"Natural" Forest Floor Terrarium "Testing" Build!

Well im super excited to start this build.

It will be a "natural" planted Forest Floor 18" x 18" x 24" ExoTerra

* I will be utilizing a "forest floor" system from Selva..

* Since i would more than likely not be able to source any plants from the Gecko's ( still to be determined) bio-type, I'll be choosing a mix of plants suited to high humidity. I'll be trying to create some kind of levels in the flora. So some ground level plants (maybe some creeping/crawling/carpeting plants, some taller with sturdy branches to be utilized as climbing space for the Geckos, and a flowering plant of some sort).

*Substrate will be a light layer of organic soil and leaf litter (most likely Almond and bamboo leaves). I am also entertaining the thought of adding springtails and other beneficial micro-fauna to the substrate.

*A good amount of bamboo, i have a few ideas in the way of placement and décor to make it both useful for the animals and pleasing to the eye.

*I was going to scratch the idea of the background wall since there will be a lot in the way of bamboo for hiding/laying spaces. But after reading a few reports of the wall creating a sense of security, i am opting to use it and maybe plant on it!

*Lighting will be a dual canopy with a ReptiGlo 5.0 UVB on one side and a incandescent household bulb on the other (wattage to be determined based on placement of the basking spot). Also a 6500k grow bulb for the plants.

*MistKing system

This is the ExoTerra i'll be converting.


This is the concept of this project. Big thanks to Devin over at Selva for a great and solid product.

Well got my "Forest Floor" kit in the mail few days ago.


Started to play around with it.

This is pretty much the concept. This will be a limited substrate Forest Floor. Limited in the sence of it will only consist of a light layer of a ABG mix and organic soil and topped with a leaf litter. There will be no issue with drainage since the floor is elevated. All the plants will be potted and placed into the floor plate holes of various dimensions and hiden but the leaf litter creating the illusion of a natural forest floor.

First order of business was cleaing the ExoTerra , then fitting it with the kit. Went in really smooth and without issue.


The view of the bottom void that will later be painted or tinted over to hide it. (i will leave a section exposed to monitor whats going on under there.)

Thats pretty neat looking. The plants actually grow in the enclosure? Thats a new concept for me since all my plants grow in pots.

skittles1234 said:

Thats pretty neat looking. The plants actually grow in the enclosure? Thats a new concept for me since all my plants grow in pots.

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Thanks, and yes they will be part of the enclosure. (i'll be posting more pix soon and you'll understand whats going on.). This kit is more suited to the smaller Cham species, along with other smaller reptiles, frogs, inverts, etc.

I assume it can work with a larger set-up. But waste from a larger animal may become an issue. It may get lost in the litter and mold over.

This looks pretty interesting. How big is the biggest hole? It looks like you will be limited to pretty small plants with this.

Ideally you don't want to use a background with this kit, it's designed to be a center piece and can/should be viewed from all sides.

This will not work with what i'm doing here. I will be housing animals that would welcome the security of a background structure. So i'll be using my existing ExoTerra foam wall. I just measure from the kit to the top and cut to fit. So now the foam background sits above the floor.


Installed.

More pix of the void.

stepho said:

This looks pretty interesting. How big is the biggest hole? It looks like you will be limited to pretty small plants with this.

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The floor plan as far as holes matches the common potted nusery sizes.

There are 14 openings on this kit. I assume you can get the kit as a blank and custom cut your own holes to meet your needs. I don't intend on using large plants in this enclosure.

The holes i have are 2" (for small forground plants). 3" holes ( for mid height plants). And a 3.75" hole ( that i'll be using for a center piece plant/small tree).

You can use all the potting options , or just fill the pots with soil and no plant to make a "blank"..

The thing i like is that if a plant does not fit the way i'd hope, swapping it out is as easy as pulling the pot out and moving it.

This thing is awesome! What are you hosing in it? And post some more pics when it progresses further!

This is pretty cool Jon, what do you plan on housing in it? I may be interested in getting something like this.

I thought i'd seen it all!!!! but no, Yet another amazing cage mod.

Lala0 said:

This thing is awesome! What are you hosing in it? And post some more pics when it progresses further!

