Post by littlereptile on Sept 29, 2015 21:28:23 GMT
this is an article copied from the reptile and amphibian bioactive setups detailing how to create a high-humidity bioactive enclosure! this is great for many species of lidless geckos, for chameleons, and for snakes that require high humidity.
So, I thought it was time to add a step by step picture guide to the files! This is a set up I created for some Rosette nosed pygmy chameleons – Rhampholeon Spinosus. However, this guide can easily be used or adapted for any tropical rainforest set up. I follow the same steps for all my humidity loving cool and warmer climate reptiles.
Shopping/forage list
* 45cm cubed exo terra terrarium
* Compact canopy light with arcardia jungle dawn led and 5% uv bulb
* Coir hanging basket matting for background
* Ha6 aquarium grade sealant
* Hydroleca approx 21/2 kg
* Water permeable membrane
* Coir fibre block
* Sedge peat
* Sterile topsoil or organic soil
* Plants – Aspagarus fern “cwebe”, Streptocarpus “Crystal Ice”, mimosa pudica, Ceropegia Woodii and a fern whose name I have forgotten sorry!
* Mossy and lichen covered branches, pieces of bark and moss.
* Leaf litter
* Native and tropical springtails woodlice and compost worms
The cleaned and empty exo terra sitting ready for the background to be fitted into place.
The backing cut to size and sealed in place using Ha6 aquarium grade sealant. Once the background has been sealed in place I leave it to cure and dry for a couple of days. It dries and the smell clears faster in a empty viv. Once the background has been fitted in place and dried it's time to start getting the viv ready for planting!
The next step is adding the drainage medium. I use expanded clay balls aka hydroleca. They are lighter than gravel and in a finished viv the weight can be huge, so using hydroleca helps a little! You may ask why use a drainage layer? Is it really needed? The drainage layer is a very important factor in high humidity vivs with live plants. It serves a number of purposes, the main one is that it stops the soil from turning into a muddy puddle from the frequent misting that is required in these set ups for our inhabitants. This in turn ensures that the plants roots are not sitting in overly wet soil and keeps the roots healthy, if the soil is too wet and not draining well many plants will rot from the root upwards. I also use the drainage layer as a guide to how much watering I need to do to the viv. If there is an obvious pool of water collected in the bottom of the viv, then I’m over watering and reduce the length of time I mist for until the water in the bottom evaporates. If the drainage layer looks dry then I haven't watered or misted enough. I like the clay balls to look moist but not soaked or dry. If you are finding you have to mist heavily in order to keep up humidity then you may need to make some adjustments to the ventilation in order to help retain more humidity or find a way to remove excess water from the drainage layer without disturbing the set up or inhabitants.
The next step is to add a water permeable membrane which sits on top of the drainage layer. It's stops the soil from falling into the drainage area and rendering it useless by clogging it up with a muddy mess! For this set up I have used a cheap nylon mesh, I found in my local ironmongers. I also have used weed membrane, that can be purchased cheaply from garden centres. Another alternative is old fine nylon net curtains. It needs to be nylon as of it’s a natural material it will biodegrade.
Next I add the soil. For this build I have used a mixture of sterile top soil, coir block and sedge peat. Approx ratio is 60/30/10- topsoil/coir/peat. I use the peat for the ferns as they like a slightly more acidic soil which the peat helps with. I don't use coir only, as it is lacking in nutrients for your plants. I don't worry too much about ratios I just chuck it in a bucket mix it up and bung it in!
The next thing I have done, once I have started to add soil into the viv, is to rub the soil into the coco fibre matting background. I have found it helps to bring out the natural texture and gives it more depth and a more natural rough look. It should also make it easier for moss to grow onto it in future if it wants too… (Fingers crossed!)
Now for the fun bit! I start with landscaping, so if I’m banking up earth, creating bark planters, larger pieces of log, and any branches or pieces that I want to be part of the background. In this viv I have banked up the soil under the branch in the back left corner, this will create a nice side planter.
Time to add the plants, these are some of the plants that may or may not make it in!
Before adding any plants into the viv, and as soon as I have got them home after purchase, I rinse them clean under tepid water of all soil and rinse the leaves too. This is to remove any traces of possible fertiliser or pesticide used by the plant nurseries, it also helps reduces or
wipe out the chances of a fungus gnat infestation. Fungus gnats aren't harmful but can be annoying! Once I have rinsed my plants I replant them, in the same safe clean soil that I use for the vivs, and leave them until I am ready to use them.
When I'm planting up a viv I will often bring in the plants I’m thinking of using and place them (in their pots) in situ to get an idea of where I want them. Once I have decided I start planting. The first plant to go in is an Asparagus fern “cwebe”, followed by a streptocarpus “Crystal Ice” this is an all year flowerer so particularly suited to vivariums. It's a relative of the African violet and adds a lovely splash of colour. I also plant a mimosa pudica aka sensitive plant in the front left corner, a ceropegia woodii, and a small fern at the front whose name I have completely forgotten, as and when my memory works again I shall add it to the article!
Once I have finished planting I add any further branches, and pieces of moss. In this terrarium, I have wedged mossy branches in all over the place. the idea is to create a very “deep in the forest” effect. My Pygmy chameleons like lots of places to sit and perch and hide, the use of mossy logs and lichen covered branches enables them to use their own natural coloration to blend with nature. Unlike their larger counter parts pygmy chameleons do utilise their colour changing ability to make subtle changes to their skin to enable better camouflage within their environment as well as it giving a clue to their “mood”.
Once I am happy with the planting and the placement of branches and moss I need to add the custodians. I have added native and tropical springtails and woodlice and compost worms to this vivarium, plus anything else that may have hitched a ride in on the branches and leaf litter. The leaf litter is the last thing I add to the finished viv.
