Going bioactive

[ChamLover04]

So I’m 100% sure about going bioactive because it is the best option for my chameleon. I’ve drawn some sketches of how everything will look like. There will be a slight slope to the drainage holes on the bottom of the box also. The plants I have for now are 2 schefflera arboricola and 1 golden pothos. Looking to get some more colorful ones also (like bromeliads). Should I get another pothos maybe? I’ll put in about 6 long bamboo sticks, 2 long and flexible branches and there are lots of branches coming out of the background also. Should I be using regular potting soil or is there something specific? How many springtails do I need approximately and how do I feed them? I’ve got a misting system ready aswell as the fogger and the drainage system is in the sketches. Only one side of the cage will be covered, the background one. I’d appreciate any feedback or any suggestions.

 

[cyberlocc]

So ideally, you want to have a different cage for your Cham while you set this one up.

A brand new bio is going to "Cycle", where it's going to get alot of mold and bacteria, and then deal with that. There is going to be lots of changes and life popping and dying for the first 2 weeks, to a month.


Springtails, will eat mold and leaf litter. You can just pick up a culture from Josh's frogs, or wherever, and use like 1/2 to 1/3, and rebuild the remaining culture as a backup.

Isopods, get as many as you can. It will work with 10-20, they will breed, but it might take awhile to get established well. If you have some time, order Isopods now, and breed them in a smaller container so you have more when it's time to seed your bioactive.

Soil, you can use like an AGB Mix (buying stuff yourself) or a premixed ABG. If you want to do a few cages or have left over soil, I like "Sunshine Mix #4" you can get it at Home Depot for like 25 bucks, for a huge bag. I hear alot of good things about Foxfarms "Ocean Forest" as well, but it's pretty expensive, well about the same, as Sunshine, but a much smaller bag.

 

[ChamLover04]

So ideally, you want to have a different cage for your Cham while you set this one up.

A brand new bio is going to "Cycle", where it's going to get alot of mold and bacteria, and then deal with that. There is going to be lots of changes and life popping and dying for the first 2 weeks, to a month.


Springtails, will eat mold and leaf litter. You can just pick up a culture from Josh's frogs, or wherever, and use like 1/2 to 1/3, and rebuild the remaining culture as a backup.

Isopods, get as many as you can. It will work with 10-20, they will breed, but it might take awhile to get established well. If you have some time, order Isopods now, and breed them in a smaller container so you have more when it's time to seed your bioactive.

Soil, you can use like an AGB Mix (buying stuff yourself) or a premixed ABG. If you want to do a few cages or have left over soil, I like "Sunshine Mix #4" you can get it at Home Depot for like 25 bucks, for a huge bag. I hear alot of good things about Foxfarms "Ocean Forest" as well, but it's pretty expensive, well about the same, as Sunshine, but a much smaller bag.

I can’t get another cage because I would have an empty cage after establishing bioactive. As much as I want another chameleon, I just don’t have enough time to care for 2. That’s why I think the planter box is a pretty good solution. I would basically mimic the conditions in the cage after I plant all the plants, put springtails (I can only get springtails in my country, so that’s why I’m asking about optimal springtail number) and put on leaf litter. Also, I can’t buy leaf litter, but I got an advice to simply find leaf litter outside and heat it in the over at 150° to get rid of all the bacteria. I will basically put the mister above the planter box and run it the same time I would in the cage so it gets going. What run time would you recommend for the mister? And is this earth mix good for plant growth?

 

[cyberlocc]

I can’t get another cage because I would have an empty cage after establishing bioactive. As much as I want another chameleon, I just don’t have enough time to care for 2. That’s why I think the planter box is a pretty good solution. I would basically mimic the conditions in the cage after I plant all the plants, put springtails (I can only get springtails in my country, so that’s why I’m asking about optimal springtail number) and put on leaf litter. Also, I can’t buy leaf litter, but I got an advice to simply find leaf litter outside and heat it in the over at 150° to get rid of all the bacteria. I will basically put the mister above the planter box and run it the same time I would in the cage so it gets going. What run time would you recommend for the mister? And is this earth mix good for plant growth?