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Thanks. Rite now i'm playing the waiting game! Leaf Litter is "out of stock" allll over!! I have a nice plant selection coming in from BlackJungle mid next week, then it will all move pretty fast.

*Ficus Pumila
*C.venosum
*Cryptanthus
*Ludisia alba
*C.metallica ( which i already haev and will post pix soon ) This is a dwarf Palm.

marco said:

This is pretty cool Jon, what do you plan on housing in it? I may be interested in getting something like this.

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I don't want to count my eggs b4 they hatch. When they arrive i'll post!!

Consider it a suprise.

most recent progress..

This is a dwarf Palm plant. C.metallica
It's 8" tall and planted in a 3" pot. I will be doing some moving around once the other plants and materials come in.


Potting media

All done and planced.


Top view of the footprint of the plate.

Now to get a bit more techinical.

The issue with drainage will go a little like this.

Most of the moisture would come in the way of mistings. (which will be done 3 times a day for 30 seconds each via a MistKing). Most of that water will be caught by the plants and the leaf litter then evaporate and add to the humidity of the enclosure. I do plan to manually water each plant at their base weekly, so the roots are seeing water. Whatever excess water from that will collect in the under-floor void and eventually also evaporate over time leading into the next watering.

I have a back-up plan incase it retains water. I am running a tube (provided with the kit) through the floor that is ran outside and connected to a fishtank airpump to pump fresh air into the void and aerate the tank as a whole. This will double as a drain tube to syphon water out of the void when dissconnected to the air pump.

JonRich said:

Thanks. Rite now i'm playing the waiting game! Leaf Litter is "out of stock" allll over!! I have a nice plant selection coming in from BlackJungle mid next week, then it will all move pretty fast.

*Ficus Pumila
*C.venosum
*Cryptanthus
*Ludisia alba
*C.metallica ( which i already haev and will post pix soon ) This is a dwarf Palm.



I don't want to count my eggs b4 they hatch. When they arrive i'll post!!

Consider it a suprise.

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Haha alright...well I can't wait to see, its gonna b pretty sweet!

marco said:

Haha alright...well I can't wait to see, its gonna b pretty sweet!

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lol. This will house Geckos tho. But i'm seeing a few possible escape issues with the ExoTerra, i will solve it with tape for now .

Eventually i will do another build with a more secure enclosure and swap the Geckos into that one and use this to house a group of Pygmy Chams, or maybe a Brady once people start breeding :cough: :couch: ShowJet, Laurie, Chuck G,Olimpia and other lol.

Wow!!! What is that you are building a palace? I should send all of mine. You would give them a wonderful home. You are doing a fantastic job. I am amazed. But you should add a small orchid, I have them in one of my terrarium, they really add eye appeal. How soon are you telling us what is going to live there? Can't wait to see it all set up.

JonRich said:

Thanks. Rite now i'm playing the waiting game! Leaf Litter is "out of stock" allll over!! I have a nice plant selection coming in from BlackJungle mid next week, then it will all move pretty fast.

*Ficus Pumila
*C.venosum
*Cryptanthus
*Ludisia alba (Jewel Orchid)
*C.metallica ( which i already haev and will post pix soon ) This is a dwarf Palm.



I don't want to count my eggs b4 they hatch. When they arrive i'll post!!

Consider it a suprise.

Click to expand...

laurie said:

Wow!!! What is that you are building a palace? I should send all of mine. You would give them a wonderful home. You are doing a fantastic job. I am amazed. But you should add a small orchid, I have them in one of my terrarium, they really add eye appeal. How soon are you telling us what is going to live there? Can't wait to see it all set up.

Click to expand...

Im on the Orchid train Laurie. . I have a Jewel Orchid on the way, and i'm looking into a few more for the wall. ( considering Schoenorchis fragrans, but can't find any avaliable rite now)

And i'm holding off to reveal whats going in till it's complete. Should have everything done by this time next week. The holiday weekend slowed down the shipment.

Ok I guess I missed the orchid. I love them and I guess I expect every one else to love them too.
So the drainage, will you have a hole drilled into the bottom of you exoterra? What you are doing just looks and sounds so cool.

man, you're always taking things to the max! LOL! looks great and good luck!