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Jack's Froggery
Terrarium How To's and pointers |
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Whenever you make a tank, keep in mind what is going to live in there, because often one tank isn't suitable for all animals.
Backgrounds and false bottom tanks- there are tons of information out there about how to build using these techniques of expandable foam (Great Stuff) in combination with eggcrate or similar products. What you need to decide is what the function of the tank is and what you need it to do. I like heavily planted tanks so when I built my background, I included a ton of places suitable to grow some plants. Be sure to poke drainage holes. Many people prefer the ledge look to allow their pets to sun themselves or what have you. |
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Planting & Plant selection - I use everything and anything that catches my fancy; carnivorous plants, moss, tropical foliage plants... if it will suit my purpose I will incorperate it into the tank. The key is to get small plants and maintain them at the size they are needed. Don't be afraid to prune the tank every once and a while. You can also swap things out seasonally to assure constant colour or be able to grow something that requires a dormancy period. Again, keep in mind what's going to live there. A B-52 venus fly trap will make quick work of a thumbnail dart, an expensive diet! You want to make sure anything you put in the tank isn't coated in fertilizer or pesticides, a good washing and removing of the soil it comes with does wonders for that. Use a planting medium of either pure peat moss or ground coco fiber. I prefer peat, then mix in silica (or similar sand) or perlite (my preferred material) to lighten the soil as need be. Some plants such as the carnivorous types like their soil more moist then say a bromeliad which is likely to rot if the soil is too wet, so adjust the areas for each plant accordingly. |
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Layout and Design- I keep mentioning the animals because for every animal there is an ideal environment, and requirements differ. Water features for example, because some animals don't need them and they can actually pose a serious hazard (death trap), whereas other animals need a water area, (size depending on the critter). A water feature can be completely for looks too though. It's all about the effort you want to put forth. They can be as simple as a bowl you remove, or a meandering stream passing between a waterfall and pond. |
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