That's it, the finished article! Here's a few photos from a few angles and some close ups to get some more detail.
So, I thought it was time to add a step by step picture guide to the files! This is a set up I created for some Rosette nosed pygmy chameleons – Rhampholeon Spinosus. However, this guide can easily be used or adapted for any tropical rainforest set up. I follow the same steps for all my humidity loving cool and warmer climate reptiles.
Shopping/forage list
* 45cm cubed exo terra terrarium
* Compact canopy light with arcardia jungle dawn led and 5% uv bulb
* Coir hanging basket matting for background
* Ha6 aquarium grade sealant
* Hydroleca approx 21/2 kg
* Water permeable membrane
* Coir fibre block
* Sedge peat
* Sterile topsoil or organic soil
* Plants – Aspagarus fern “cwebe”, Streptocarpus “Crystal Ice”, mimosa pudica, Ceropegia Woodii and a fern whose name I have forgotten sorry!
* Mossy and lichen covered branches, pieces of bark and moss.
* Leaf litter
* Native and tropical springtails woodlice and compost worms
The cleaned and empty exo terra sitting ready for the background to be fitted into place.
The backing cut to size and sealed in place using Ha6 aquarium grade sealant. Once the background has been sealed in place I leave it to cure and dry for a couple of days. It dries and the smell clears faster in a empty viv. Once the background has been fitted in place and dried it's time to start getting the viv ready for planting!
The next step is adding the drainage medium. I use expanded clay balls aka hydroleca. They are lighter than gravel and in a finished viv the weight can be huge, so using hydroleca helps a little! You may ask why use a drainage layer? Is it really needed? The drainage layer is a very important factor in high humidity vivs with live plants. It serves a number of purposes, the main one is that it stops the soil from turning into a muddy puddle from the frequent misting that is required in these set ups for our inhabitants. This in turn ensures that the plants roots are not sitting in overly wet soil and keeps the roots healthy, if the soil is too wet and not draining well many plants will rot from the root upwards. I also use the drainage layer as a guide to how much watering I need to do to the viv. If there is an obvious pool of water collected in the bottom of the viv, then I’m over watering and reduce the length of time I mist for until the water in the bottom evaporates. If the drainage layer looks dry then I haven't watered or misted enough. I like the clay balls to look moist but not soaked or dry. If you are finding you have to mist heavily in order to keep up humidity then you may need to make some adjustments to the ventilation in order to help retain more humidity or find a way to remove excess water from the drainage layer without disturbing the set up or inhabitants.
The next step is to add a water permeable membrane which sits on top of the drainage layer. It's stops the soil from falling into the drainage area and rendering it useless by clogging it up with a muddy mess! For this set up I have used a cheap nylon mesh, I found in my local ironmongers. I also have used weed membrane, that can be purchased cheaply from garden centres. Another alternative is old fine nylon net curtains. It needs to be nylon as of it’s a natural material it will biodegrade.
Next I add the soil. For this build I have used a mixture of sterile top soil, coir block and sedge peat. Approx ratio is 60/30/10- topsoil/coir/peat. I use the peat for the ferns as they like a slightly more acidic soil which the peat helps with. I don't use coir only, as it is lacking in nutrients for your plants. I don't worry too much about ratios I just chuck it in a bucket mix it up and bung it in!
The next thing I have done, once I have started to add soil into the viv, is to rub the soil into the coco fibre matting background. I have found it helps to bring out the natural texture and gives it more depth and a more natural rough look. It should also make it easier for moss to grow onto it in future if it wants too… (Fingers crossed!)
Now for the fun bit! I start with landscaping, so if I’m banking up earth, creating bark planters, larger pieces of log, and any branches or pieces that I want to be part of the background. In this viv I have banked up the soil under the branch in the back left corner, this will create a nice side planter.
Time to add the plants, these are some of the plants that may or may not make it in!
Before adding any plants into the viv, and as soon as I have got them home after purchase, I rinse them clean under tepid water of all soil and rinse the leaves too. This is to remove any traces of possible fertiliser or pesticide used by the plant nurseries, it also helps reduces or
wipe out the chances of a fungus gnat infestation. Fungus gnats aren't harmful but can be annoying! Once I have rinsed my plants I replant them, in the same safe clean soil that I use for the vivs, and leave them until I am ready to use them.
When I'm planting up a viv I will often bring in the plants I’m thinking of using and place them (in their pots) in situ to get an idea of where I want them. Once I have decided I start planting. The first plant to go in is an Asparagus fern “cwebe”, followed by a streptocarpus “Crystal Ice” this is an all year flowerer so particularly suited to vivariums. It's a relative of the African violet and adds a lovely splash of colour. I also plant a mimosa pudica aka sensitive plant in the front left corner, a ceropegia woodii, and a small fern at the front whose name I have completely forgotten, as and when my memory works again I shall add it to the article!
Once I have finished planting I add any further branches, and pieces of moss. In this terrarium, I have wedged mossy branches in all over the place. the idea is to create a very “deep in the forest” effect. My Pygmy chameleons like lots of places to sit and perch and hide, the use of mossy logs and lichen covered branches enables them to use their own natural coloration to blend with nature. Unlike their larger counter parts pygmy chameleons do utilise their colour changing ability to make subtle changes to their skin to enable better camouflage within their environment as well as it giving a clue to their “mood”.
Once I am happy with the planting and the placement of branches and moss I need to add the custodians. I have added native and tropical springtails and woodlice and compost worms to this vivarium, plus anything else that may have hitched a ride in on the branches and leaf litter. The leaf litter is the last thing I add to the finished viv.
That's it, the finished article! Here's a few photos from a few angles and some close ups to get some more detail.