Probably, maybe? I'm not sure, I have never used it.

Your going to want some organic starter ferts, till your system gets up and running ideally.

A Bio active vivarium will not function very well without Isopods. Springtails, are nice to haves, but IMO Isopods are a must have.

What country do you live in that Bans isopods? If you dont mind me asking, thats a first I have heard of that. If you cannot buy them, my suggestion would be to go get some. Go look in the woods, or even your garden backyard, after a rain especially, underneath of objects, barks, rocks, wood, ect. Isopods, are found everywhere in the world AFAIK.

Also yes collecting leaf litter outside is also fine.

 

[ChamLover04]

Probably, maybe? I'm not sure, I have never used it.

Your going to want some organic starter ferts, till your system gets up and running ideally.

A Bio active vivarium will not function very well without Isopods. Springtails, are nice to haves, but IMO Isopods are a must have.

What country do you live in that Bans isopods? If you dont mind me asking, thats a first I have heard of that. If you cannot buy them, my suggestion would be to go get some. Go look in the woods, or even your garden backyard, after a rain especially, underneath of objects, barks, rocks, wood, ect. Isopods, are found everywhere in the world AFAIK.

Also yes collecting leaf litter outside is also fine.

Yeah they aren’t banned I just couldn’t find them available for purchase, but I did a little more research and I found a site I can order them from. They are selling dwarf isopodes, but doesn’t say how many are in 1 package. I’m thinking about getting 2 packages. So I need to get an organic fertilizer mixed in with the arcadia earth mix? On the arcadia website it says that it’s bioactive approved, but it is for arid species and the regular earth mix is out of stock in the shop I’m buying from. And do you think my idea will work with getting the bioactive to cycle outside the cage in the planter box and then just putting it in the cage about 3-4 weeks later?

 

[cyberlocc]

Yeah they aren’t banned I just couldn’t find them available for purchase, but I did a little more research and I found a site I can order them from. They are selling dwarf isopodes, but doesn’t say how many are in 1 package. I’m thinking about getting 2 packages. So I need to get an organic fertilizer mixed in with the arcadia earth mix? On the arcadia website it says that it’s bioactive approved, but it is for arid species and the regular earth mix is out of stock in the shop I’m buying from. And do you think my idea will work with getting the bioactive to cycle outside the cage in the planter box and then just putting it in the cage about 3-4 weeks later?

If you just have Screen Walls, that idea should likely work, fairly well.

Dwarf Whites are fine, I would just get one package and see if they have some bigger isos, as well though. Dwarf Whites, are great but they are a more soil species. They will do the in the soil work, and break down waste and bacteria and aerate the soil. If you could get a bigger species as well, that will reside in the leaf litter, they are better, faster and eating poo. 1 package of each will be fine, they reproduce pretty fast, especially the Dwarf Whites (or dwarfs).

Thats a big reason the isopods are needed, Springs eat bacteria and mold, which is good. Isopods, eat Bacteria and Mold, as well as Decaying Organic matter, and Poo, both of which turn the bad stuff, into fertilizer (good stuff).

You dont want the Arid Mix. That is for like Bearded dragons, and the like, different watering habits. That soil is designed to dry out the top most layer, and hold water in the lower areas for as long as possible. Thats not what you want for a chameleon viv.

You can make your own AGB like blend. I like this one, if you have to blend yourself.

I would add some bark to his blend, as we water so much. Tree Fern Sticks, are also another valid option, just something to give some more larger coarseness, Perlite or Lava Rocks would also work.

He doesn't add any ferts, you can add a little worm casings and I like to add Endo Mycorrhizae or buy soil with it.

 

[ChamLover04]

If you just have Screen Walls, that idea should likely work, fairly well.

Dwarf Whites are fine, I would just get one package and see if they have some bigger isos, as well though. Dwarf Whites, are great but they are a more soil species. They will do the in the soil work, and break down waste and bacteria and aerate the soil. If you could get a bigger species as well, that will reside in the leaf litter, they are better, faster and eating poo. 1 package of each will be fine, they reproduce pretty fast, especially the Dwarf Whites (or dwarfs).

