Bioactive Crested Gecko Vivarium Upgrade | STEP BY STEP BUILD

I built this beautiful bioactive enclosure for my adult crested gecko! Enjoy the video!
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[@geneticmonster82]

Total badass for doing it on carpet

[@amphibiousking9938]

😂

[@GoodWillPrevail]

Well done, nephew! The enclosure looks beautiful. She is going to love her new space.

[@LukeMcGuireoides]

Excellent video, brilliant tutorial. Great content, well done. That enclosure is gonna look even more amazing when the plants grow in. The gecko is gone a love it.

[@amphibiousking9938]

Thank you so much! This video was a lot of work so I am glad you enjoyed it. I can’t wait to see my gecko exploring the new setup with live plants!

[@MGclipsforu]

I would recommend doing the silicone and the expanding foam outside because it smells deadly!! 😮 3:33 4:42

[@amphibiousking9938]

I wanted to get good lighting inside 😅 I probably should have done it outside though.

[@MGclipsforu]

Yeah

[@LukeMcGuireoides]

Ever Evolving Exotics is an awesome channel. I love how he puts the substrate right into the wet foam instead of carving and using silicone. I'll have to check back with you in about a year to see how this method holds up. I've always wondered about it. It's so simple and intuitive, yet I've always been skeptical because I've never seen anyone else use it, until now.

[@amphibiousking9938]

Yeah it seemed pretty easy to do so I just gave it a shot. Hopefully it holds up!

[@betsybutler4007]

Loved the video! Hoping to build one of my own in the future- definitely subbing for more cool content :)

[@amphibiousking9938]

Thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the video👍

[@mev273]

I was looking for a detailed video of the back ground technique! Extremely informative, going to set up my jumping spider enclosure in a week or so.

[@maggieedwards9535]

This makes me so excited to get my own gecko! I have plans to get a gargoyle gecko this fall and I’m SO super excited!!!

[@amphibiousking9938]

Yeah they are a lot of fun!

[@hsynkurt03]

👌👌👌

[@Allendavid79]

Great step by step guide, very well done

[@amphibiousking9938]

Thanks!

[@Gman_Rl]

Keep it up Nice work, cant wait until you hit 500 subs!

[@mightymashak]

Thank you for the video! You did great job on setting everything up, very impressed! It's amazing, super detailed and cool. Would love to see short update a month from now!

[@amphibiousking9938]

Thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the video!

[@Dna_Geckos]

Good video, keep it up

[@amphibiousking9938]

Thanks so much!

[@ColinPretorius236]

Nice job man

[@amphibiousking9938]

Thanks!

[@oliviaduran4251]

Reminds me of serpa design 😊good job

[@amphibiousking9938]

Thanks! I love his channel and he is a huge inspiration for me!

[@jamisonweaver3711]

Great video. Really cool setup.

[@amphibiousking9938]

Thanks so much!

[@SkyeFerry]

I love List show

[@Inverts4Introverts]

Lol who told you that mask was going to help with fumes? That my friend is a hospital mask. For future builds, you'll wanna get an N95 resporator or better. You can get really nice ones that have replacement filters for differant uses.

[@amphibiousking9938]

Ok thanks for the info! I be sure to find an N95 next time!

[@_revivify_7175]

Just subscribed! I own a crested gecko I’m thinking of redoing his tank and gluing on my background, right now I have a flat board of cork bark against one side wall sitting flush by using other wood to push it against the glass as well as the substrate. I want to be able to have plants growing on the walls.

[@amphibiousking9938]

Thanks for subbing! I hope your gecko tank turns out good!

[@malelpn37]

For future reference when you are working on a tank like that, make sure that you brace the doors because one wrong lean and you can not only break them but shatter the tank. Don’t ask me how I’ve learned this!!! any sort of miracle. Gro is highly discouraged and using any types of fertilizer because you do not know what is going to be safe for your gecko. If you want to add fertilizer, use worm, castings, or naturally nutrient, rich soil.

[@richardsanchez5444]

I was really debating on whether to do the sides as well but i think it would look too crowded. I'm definitely just the back and filling up the sides with plants, branches and cork flats.

[@MGclipsforu]

Same

[@cookiemooo]

What is the normal temperature inside your home? I ask because you hadn't added a heater, and I'm unsure if I need to have one for my future gecko. Hope you see this and answer! Thank you for such a wonderful video.

[@amphibiousking9938]

The average temperature of my house is usually between 70-73 degrees F. Crested geckos do not need heat lamps and can be kept at room temperature as long as it doesn’t get too hot or too cold. Temperatures above 80 degrees F are fatal for crested geckos. Hope this helps😊

[@cookiemooo]

@@amphibiousking9938 Oh okay, thank you! Yes, it helps quite a bit.

