and use the clips that you can get for them and put one on each side of the lid to hold it in place. It is more of a pain to open and close but it is easy and it works. That said, if I was going to use a vertical aquarium for a permanent or long term enclosure I would go for something hinged for quicker and easier access like what is described above. :)

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a11...altenfront.jpg

Richard's tank is basically what I described. Only he cheated by using real hinges :P

That looks nice! Seems like cresteds would need a bit more ventilation though, so I would use larger vents or more of them. You need to mist but it still needs to dry out in between mistings so a bit more airflow is going to be necessary.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mlededee

That looks nice! Seems like cresteds would need a bit more ventilation though, so I would use larger vents or more of them. You need to mist but it still needs to dry out in between mistings so a bit more airflow is going to be necessary.

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Or you could do the little screen I spoke of in place of a pane with vents mounted.

I made a screen lid with 2" wide birch planks, door screen and a staple gun with shallow staples. I set it in the lip of the tank and use those giant black paper clips to hold it on. I used hinges as well so that i wouldn't have to take the whole thing off to open it. I have made 6 lids now and this one by far works best and was the easiest to build.

I'll grab some pics later if I remember. There are definately more than a few ways you could do it, get creative.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a11...rborealten.jpg

I've seen this one before...
http://www.vivariumforum.com/communi...-log-pics.html