Thats a big reason the isopods are needed, Springs eat bacteria and mold, which is good. Isopods, eat Bacteria and Mold, as well as Decaying Organic matter, and Poo, both of which turn the bad stuff, into fertilizer (good stuff).

You dont want the Arid Mix. That is for like Bearded dragons, and the like, different watering habits. That soil is designed to dry out the top most layer, and hold water in the lower areas for as long as possible. Thats not what you want for a chameleon viv.

You can make your own AGB like blend. I like this one, if you have to blend yourself.

I would add some bark to his blend, as we water so much. Tree Fern Sticks, are also another valid option, just something to give some more larger coarseness, Perlite or Lava Rocks would also work.

He doesn't add any ferts, you can add a little worm casings and I like to add Endo Mycorrhizae or buy soil with it.

There aren’t any bigger ones, only the dwarf ones. I can get all the material needed for the blend and what do you mean by adding some bark to the blend? He does add bark in the mixture. I’ll try to find a good fertilizer in the home depot in my town.

 

[cyberlocc]

There aren’t any bigger ones, only the dwarf ones. I can get all the material needed for the blend and what do you mean by adding some bark to the blend? He does add bark in the mixture. I’ll try to find a good fertilizer in the home depot in my town.

Oh I must have missed that, if he added bark your good.

Dwarves will be fine, you just have to mix the poo into the soil, as they wont come out to get it. However check your yard, and see if you can find some local species that are larger, would be good still.

For Fert, just do worm casing and Endo Mycorrhizae if you can, you dont need alot. Honestly you could just chuck in a worm, and let him do his thing as well, to get a good starter boost. The Isopods, and springs will make fert from their poo, after eating the decaying stuff and poo, but just as a fert shot, is all I was saying. Not even really needed, if you cant find it, I just like the starter fert boost, to let the CUC establish a bit before relying on them.

 

[ChamLover04]

Oh I must have missed that, if he added bark your good.

Dwarves will be fine, you just have to mix the poo into the soil, as they wont come out to get it. However check your yard, and see if you can find some local species that are larger, would be good still.

For Fert, just do worm casing and Endo Mycorrhizae if you can, you dont need alot. Honestly you could just chuck in a worm, and let him do his thing as well, to get a good starter boost. The Isopods, and springs will make fert from their poo, after eating the decaying stuff and poo, but just as a fert shot, is all I was saying. Not even really needed, if you cant find it, I just like the starter fert boost, to let the CUC establish a bit before relying on them.

I’ll try to find as many additions you recommended as I can. Thanks a lot for helping me out on all of my posts .

 

[cyberlocc]

I’ll try to find as many additions you recommended as I can. Thanks a lot for helping me out on all of my posts .

No problem . Glad to have been of help .

 

[GoodKarma19]

@cyberlocc has you covered!

Just a couple things that popped out at me.

Leaf litter: you can 100% gather leaflitter from outside, just make sure you gather from safe areas that haven't been sprayed with pesticides/etc. I wouldn't go so far as to bake it... leaflitter from outdoors has all sorts of beneficial bacteria and such, and helps with the biodiversity of your ecosystem! My favorite "hangers on" collected with my leaflitter are tiny detritus milipedes. Wonderful little cleaners!

Fertilizers: as @cyberlocc mentioned, worm castings are awesome. I also use some ozmocote slow release pellets sparingly every 3-4 months to replenish essential minerals. I can't remember the breakdown of the pellets right now, though; I'll try to remember to check when I get home, but no promises haha!

Soil: I use ProMix HP High Porosity, mixed with a generous amount (~10-15%) of general orchid mix. I can't easily get SunShine Mix #4 in Canada, but that's an equivalent blend of soil.

 

[ChamLover04]

@cyberlocc has you covered!

Just a couple things that popped out at me.

Leaf litter: you can 100% gather leaflitter from outside, just make sure you gather from safe areas that haven't been sprayed with pesticides/etc. I wouldn't go so far as to bake it... leaflitter from outdoors has all sorts of beneficial bacteria and such, and helps with the biodiversity of your ecosystem! My favorite "hangers on" collected with my leaflitter are tiny detritus milipedes. Wonderful little cleaners!

