# Planted terrarium what substrate



## Phasmid (Sep 17, 2008)

I am setting up a tank and want to use live plants such as bromeliads, anthurium, philodendron. I will be using a drainage layer of clay balls but I just cant figure out what to use to plant the plants in. I have found a mix that lists the following.... 

Moss Peat: 
Mature Leaf Mould: 
Sedge Peat: 
Coco Fibre: 
Fine Orchid Bark: 
Bark Mould: 
Wood Charcoal: 
Activated Carbon: 
Carpet Moss:
Boreal Forest Moss:
New Zealand Sphagnum Moss:
Chilean Sphagnum Moss:
Forest Fertiliser: 

Will that work?

Thanks


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## DE240 (Apr 17, 2017)

A bit move verity than I have in mine but should work. I'd recommend placing a fine plastic screen over the drainage layer. Also make sure to leave a drainage port into the bottom. 

Here is mine. 









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## Phasmid (Sep 17, 2008)

Nice set-up looks fab.

I am using an exo terra too how did you add a drainage port? I was just going to water sparingly allow the roots of the plants to take water from the drainage area and If necessary retrieve any excess water with a turkey baster.

Is the plastic layer just to stop the top layer seeping down into the drainage layer?

Thanks


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## DE240 (Apr 17, 2017)

Yeah it's just to keep sediment from saturating the drainage layer. 
I placed in a small access port at one corner of the terrarium that I could siphon water out of if I need to. I used a 1" diameter pvc pipe with a cap. 

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## Naginilev (Apr 17, 2017)

DE240 said:


> A bit move verity than I have in mine but should work. I'd recommend placing a fine plastic screen over the drainage layer. Also make sure to leave a drainage port into the bottom.
> 
> Here is mine.
> image
> ...


Hi, do you keep a snake in there?

I am planning to male a big terrarium, and was wondering if you feed your snake there?, mine seems to like live mice, so I am not sure if a place with all those plants would make a good hunting place for it.

I am new to this, please forgive me if my question is dumb.

Kind regards


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## DE240 (Apr 17, 2017)

Naginilev said:


> Hi, do you keep a snake in there?
> 
> I am planning to male a big terrarium, and was wondering if you feed your snake there?, mine seems to like live mice, so I am not sure if a place with all those plants would make a good hunting place for it.
> 
> ...


No this is for a crested gecko. I had originally planned on doing 2-3 females in here together be ended up just leaving her to herself lol. That's a 36"x36"x18" exoterra. 

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## Naginilev (Apr 17, 2017)

DE240 said:


> No this is for a crested gecko. I had originally planned on doing 2-3 females in here together be ended up just leaving her to herself lol. That's a 36"x36"x18" exoterra.
> 
> Sent from my Z963VL using Tapatalk


Thank you very much 

Greetings from Mexico


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## Naginilev (Apr 17, 2017)

DE240 said:


> No this is for a crested gecko. I had originally planned on doing 2-3 females in here together be ended up just leaving her to herself lol. That's a 36"x36"x18" exoterra.
> 
> Sent from my Z963VL using Tapatalk


beautiful terrarium by the way


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