GrimCamel
Established Member
This thread is about my bioactive terrarium and it's progress and some of my freerange builds on the side. It's been a while now since I did a rebuild of my bioactive setup and by now all the plants have settled and started growing again. I have seen big changes in the humidity which is alot more harder to contain with the new soil but for the better since this one won't grow mold. No water have been pooling up in the bottom so I haven't got got a chance to try the draining which is basically a cut in half plastic bottle placed in the back (you can't see it in the images) where I can put a aquarium draining hose without getting any soil or hydrograins stuck in the progress. But time for pictures!
Hah I need a day to clean that desk... Exo Terra glass with bottom ventilation and screen ceiling. As I have a 90 cm wide terrarium I use two baskingspots to maintain the temperatures. One is a bit warmer and is supposed to occasionally be turned off but the temperatures in the room is not very forgiving out on this stormy island in the beginning of the Swedish winter so I leave they both on as long as Incubus' not start with ceiling climbing habits. They both dry up the humidity together with the new soil much quicker than the old setup.
I used to have 3 full spectrum lights but going for the cheaper brands gave me fragile bulbs so atm just 2 from another brand. UVB 10.0 in the middle. Might move it to the empty slot now when I placed the dripper under it which might block some of the light.
I have some empty space between the ceiling and the highest branches so my next step is to find a good vine to give Incubus some more climbing space. Atm he use the wall alot to climb from one side to another. I think he like the extra height so this vine would prpbably be appreciated. Every branch in here are out of real wood, bought or collected outside. I like to keep it natural so this next vine will ofc also be out of real wood. I'm just waiting to stumble across the right shape while I'm walking the dogs.
Not many people on this forum use bioactive setups with substrate but I wanted something nice to look at and something time consuming since I am not corrently studying or working. I wanted something that would pull me away from spending too much time at the computer but anyway, here is my solution. The first layer from the bottom is hydrograins about 8 L. I wanted to make sure if water started pooling it wouldnt disturb the top layers. The next layer is a separation layer between the hydrograins and the soil. The soil layer is made out of Exo Terra Plantation soil (heck I had to respell that 2 times). I've built it like a small hill with thicker layer futher back and thinner by the door, not covering the vent. This gives a nice display of the bottom and gives the live plants something to grow in while still maintain a working air circulation. The next layer is moss. I chose this above rocks for both aestherics and humidity but also because it soft to fall down on which my cham succeced to do at least a couple of times when he climbed the wall (silly Incubus). I've collected it outside to get those big thick pieces that will maintain shape even if Incubus strolling around on it or try to eat it. The biggest piece covers half of the terrarium soil. When you collect outside you gotta be prepared to get insects with you inside but when you're going for a bioactive setup this is just a good thing. They will help you with the clean up of the cage in a natural way. I mainly have isopods coming inside with the moss and collected outside to give a wide culture. The have gills and therefore require a humid enviroment which a terrarium like this can provide, however they should not be fed to reptiles if caught in the wild. They contain heavy metals and will probably have small concerts in your terrarium with loud music and much growling No but seriously, those heavy materials is not something your reptile will be able to digest. Incubus is only down in the terrarium when he wants to get outside and I have never seen him paying any attention to the small isopods. They're either too small for him or well hidden. I mostly notice them when I spray the enclosure.
My WIP freerange is quite the opposite of my enclosure. Most things here are fake but the huge pine cones and the vine which have fake leaves and berries attacked to it. I chose to put my freerange by the window since Incubus, like many other chams, have a love for looking outside. He can see the sea, seagulls, a cat or two but from a perfect height on the second floor.
Here's my ongoing project for the freerange. Found some curvy branches that would be a perfect addition. I just have to remove the burnt bark and then I will attach silk leavess in fall colors before I put them up. Right now they're used as a passage on the rabbit cage for the little fella. I have no idea why he like to climb around in the cage so much. even before I placed the branches there he liked to climb around on it. I guess he noticed the bunnies are as blind as he are deaf. I have only seen one of the couple of buns notice him once but food were more interesting than the blue dinosaur climbing around.
