An Update on my Bioactive Build

[Jevin]

Well, I just had to post this as I was checking out my bioactive build, I got the best surprise ever! I have baby Dairy Cow Isopods! Everything has established itself for certain now! Sorry for the poor image quality, the little one was zooming!

 

[Snuits]

but that's cool! Glad it's working out.

 

[Jevin]

Also I have new growth on every plant in there! It's changed quite a bit since initial setup! This was upon initial setup:

Versus now:

 

[AmandaS]

You did SUCH a good job!! It's lovely!

 

[Snuits]

That looks amazing. Soo good. I'm jelly. I got my cage today & I'm trying but I'm struggling lol

 

[AnamCara]

Wonderful cage. I love it.

 

[wanabthemoon]

wow! looks amazing... what tank is that? it isn't one that I recognize.
How are you adding/maintaining ventilation with the glass doors?

 

[Jevin]

wow! looks amazing... what tank is that? it isn't one that I recognize.
How are you adding/maintaining ventilation with the glass doors?

It's actually a custom built enclosure that I drew the plans out for, and got a local company to produce. I can break the cage down for transport if needed. As for ventilation, there are slots cut out and the positioning of the heat lamp produces a chimney effect. The entire top is screen and all the sides have slots to allow for airflow. I may have over designed the enclosure a bit.

 

[Jevin]

On a related note, I'm planning on doing a smoke test on the enclosure soon to see how air flows through it.

 

[Jevin]

I am a little worried that I haven't seen any mushrooms pop up yet, but they might in due time. Might add in a bioactive booster pack just to make sure. Although the lack of mushrooms could just be they haven't fruited yet.

 

[Sonny13]

Stunning enclosure, great job

 

[Jevin]

Actually, I have a quick question. The drainage water, which is still a dark red brown, can I recycle it through the setup to ensure that the mycelium is present? I'll post a picture of the drainage water when I get home from work. I did add a mycelium pack to it upon initial setup.

 

[Jevin]

Well, in doing reading on bioactive builds, because I didn't create an artificial water table, my setup runs a bit differently than most. I don't get creating an artificial water table as typically the water table is quite a ways below the surface of the ground, with acceptions based on geography, geology and gravitational differences. I'm going to look more into the natural environment for panther chameleons.

 

[Sonny13]

Check this thread and then #24 https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/semi-free-range-bio-active-enclosure.181567/page-2

To be honest, in all 3 of my bioactive setups, I never needed the drain. I think because using a fogger, my misting sessions aren´t that long and it looks like the amount of water I mist is used by the plants. Both plants are thriving and the chams are good hydrated. If you create the perfect balance between dosing and absorption, you get a full self-sustaining ecosystem.

 

[Jevin]

Alright, so no recycling, looking up the hydrogeology of Madagascar though, the setup I have should mimic it pretty well. Just a bit worried I haven't seen any mushrooms yet, however the plant growth would indicate that I've got fungus in the substrate.

 

[Sonny13]

I noticed the first mushrooms after 3 months and then disappeared again. I had several kinds.

 

[Jevin]

I noticed the first mushrooms after 3 months and then disappeared again. I had several kinds.

So basically just patience then.

 

[Sonny13]

So basically just patience then.

I think so

 

[Thatcher]

That looks amazing. Soo good. I'm jelly. I got my cage today & I'm trying but I'm struggling lol

Fear not I shall build it!

 

[Jevin]

Well, I did a smoke test and the enclosure definitely doesn't have issues with airflow. It's not rapid airflow, but it's definitely not stagnant either. The smoke entered the ventilation slots and was dissipated pretty quickly.