[@richardsanchez5444]

How many bags of hydro balls did you use? I found some 2.5 lb bags on Amazon and have two in my cart but wondering if i need more for a solid 2 inch layer. I have the same sized enclosure.

[@amphibiousking9938]

I used around 1 and a half bags. The bags that I got are 10 liters. I got them from Ace Hardware and they aren’t too expensive. So, I would suggest getting a couple bags to get a good depth for your false bottom layer.

[@richardsanchez5444]

@@amphibiousking9938 sounds good thanks

[@KambreHuddleston]

How many cans of Great Stuff and tubes of silicon did you end up using? How much would you recommend in order to create a similar background with the Thrive brand 20 gallon hexagonal terrarium? Thanks!

[@amphibiousking9938]

For this project I only needed one tube of silicone and one can of foam. Even then, I didn’t end up using all of the silicone or foam. Hope this helps!

[@KambreHuddleston]

Excellent, thanks!

[@richardsanchez5444]

What brand enclosure is that? Hey also have you thought of maybe (and I'm not sure if its safe I just thought of this) getting soray adhesive on top if the foam to make the moss stick better? Just a thought i had. Oh and ive heard those timers are a bit unreliable.

[@amphibiousking9938]

It is an exo terra enclosure. I’m not sure about another adhesive, I will have to do some more researching since this was my first time making my own background. Also, the automatic timers that I use have been pretty reliable for me. I use them for all of my setups!

[@richardsanchez5444]

@@amphibiousking9938 gotcha. I'm looking at getting that exact one. Start with a juvenile gecko then upgrade to their new skyscraper model when it becomes an adult. That way I can take what I learned from the first one I make and apply it to the new one.

[@amphibiousking9938]

Awesome that sounds like a good plan!

[@richardsanchez5444]

How many cans of that great stuff did you use? I'm getting a 18x18x24. Planning on doing the same thing to did with the foam n wood n substrate.

[@amphibiousking9938]

@@richardsanchez5444 I only needed one can, but I didn’t even use all of it.

[@Allendavid79]

Do you find yourself having to add more cleanup crew or do they reproduce enough that it is not necessary.

[@amphibiousking9938]

Yeah, I might have to add more isopods soon. I haven’t really seen them around too much. But they might just be deep in the substrate.

[@Allendavid79]

@@amphibiousking9938 how often do you have to add more cleanup crew and leaves?

[@amphibiousking9938]

@Allendavid79 If the clean up crew is reproducing then you probably don’t need to add any more. But if the leaves look low then more can be added. For me, I haven’t added any new cleanup crew besides some extra springtails.

[@Allendavid79]

@@amphibiousking9938 thank you, you are awesome

[@richardsanchez5444]

I've heard people use reptisafe water conditioner. Is that something you need of you're using tap water? What if I use filtered water?

[@amphibiousking9938]

That’s what I use. You do need a water conditioner for tap water. I use filtered water but still use a water conditioner just in case. It may be unnecessary though, but I like to be safe.

[@richardsanchez5444]

@@amphibiousking9938 hey the material you used for the backdrop, does that have to be slightly wet or does it have to be all dry. I bought the compressed eco earth bricks so it's kind of hard n dry. Should I moisten it when I mix it with the sphagnum moss when I put it on the foam?

[@amphibiousking9938]

@@richardsanchez5444 It has to be completely dry in order for it to stick into the foam. Also I would suggest checking out @Ever Evolving Exotics since I took inspiration from his background method.

[@richardsanchez5444]

@@amphibiousking9938 I figured it had to be that's what it looked like it your video. I had to break up the bricks to resemble what you had. Took a while but I got it. I think i might have used a bit too much silicone so I have to wait more for it to completely dry, but I think I should be able to finish today and work on the drainage layer, substrate, plants and cleanup crew Saturday. You video and ever evolving exotics helped a lot thanks

[@amphibiousking9938]

@richardsanchez5444 Good luck on your setup! I hope it turns out great and I’m glad I could help out!

[@Inverts4Introverts]

Also, the miracle grow was 100000% Unnecessary.

[@amphibiousking9938]

Yeah you are probably right😅

[@Dna_Geckos]

Avoid miracle grow it will always contain chemicals that could be harmful to your animals

[@vintagehiker]

unacceptable you are giving out bad information buddy

[@Inverts4Introverts]

If you're wanting to add nutes to the soil, you can use something like worm castings, or the exoterra substatum. Both work well and are completely animal safe.

[@JediOrder17]

How do you afford this what job do you have i wish i could afford this lol 🤣

[@amphibiousking9938]

Lots of saving! I work a part time retail job. Trust me, keeping pets can get expensive 😅