(Part 3) Top products from r/terrariums

Hey man! Go for it! Spring tails are little bugs that take care of all the dirty work involved in ridding your vivarium of decaying matter. I had the misfortune of loosing a frog while on vacation and when I returned they had reduced him to nothing by but a few bones. Little decomposers like springtails are often referred to as micro fauna and are essential. Here's a link to NEHERP's micro fauna store. I buy everything I can from NEHERP because frankly they're the best in the business when it comes to vivariums.
As for the water, yes the water free flows through the entirety of the bottom of the tank. Hydro balls just the Zoomed brand of hydroponic balls and they're dirt cheap.
I don't have a parts list on hand but I guess I should make one eh?
I can say that this light has been the best light I've ever used. And for an HO (high output) 4 tube grow light it's also dirt cheap. I simply spray painted mine matte black.
As far as pumps FLUVAL, FLUVAL, FLUVAL all the way. You just can't beat their canister filters. And you can load anything you want in them making water treatment super easy.
I'm happy to answer questions so if ya have any more feel free to ask. And if any of you out there want more answers feel free to comment. And maybe give an upvote so others can find it too.

That's a pretty neat.

Do you currently have a terrarium, and if so, how much light does it get? My only concern is that type of grass probably likes full sun, so it may need to be by a bright window and/or supplemental lighting to be happy. This can easily roast plants however (especially in smaller closed containers), so make sure it is ventilated or doesn't get too hot.


If you want to know specifically how to set up a terrarium, its pretty easy.

1. In the bottom of a clean tank or container, put an inch or two of small stones/pebbles/coarse gravel for drainage.
   
   
2. Put a layer of horticultural charcoal on next to help with odors and mold.
   
   
3. Add a layer of potting soil (you cant go wrong with the miracle-gro stuff) and put your sod and any other plants in. If your sod is root bound at all, massage it a little to gently pull the roots apart before planting it. Make sure you regularly water your newly transplanted plants, but don't over-water or let too much water build up in the tank.
   
   You don't need any fertilizer, and I like using a dose of Superthrive if it looks like my plants are struggling.
   
   You could also grow the sod in a container within a larger terrarium if you only have a little bit. If you want a baseball theme, you have plenty of creative options (like using a cubs helmet as a container, etc.).

open container like a fish bowl or a dish?



Moss: Useful for ground cover and if you are going for a woodland look, definitely add moss such as

1. Leucobryum (cushion moss),
   
2. Sagina subulata (Irish moss),
   
3. I've also heard of Kyoto moss but no idea about that.
   
   Alternatively, you can use
   
   
   
4. Soleirolia soleirolii (Baby's tears), or
   
5. Hemianthus callitrichoides (Dwarf baby's tears)
   
   These provide good ground cover with more texture and faster spread (about 30 cm in 30 days with the right conditions)
   
   Where to get them? Ebay, Amazon etc.
   
   
   
   Ferns: Also great additions!
   
   
   
6. Arachnoides simplicior (Spider fern),
   
7. Pellaea rotundifolia (Button fern), and my favourite ...
   
8. Asparagus setaceus 'Nanus' fern
   
   Colour: Some people prefer to add some colour using plants like:
   
   
   
9. Hypoestes phyllostachya (Polka dot plant) or
   
10. any type of Begonia
    
    
    edit: formatting
    
    
    edit: sequel: links added where possible

Hey thank you! You're exactly right-- I chose Sylvania Light Flutes because they were easy to install and pretty cheap. Our area is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to terrarium fodder, so good luck out there!

this is the best info source I've found on the web:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/terrarium/msg091303116460.html

and this book from the 70s is full of good info:

http://www.amazon.com/Terrariums-Miniature-Gardens-Sunset-Gardening/dp/0376037814

Hmm. Hard to tell from a still photo, but it doesn't look like you'd need more than a ~60 gph pump.

Yeah, here you go. 66 gph, 12V. Just wire it into something like this.

> I didn’t do a full album because of all the mistakes I made building it

Frankly, that's far more educational for the rest of us than a project that goes smoothly :)

I don't have experience with GoPro specifically but I really like the Rode VideoMic

https://www.amazon.com/Rode-VMGO-Lightweight-Microphone-Super-Cardioid/dp/B00GQDORA4

Thank you! I got a couple of these terrarium kits, this bag of moss, and a set of air plants. From there, I basically just mixed and matched!

Here is the lamp http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BNRZB0S?pc_redir=1396551481&robot_redir=1
Not sure about wattage. The lichens! They are tricky. But I love them. Once you find a spot where they're growing, using Moss and other stuff from close by seems to help. Those will be the first to die under this new light source, if it does happen.
Edit:so far I've been doing 11 hour days for the last 3 days. Fingers crossed.

https://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Lights-Battery-Operated-Blinking/dp/B00M2DPLIE

This looks good too.

Have you tried aquascape equipment? There’s thin and long scissors and tongs you could hold paper towels with.


There’s better deals than that btw it’s just the first thing that popped up

Maybe using water beads would help retain the moisture for longer. They're usually used in flower vases, and are nearly invisible when submerged.

Nice work, moss is the hardest imo. Keeping them moist enough, especially in a non-closed environment is tricky to say the least!

I notice you seem to be watering with a spray bottle... one thing I've found handy for avoiding water on the glass is to water with a long needled syringe...

something like this => https://www.amazon.com/Syringes-refilling-Refillable-Cartridges-Continuous/dp/B006DN11DS/ref=sr_1_49?ie=UTF8&qid=1481153534&sr=8-49&keywords=syringe

I found a similar one on amazon, it’s not identical and a little less graceful but it’s similar.

Link

Sounds like you may be seeing [water retaining gel balls]('Aqua Crystal' Expanding Water Storing Gelhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B007K6HEJM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_402QybVMRV7JE)
They've always seemed interesting/useful but I've never tried them!

Edit: on mobile, not sure if link is working but it's for a product called "aqua crystal"

I dunno what they are but this is what I bought: Mini Ferns for Terrariums/Fairy Garden - 5 Different Plants-2" Pots https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009CBIFGO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_b1aDCbNAS9876

So this basically? Vortex Bottle Connector - Tornado in a Bottle Colors May Vary https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0090LYSLC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_b2GMBbXRCRP5G

Would this be what you are looking for http://www.amazon.com/Totoro-Piece-Figure-Including-Catbus/dp/B00CEJIT0S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1397123613&sr=8-3&keywords=totoro or would they be too big? one & 3/4 inches almost 2"

Oh I'm getting this plant to start with :3 http://www.amazon.com/Adult-Sized-Venus-Flytrap-Carnivorous/dp/B005L9YN6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419530497&sr=8-1&keywords=venus+fly+trap