A (usually tropical) terrarium is an enclosed space that contains live plants and terrestrial animals. Paludariums add the feature of also having water with live aquatic animals. Since plants and animals often have different needs, creating a sustainable environment is an art.
Steps
Step 1. Decide which animals and plants you want to keep
Determine if the basic requirements make them incompatible (such as frogs that require a lot of moisture and cacti that require little)
Step 2. Purchase a suitable size aquarium or terrarium, remember that animals like to move and that plants need space to grow
- An aquarium is basically a glass box that is only open at the top. Terrariums usually have hinged or sliding glass doors on one of the vertical sides to make access easier.
- You can also build your own fenced space. This can be done with glass and silicone, wood and epoxy, concrete and epoxy, or in a number of other ways.
- If the humidity and temperature in your living environment are suitable, then you can water the substrate for a plant at any level with a siphoned (U-U) hose connected to an aquarium. This arrangement can be raised, lowered or replaced according to root growth, substrate depth and its hydrophilicity. If you are using plants that were previously potted, be sure to thoroughly wash the roots with water to remove any toxic fertilizers before planting them in the terrarium.
Step 3. If this is a tropical or temperate climate terrarium build a double bottom
Terrariums with a desert climate do not need a double bottom as there will be little watering.
- A double bottom is an area for collecting excess water without drowning plant roots. The two main types of double bottoms are solid or open.
- A solid double subfloor is a 2.5-5cm layer of gravel or expanded clay for subfloors (LECA) with a screen on top to prevent dirt from entering.
- An open double bottom consists of a PVC-supported egg container, with a screen on top.
- Both are adequate solutions with their pros and cons.
Step 4. Install the background and landscape elements
- These can be attached with silicone or hot glue; however, it is important that the adhesive is inert and cannot contaminate the vivarium with harmful chemicals.
- Possible backgrounds and landscape elements include: wood, cork bark, rocks, masked foam, masked plastic, ornaments, or any other object. It is important that everything you place in the terrarium is clean and non-toxic. Objects found outdoors must be cleaned before being placed in the terrarium.
Step 5. Install a cover
A cover screen usually avoids high humidity because the vivarium will assume that of the room it is in; while a mostly glass cover (90-95% glass, 5-10% framing) will keep the humidity level much higher. However, normal screens and glass block most of the ultraviolet rays, therefore the UVs must be placed inside the terrarium
Step 6. Install a lamp
Plants require full spectrum lighting with a color temperature between 5000-7000K for best growth. Most 'normal' house lights are far below 5000K while 'blue tone' bulbs can have a much higher Kelvin degree
Step 7. Install the equipment
The equipment includes thermometer, hydrometer, warmer under the terrarium, internal warmer, pumps, filters, etc
Step 8. Add the substrate
- There is a large amount of substrates available at pet stores. It is usually better to use these than to collect anything outside. Both plants and animals must have the substrate they prefer (do your research!).
- A temperate or rainforest terrarium might have a layer of peat, spruce bark, and black earth, accompanied by a layer of sphagnum moss, with a layer of leaves on top.
- A desert climate terrarium will likely only have a layer of sand with perhaps some gravel in some areas.
Step 9. Add chlorine-free water
- For terrariums with temperate and tropical climates it is better to moisten the entire terrarium evenly and avoid excessively humid areas.
- A desert climate terrarium will usually have just a plate of water.
Step 10. Plant the plants, leaving room for them to grow and 'fill'
Remember, each plant has its own needs; such as soil moisture, watering times and light levels
Step 11. Turn on the vivarium and let it 'stabilize' for 24 hours to a few weeks
- This will allow you to monitor the health of the plants and the functionality of your project without unjustifiably disturbing the animals you will place later.
- This is particularly important with regard to the characteristics of the water.
Step 12. Quarantine newly purchased pets to assess their health
This is important to avoid contaminating a terrarium that has taken a long time to build. A quarantine of one to four weeks is therefore appropriate
Step 13. Add your quarantined animals to the terrarium and monitor their acclimatization closely for the first week or two
Step 14. Get comfortable and enjoy your little corner of nature
Advice
- It is best to solve the knots of the terrarium project without the animals present. It is less stressful for them and less stressful for you. Plants are usually much more resilient than animals and can survive disasters with little damage.
- For better growth, place at least two fluorescent lamps over the vivarium along its entire length. This lighting solution is often the cheapest and easiest to maintain.
- A waterfall, or stream, can be added to a terrarium with a double bottom by inserting a pump in the double bottom. The pump will pump the excess water from the double bottom forming a waterfall along a stump or stones bringing the water back into the double bottom. However, the pump and all other equipment must be easily accessible in the event of a breakdown or obstruction.
- Always research the animals and plants that you have planned with great care in order to perfectly realize what the vivarium will require.
- Terrariums with sliding or hinged glass doors are easier to use; however, they cost more than a standard aquarium.
- A small pond can be added if you have deep substrate in the double bottom where you can make it.
- Never use tap water that has not been chlorinated unless your specific pet needs it. Plants rarely love it, and it could harm many animals.
- Diluted bleach is a good cleaner for 'found' items. Furthermore, simple sunlight combined with a drying period quickly kills many protozoa. Putting items in the cooking oven also works well.
- All plants have their own needs. Many dislike soils with puddles of water, and plants in more temperate climates need a cool period to rest. Other plants begin to rot if they get too much moisture or water on their leaves, and others dry out if the humidity is below 50%. Research, research, research!
- The substrate you use can also control humidity. Some substrates, such as peat moss, absorb a lot of water and release little of it: they eliminate moisture and soak the roots of plants. This is why blends and layers are so useful.
- A gravel double bottom is much heavier than an open double bottom made from egg cup. Expanded clay or polystyrene peanuts also make it possible to obtain a light double base.
- Quarantine is an important practice and will save you a lot of heart-pounding. If your prized pet dies after placing it directly into the terrarium, you need to ask yourself if the pet was sick or if there is something wrong with the terrarium. A definitely healthy animal will settle in much better and allow you to rule out at least one variable if something goes wrong.
