Vote for BP.Net for the 2013 Forum of the Year! Click here for more info.

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 1,383

0 members and 1,383 guests
No Members online
Most users ever online was 6,337, 01-24-2020 at 04:30 AM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,093
Threads: 248,532
Posts: 2,568,688
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, Amethyst42
Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    12-06-2017
    Posts
    193
    Thanks
    109
    Thanked 181 Times in 84 Posts

    Custom lid for aquarium enclosure

    Out of pure convienence and looks we r going to buy the large wide Exo Terra for our bp after Christmas. I kno humidity and heat can be a disaster in a large aquarium. Butttttt I have a plan, I知 going to build a custom lid out of lexan with hinges a drop cage for some heating lights locks and some holes for a mister system. I was just curious if anyone else has ever done anything like that. It seems like I could do all that quite cost effectively as well. Would love some ideas and tips if anyone has any

  2. #2
    BPnet Veteran MD_Pythons's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-02-2017
    Location
    Silver Spring, MD
    Posts
    552
    Thanks
    441
    Thanked 340 Times in 205 Posts

    Re: Custom lid for aquarium enclosure

    Why not just get a PVC with an RHP and save yourself the trouble?

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    12-06-2017
    Posts
    193
    Thanks
    109
    Thanked 181 Times in 84 Posts

    Re: Custom lid for aquarium enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by MD_Pythons View Post
    Why not just get a PVC with an RHP and save yourself the trouble?
    You kno I知 not 100% sure why I don稚 I liked the ap cages but am not interested in a huge wait time. I like the boamasters econo cage but have heard countless horrible things about their customer service . Maybe I知 just making excuses because I知 a little intimidated by a pvc and rhp and all these new gadgets that go with that type of enclosure

  4. #4
    BPnet Veteran MD_Pythons's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-02-2017
    Location
    Silver Spring, MD
    Posts
    552
    Thanks
    441
    Thanked 340 Times in 205 Posts

    Re: Custom lid for aquarium enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by DandD View Post
    You kno I知 not 100% sure why I don稚 I liked the ap cages but am not interested in a huge wait time. I like the boamasters econo cage but have heard countless horrible things about their customer service . Maybe I知 just making excuses because I知 a little intimidated by a pvc and rhp and all these new gadgets that go with that type of enclosure
    You could get some sheets of plexiglass cut at a hardware store to fit unto the lid. That'll help with humidity. How are you planning to heat it? I'm going to try a radiant heat panel for mine.

  5. #5
    BPnet Veteran
    Join Date
    09-28-2016
    Posts
    318
    Thanks
    16
    Thanked 234 Times in 152 Posts

    Re: Custom lid for aquarium enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by DandD View Post
    Out of pure convienence and looks we r going to buy the large wide Exo Terra for our bp after Christmas. I kno humidity and heat can be a disaster in a large aquarium. Butttttt I have a plan, I知 going to build a custom lid out of lexan with hinges a drop cage for some heating lights locks and some holes for a mister system. I was just curious if anyone else has ever done anything like that. It seems like I could do all that quite cost effectively as well. Would love some ideas and tips if anyone has any
    I have more or less done this, but not with ball pythons. I have geckos and frogs in exo-terras with custom, plastic lids. The exo-terra lids are kind of garbage in my opinion. The only additional issue with a ball python may be that you'll nee additional lid security as a ball python is much stronger animal. However, the locks that come on the cage are pretty good if you size the lid right.

    What I did was get a 3/8" piece of polyethylene (black plastic) and have it cut to size with notches for the cable holes in the back and the two raised areas in the front. 3/8" is about the thickness you want for the cages existing clips to be useful. I then cut a ~ 7" x 22" hole for the addition of stainless mesh (this assumes a 24" x 18" x 24" exo-terra) and siliconed it in place. You will likely have to screw yours down or bolt it into place given a ball pythons strength. I then attached a RHP (10" x 11") in the back with a thermostat probe dangling next to it.

    This setup allowed for the use of an LED light and heating element, your needs may vary. I will note that I think plastic enclosures such as AP or constrictors NW are superior setups for pretty much any snake species. The exo-terras are really just nice for cages where you want a very aesthetic, planted enclosure. They strike me as ideal for dart frogs and arboreal geckos.

  6. #6
    BPnet Veteran SDA's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-25-2017
    Location
    West Tennessee
    Posts
    1,559
    Thanks
    220
    Thanked 1,478 Times in 824 Posts
    You do know those exo terras are more expensive than a PVC cage right? I would just go the right direction and get a pvc enclosure. Unless you live in a very specific part of the country, glass enclosures are always a pain to keep dialed in, especially in winter.
    1.0 ♂ 2010 Spider BP 'Dante'
    1.0 ♂ 2017 Bay of LA Rosy Boa 'Queso'
    0.0.1 2017 Aru GTP 'Ganja'
    1.0 ♂ Blue Tick Coonhound 'Blue'

    1.0 ♂ 2018 Basset Hound 'Cooper'

  7. #7
    BPnet Veteran Aerries's Avatar
    Join Date
    02-16-2017
    Location
    Kissimmee Fl
    Posts
    951
    Thanks
    343
    Thanked 948 Times in 460 Posts
    Images: 16

    Re: Custom lid for aquarium enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by SDA View Post
    You do know those exo terras are more expensive than a PVC cage right? I would just go the right direction and get a pvc enclosure. Unless you live in a very specific part of the country, glass enclosures are always a pain to keep dialed in, especially in winter.
    Yea like living in central Florida 🤣🤣


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Registered User
    Join Date
    12-06-2017
    Posts
    193
    Thanks
    109
    Thanked 181 Times in 84 Posts

    Re: Custom lid for aquarium enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by Aerries View Post
    Yea like living in central Florida 🤣🤣


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    Lol didn稚 we just have a quick convo about this. Your chilling in Florida while I知 shoveling snow in pa. Anyways yes I have just came to the conclusion the best thing is to just get a t8 from ap. I値l get the flex watt and a rhp ordered. All the fancy lights I can do myself. Thanks for all the input though

  9. #9
    BPnet Veteran Aerries's Avatar
    Join Date
    02-16-2017
    Location
    Kissimmee Fl
    Posts
    951
    Thanks
    343
    Thanked 948 Times in 460 Posts
    Images: 16

    Re: Custom lid for aquarium enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by DandD View Post
    Lol didn稚 we just have a quick convo about this. Your chilling in Florida while I知 shoveling snow in pa. Anyways yes I have just came to the conclusion the best thing is to just get a t8 from ap. I値l get the flex watt and a rhp ordered. All the fancy lights I can do myself. Thanks for all the input though
    Lol yea yea yea, gross snow


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v4.2.1