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 CosmicFool
Psychoholic
Registered: 08/07/10
Posts: 1,634
Loc: 203 
Last seen: 2 years, 30 days
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 Vivarium Help 
#496046 - 11/07/10 05:37 PM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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I'm starting on a vivarium as a winter project and am hoping to get some poison dart frogs in the spring to do thangs with
I found this fountain on eBay and thought it would make a perfect water feature but it was priced a bit high.
So I went searching in the woods and found the perfect log to turn into a fountain.
My question is:
Does anyone know if putting a few coats of wood sealer to prevent further roting would be harmful to the frogs
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kyuzo
Stranger Than Fiction
Registered: 07/05/10
Posts: 981
Last seen: 11 years, 3 months
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Re: Vivarium Help [Re: CosmicFool]
#496185 - 11/08/10 01:47 AM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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I would use a marine epoxy (west systems works well), but it's going to leave a nice artificial glare on the log. But even then, you'll only be slowing the decomposition process, not stopping it. And it's going to be nearly impossible to replace, or remove, the log with out doing some major work to the system (not as much of an issue without the water feature), so it might be better to track down a nice piece of cork or Mopani (sp)
Also, in the future, consider that you're building a totally enclosed system, that is extremely moist, and housing animals that are susceptible to chemical poisoning, through absorption through the skin, and partially feeding via the available micro fauna. So even products that would normally be considered safe for use in a home can be extremely problematic
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CosmicFool
Psychoholic
Registered: 08/07/10
Posts: 1,634
Loc: 203
Last seen: 2 years, 30 days
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Re: Vivarium Help [Re: kyuzo]
#496435 - 11/08/10 05:57 PM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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so you think the sealer would be harmful 
I know it's impossible to stop the decay completely but I thought a couple of good coats of sealer would keep enough moisture and air out of the actual wood to make it reasonably impervious to the elements
i might be able to make a plaster cast of the log that I can fill with great stuff foam insulation or clay but then I'd have to introduce concrete and paint, not to mention the amount of additional work.
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 CrayolaHalls
Dreams of Oceans
Registered: 08/15/10
Posts: 588
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Re: Vivarium Help [Re: CosmicFool]
#496442 - 11/08/10 06:11 PM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
CosmicFool said:
I'm starting on a vivarium as a winter project and am hoping to get some poison dart frogs in the spring to do thangs with
I found this fountain on eBay and thought it would make a perfect water feature but it was priced a bit high.
So I went searching in the woods and found the perfect log to turn into a fountain.
My question is:
Does anyone know if putting a few coats of wood sealer to prevent further roting would be harmful to the frogs
I have raised and bred several different animals, including dart frogs. I highly suggest not using any sealers due to their toxicity. If you use it bare, you are going to introduce all sorts of pathogens to your vivarium that can kill dart frogs. Soak your branches in bleach water for 2 days or so to kill most of the nastikes. Even that will not guarantee safety to the frogs, since the oils in some woods will kill amphibians.
Your safest bet is to use cork-bark if you want something that is both safe and resistant to rot. You can get it all over the internet. kingsnake.com is a good place to start for vendors. I always got mine at the shows I sold frogs and geckos at. That way I could hand pick it and it was much cheaper than pet stores.
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I am not a cannabis grower. I find the cannabis growers to be the most open to experimenting and sharing out of all of the different botany groups I enjoy. I frequently use the suggestions that I find to apply to own organic gardening and food production.
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