I'm still new around this forum so I'm not familiar with the cages you have done in the past. Sounds like you're doing it right though. Are you putting a filter on the pond? I grew tired of draining, cleaning and refilling water dishes every day so we attached a sump system to each cage. It allows us to keep things a bit cleaner and also allows the addition of a heater without worrying about the lizards breaking it and hurting themselves.
As for temperament, of the indicus-type I've seen more tolerant V. melinus than most the others. My V. yuwonoi will charge at me and chase me from their cages. The V. melinus I've seen aren't quite the same. In a proper set up they may be shy at first but even my defensive adults will now bask when I'm around. They just stand up and hiss a bit when I'm too close.
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