So I finally finished my very first terrarium! It was an amateur job from someone who built everything from scratch, then it was purchased by someone else who was also a first timer and also did everything from scratch, now I'm the 3rd owner who is also an amateur. I had to separate the top from the bottom stand, dig all the dirt and rocks out, detach the tree like thing from the left side, pull the fabric mesh piece out, dump the charcoal out of the tray, then have home depot cut blocks out of their scrap wood to put under the tray. Then I scrubbed all the surfaces that were getting siliconed with a literal toothbrush and a rubbing alcohol/dish soap water spray and wash cloth. Then I siliconed the tray onto the top, filled it with charcoal, then mesh, then dirt, used an adhesive foam to attach the tree to a stump to lift it and to the side of the terrarium as well as to attach cholla wood to all 3 sides so my dart froggies can climb almost all the way up, which one has already tested 😆 next I added plants to it. About 1/3 of the plants came from the previous owner but all but the few orchids that were attached to the tree thing had to be added back in because the previous owner took everything out and put them in little plastic cups. Then I made two rock caves, one on each side, gave them a log to hide under, and found that one of the huge logs left behind by the previous owner had a perfect hiding spot in the bottom/base (it was in the 5 gallon with the frogs that the previous owner had put them in and I thought the frogs had somehow pulled some "escape from alcatraz" type sh** because I could not find them! I picked up the log for a better look and the 2 frogs fell out the bottom and only 1 landed in the aquarium. That guy is a trouble maker all the way around 😒😂 oh! And I added springtails and some isopods though I think the isopods may have gotten out during all this because I put them in before I knew exactly how big of a project this was going to be… I'm have to try again with them now. Finally, I added some moss I got from a little reptile store near me, I'm really hoping it takes and fills in all the gaps. I'm letting it get some good light to try and get it going since it was dry when I got it, but after it takes I'm going to give these froggy bois lots of leaf litter (I have like 60 houseplants so leaf litter is NOT a problem 😅).
I have a fog machine I got from the previous owner but it only runs for a few minutes before it gets a bunch of water in the hose that clogs it up, then I have to shake the water out. Any ideas on how to fix that?
Any suggestions or advice? About the frogs or the terrarium? Or the buggies? I appreciate any guidance 🙏
by arya_ur_on_stage