Fertilizers: as @cyberlocc mentioned, worm castings are awesome. I also use some ozmocote slow release pellets sparingly every 3-4 months to replenish essential minerals. I can't remember the breakdown of the pellets right now, though; I'll try to remember to check when I get home, but no promises haha!

Soil: I use ProMix HP High Porosity, mixed with a generous amount (~10-15%) of general orchid mix. I can't easily get SunShine Mix #4 in Canada, but that's an equivalent blend of soil.

As for leaf litter, so basically anything pesticide free should be safe? And I’ve been thinking about cyberlocc’s suggestion about putting a worm or two in the mix so I would have dwarf isopods, worms and springtails. And for the soil I’ll go with the serpa design mix cyberlocc linked because it has positive feedback and all the materials are easily available to me (if regular black substrate sand can be used). I would like to minimize the experimenting part and just go for the safest and tested way.

 

[cyberlocc]

As for leaf litter, so basically anything pesticide free should be safe? And I’ve been thinking about cyberlocc’s suggestion about putting a worm or two in the mix so I would have dwarf isopods, worms and springtails. And for the soil I’ll go with the serpa design mix cyberlocc linked because it has positive feedback and all the materials are easily available to me (if regular black substrate sand can be used). I would like to minimize the experimenting part and just go for the safest and tested way.

For leaves, yes any will do. However if you can, try for a hardwood leaf, like Oak or Magnolia, or something it will hold up longer.

 

[GoodKarma19]

As for leaf litter, so basically anything pesticide free should be safe? And I’ve been thinking about cyberlocc’s suggestion about putting a worm or two in the mix so I would have dwarf isopods, worms and springtails. And for the soil I’ll go with the serpa design mix cyberlocc linked because it has positive feedback and all the materials are easily available to me (if regular black substrate sand can be used). I would like to minimize the experimenting part and just go for the safest and tested way.

Agree with Cyber, hardwood leaves like oak and magnolia have held up best for me. If it's pesticide free, it's fair game as far as I'm concerned! Weeping willow and maple I go through like crazy, but it's also most readily available for me so I don't mind too much. I find myself topping up every month or two.

I use red wiggler compost worms in both of my builds (started off with about 6 or so in each), and they do a great job! I'd definitely recommend them.

Not familiar with the SerpaDesign mix, but I respect the guy and have followed along with a few of his builds so I'm sure it works great. No idea if black substrate sand works or not; haven't experimented with sand in any of my builds to date! I'll have to give that link a look.

 

[ChamLover04]

Update time!
I have finally made the soil mix (SerpaDesign exotic substrate mix) after everything was delivered. Planted the scheffleras and a pothos and added some bamboo branches. Planning to add a bromeliad aswell to get some more colors in there. Took one whole day, but got it set up. Currently it is outside of the cage and it will be like that for minimum 2 weeks so everything can cycle. I already put in some dwarf isopods, but I’m going to buy more and get some springtails aswell. There’s a beautiful background also waiting to be put in the cage (it’s upside down on the picture). The misting system is working right now, but I’m not sure about the timer setup, I’ll add a photo of all the options and if someone could tell me the optimal timer based on available option that’d be great. Also, can I use the worm castings from the superworms after they’ve molted? Also, if anyone has any suggestions, feel free to say anything that comes to your mind.

 

[The Wild One]

Looking good, what miss are you using in the back?

 

[ChamLover04]

Looking good, what miss are you using in the back?

What do you mean what miss?

 

[Ares05]

She meant moss I think.

 

[ChamLover04]

I didn’t make the background myself. I bought it from a guy who keeps chameleons and other reptiles and uses similar backgrounds in their enclosures also. I’m not sure what kind of moss that is, but I’m sure that everything is 100% safe (if that’s your concern) since he seemed knowledgeable and provided me with a lot of useful information.

 

[Ares05]

Are those supplement wrappers staying on the background?