Bioactive enclosure

[Croninking]

As I'm preparing to order Kronin a new cage, I've been putting much more thought into the design. In my research I've come across the term "bioactive" a lot. Can someone explain to me exactly what that means and how it's executed? I've heard it helps cut down on mold and mildew. How and why is that? Sorry if all this info is in another thread. I've tried to find one but had little luck.

 

[Croninking]

*I'm planning to purchase the 30x30x60 cage from DIY cages. Can that be made bioactive?

 

[ERKleRose]

Bioactive means a live planted cage where there’s a clean-up crew, like earthworms, isopods, and springtails, in the soil, eating and turning mold, mildew, and waste into plant food for the plants. If you do get that cage size, you’ll have to make your own substrate bin or buy something that same length and width. I can link my bioactive build thread if you want. The original plans are actually that exact size with an 18” deep substrate bin!

 

[Croninking]

Bioactive means a live planted cage where there’s a clean-up crew, like earthworms, isopods, and springtails, in the soil, eating and turning mold, mildew, and waste into plant food for the plants. If you do get that cage size, you’ll have to make your own substrate bin or buy something that same length and width. I can link my bioactive build thread if you want. The original plans are actually that exact size with an 18” deep substrate bin!

So, again forgive me if this is a dumb question, that's different than having a potted plant? Is it where the whole bottom acts as the "pot"? Also, I see many pros to what you're describing. What're the cons? That link would be helpful, thanks!

 

[ERKleRose]

So, again forgive me if this is a dumb question, that's different than having a potted plant? Is it where the whole bottom acts as the "pot"? Also, I see many pros to what you're describing. What're the cons? That link would be helpful, thanks!

Here’s the thread: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/diy-double-cage-build.165557/ Yes, the whole bottom acts as the pot, along with having multiple plants and a clean-up crew. Cons are it’s more expensive, some chams, especially veileds, will each the substrate, in which you have to go back to a bare bottom cage, and and the ecosystem could crash.

 

[Jordanworks479]

So, again forgive me if this is a dumb question, that's different than having a potted plant? Is it where the whole bottom acts as the "pot"? Also, I see many pros to what you're describing. What're the cons? That link would be helpful, thanks!

I used a fabric planter on mine and fold it down so it’s about 12 inches of substrate(could be 16)With the cleanup crew your going to want “prime” the soil with the cleanup crew A month or two in advance,or setup the whole thing a month before so the whole system can get going before adding the “apex predator” springtails and isopods don’t really start reproduce for about 3 weeks roughly I’m not sure about night crawlers or red wrigglers I added those in a couple days after I put my Cham in.

Cons for me are I sometimes can’t find all the poop the night crawlers make sure of that
Tracking feeding is also harder crickets/other insects that free range might get lost forever and live out there whole lives in the viv
Substrate eating if you have a veiled
Edit:I agree with erkle it’s a bit pricey

But all these cons can be worked around.

 

[JacksJill]

If you plan on moving relocating will be more difficult. I wouldn't recommend them for people still in the nomadic stage of their life.