I hope my spelling/grammar is alright. At the wrong computer again and theres no spellcheck in this browser But above all, I hope everyone can see all the 5 images attach to this thread and hopefully make out my hand writing
Hah I need a day to clean that desk... Exo Terra glass with bottom ventilation and screen ceiling. As I have a 90 cm wide terrarium I use two baskingspots to maintain the temperatures. One is a bit warmer and is supposed to occasionally be turned off but the temperatures in the room is not very forgiving out on this stormy island in the beginning of the Swedish winter so I leave they both on as long as Incubus' not start with ceiling climbing habits. They both dry up the humidity together with the new soil much quicker than the old setup.
I used to have 3 full spectrum lights but going for the cheaper brands gave me fragile bulbs so atm just 2 from another brand. UVB 10.0 in the middle. Might move it to the empty slot now when I placed the dripper under it which might block some of the light.
I have some empty space between the ceiling and the highest branches so my next step is to find a good vine to give Incubus some more climbing space. Atm he use the wall alot to climb from one side to another. I think he like the extra height so this vine would prpbably be appreciated. Every branch in here are out of real wood, bought or collected outside. I like to keep it natural so this next vine will ofc also be out of real wood. I'm just waiting to stumble across the right shape while I'm walking the dogs.
Not many people on this forum use bioactive setups with substrate but I wanted something nice to look at and something time consuming since I am not corrently studying or working. I wanted something that would pull me away from spending too much time at the computer but anyway, here is my solution. The first layer from the bottom is hydrograins about 8 L. I wanted to make sure if water started pooling it wouldnt disturb the top layers. The next layer is a separation layer between the hydrograins and the soil. The soil layer is made out of Exo Terra Plantation soil (heck I had to respell that 2 times). I've built it like a small hill with thicker layer futher back and thinner by the door, not covering the vent. This gives a nice display of the bottom and gives the live plants something to grow in while still maintain a working air circulation. The next layer is moss. I chose this above rocks for both aestherics and humidity but also because it soft to fall down on which my cham succeced to do at least a couple of times when he climbed the wall (silly Incubus). I've collected it outside to get those big thick pieces that will maintain shape even if Incubus strolling around on it or try to eat it. The biggest piece covers half of the terrarium soil. When you collect outside you gotta be prepared to get insects with you inside but when you're going for a bioactive setup this is just a good thing. They will help you with the clean up of the cage in a natural way. I mainly have isopods coming inside with the moss and collected outside to give a wide culture. The have gills and therefore require a humid enviroment which a terrarium like this can provide, however they should not be fed to reptiles if caught in the wild. They contain heavy metals and will probably have small concerts in your terrarium with loud music and much growling
No but seriously, those heavy materials is not something your reptile will be able to digest. Incubus is only down in the terrarium when he wants to get outside and I have never seen him paying any attention to the small isopods. They're either too small for him or well hidden. I mostly notice them when I spray the enclosure.
My WIP freerange is quite the opposite of my enclosure. Most things here are fake but the huge pine cones and the vine which have fake leaves and berries attacked to it. I chose to put my freerange by the window since Incubus, like many other chams, have a love for looking outside. He can see the sea, seagulls, a cat or two but from a perfect height on the second floor.
Here's my ongoing project for the freerange. Found some curvy branches that would be a perfect addition. I just have to remove the burnt bark and then I will attach silk leavess in fall colors before I put them up. Right now they're used as a passage on the rabbit cage for the little fella. I have no idea why he like to climb around in the cage so much. even before I placed the branches there he liked to climb around on it. I guess he noticed the bunnies are as blind as he are deaf. I have only seen one of the couple of buns notice him once but food were more interesting than the blue dinosaur climbing around.
I hope my spelling/grammar is alright. At the wrong computer again and theres no spellcheck in this browser
But above all, I hope everyone can see all the 5 images attach to this thread and hopefully make out my hand writing 
