Reptile & Amphibian Forums

after giving the "building a terrarium"idea some thought,im thinking all i really want/need is a large cube,all glass,with no plastic or wood frame*that obstructs view).so basically a fish tank,with the plastic molding on the bottom and sides removed,would be fine.the only problem is,id love to have access through the front to maintain the enclosure and animals with ease.im thinking a sliding glass front,or at the very least,hinged.after pricing the sized tank i am looking for(around 50-80 gallon tall)sliding glass open front terrariums of this size are a bit expensive.i live near a huge outdoor flea market that,every weekend,i see at least 6 or 7 used aquariums of this size for sale,and im sure i could pick up one of these for 15-20 dollars.do you guys think there is an easy way to convert these to an open front style?im assumiing all i need to do is remove the silicon and pop out one side,install tracks and thats it.but how does one remove the silicon? am i missing something here?would it be easier to just build the glass cube from scratch?like i said,i want a glass cube.thats it.i want to use as little as possible thats not glass.

When I have removed portions of glass tanks I used an exacto knife and cut the sylicone bead off. Then ran the blad between the pains. Its harder then it sounds. Most people usually just break the glass out which is quicker and easier but a little less safe due to the broken glass everywhere.
-----
Randall L Turner Jr.
www.aircapitalconstrictors.com

Also. If you want to make a bow front I have a suggestion. Make the base and top out of 1/2" wood and cut the front of each piece to the bow shape you want. Then run a router groove along the edge and inset 1/8" plexi. It is flimsy enough to shape and would work easily. You would want to go with a different design if you are strongly wanting an opening front though.
-----
Randall L Turner Jr.
www.aircapitalconstrictors.com

thanks for the help randy but iv decided against the bowed front.id have to use plexiglass and im afraid of it getting scratched/stained from the terrarium.so i am going to just create a cube of glass type.id love to buy a cheap large tank as i mentioned,remove the front glass,add tracks and presto,a siding front terrarium.sounds good but i already see one problem.the front will no longer be water tight and it must because i intend on a shallow pond as one of the features.so id have to not only remove the front pannel,but first reinstall and silicon seal a 4" pannel of glass running along the bottom before i then install the tracks for the sliding door.i dont see how i will be able to install the tracks on the thin strip of glass that i just installed along the bottom.i actually dont even need sliding glass.just a way to remove the front so i can work/mantain my display would be ok.dont even need hinges,i could just place the glass aside when working but have no idea how to secure it when not.actually no track or hinge idea may be nicer,less harware to obstruct vision.any ideas i would really appreciate because i just found a nice tall tank(unsure of gallons,but figure around 60)and if this is doable,id like to snatch it up before its too late.tall tanks of good size are hard to find.also ,another question.if i decide this is too much work,and just buy the glass and build the cube from scratch,what thickness glass can i use? all the aquarium building sites reccomend semi thick glass due to the weight of 60 gallons of water.since i am not going to have this filled with water,at the very most 2-3 inches at the bottom,can i use much thinner glass?i assume the thinner ,the better as far as viewing and clarity goes,and also weight and cost.so id like to know exactly how thin id be able to go.any advice id also appreciate.

>>id love to buy a cheap large tank as i mentioned,remove the front glass,add tracks and presto,a siding front terrarium.sounds good but i already see one problem.the front will no longer be water tight and it must because i intend on a shallow pond as one of the features.

A few comments on the above. It sounds like you want to make a strong aesthetic impact with this cage - you want it to look great. A pond in the front is a great way to do that.

In this case you might consider giving up the door and going to top access. Having a door in the front, even a fairly inconspicuous sliding door still detract from the visual impact you seem to be striving for.

On the other hand, don't feel like you need to choose between the sliding door and the front pond. I believe it would be reasonably easy to add a glass lip that the sliding door would rest on and still have a water tight 3" to 4" area at the front of the cage. It will be a bit of a compromise between looks and function, only you can decide if that's acceptable.

>>so id have to not only remove the front pannel,but first reinstall and silicon seal a 4" pannel of glass running along the bottom before i then install the tracks for the sliding door.i dont see how i will be able to install the tracks on the thin strip of glass that i just installed along the bottom.

That is an issue. Spend a bit and use 1/2" glass for the 4" lip and then silicone 1/2" glass track to the top. Problem solved.

>>i actually dont even need sliding glass.just a way to remove the front so i can work/mantain my display would be ok.dont even need hinges,i could just place the glass aside when working but have no idea how to secure it when not.actually no track or hinge idea may be nicer,less harware to obstruct vision.any ideas

Actually, you can still use a track, just a single one. The glass will rest in the track just like in a bypass door, but your lift it out just as you would with a regular sliding door. This is actually not a bad idea and one that will be easy to fabricate.

>>if i decide this is too much work,and just buy the glass and build the cube from scratch,what thickness glass can i use?

I believe you could get away with 1/8", double-strength glass for something like this.

I have no idea on the cost.
-----
Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

2.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

4.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)