Building a terrarium and I need some advice

[yohann976]

I've had planted aquariums for a couple years, but I want to add a terrarium to my list of tanks. I plan on using mainly marginal plants such as anubias, java fern, java moss, hygro, etc.

I have 110 watts over a 46 gallon tank, I think that should be enough lighting for a terrarium. I use Greg Watson ferts too. Since this is not an aquarium and I wouldn't have to worry about algae, could I add more ferts to the water? If so, how much? (there is about 4 gallons of water in it)

I guess my main question is the substrate. I have some eco-complete, but I don't have enough. I was thinking Moon Sand to since it is black like eco-complete. I was also thinking about adding some peat moss, but I don't know if it would clog up the water pumps or decompose too quickly. What would be a good addition to the substrate?

 

[WhiteDevil]

I used to have over 20 terreriums when I was younger, my living terrerium was a 7 layer base substrate system. Within 5 weeks I had to thin the plants out to see the giant tree frogs and gecko's. I can try and rememebr what I used, it was saphagnum peat, some growth substrate, mesh screen for drainage tiles and gravel/carbon in the bottom to help break things down and keep it clean.

the living one was a 40g corner tank,

 

[yohann976]

I was thinking about taking the passive hydroponic route where the bottom roots literally sit in a body of water. I've had some success with this method growing various types of tropical plants. I used a water pump along with a heater to circulate the water and nutrients.

The more I think about it, the more I'm thinking about going with a drip hydroponic method. I would have to create something to elevate the substrate above the water reservoir. I still really want to use my Eco-complete, but I don't know if I would be able to prevent it from going into the water below and clogging up the water pumps.

 

[WhiteDevil]

if you use rocks as a base then a layer of window screen, plant the plants, then fill the rest around the plants it should work, For my drip systems I used 2 liter bottled, some aquarium air line and a flow regulator and had from 1 drip and hour to full open.

 

[yohann976]

that sounds great, I'll use rocks on the bottom layer and separate the eco-complete with some screen. I'm sure that a little bit of eco will fall below, but I don't think that it will be a significant amount.