Bioactive with drainage ideas

[Eric Adrignola]

I've finally hooked up the new misting system nozzles to all my cages after dragging my feet a while. The demotivator for me was that these cages were designed and built in 2004 - without the idea of a misting system in mind. So I finally decided to gradually phase out the old cages and just build temporary drainage in the cheapest, laziest possible way: wire frame shelves and plastic drop cloth funneling the water into a bucket. It works. Looks like hell, but it works.

So for the new cages, I wanted to design them around drainage. But I was also thinking of implementing a bioactive cleaning system with isopods and springtails. I've got some ideas for smaller scale cages build around plastic tubs.

Plastic tub, drainage rocks/material, screening, soil, etc. does anyone have any examples/ideas they've tried?

 

[wavingsnail]

This is what I'm also planning on doing, with a carpet of baby tears and some cork bark rounds for the isos to munch.

 

[KLowery88]

I've thought before that my set up might be good for going bioactive. Right now my cage sits on top of a utility sink with the plant pot sitting down in the sink on a stool. If I set up a false bottom with light grate and PVC to keep the drain clear, then did the typical layer of hydroton and weed cloth, then soil, I could see it working.

I have bioactive enclosures for my Crested Gecko and one of my skinks, with a clean up crew of isopods, small millipedes, springtails, and superworms. They keep everything going pretty well, though the superworms have created a breeding colony in the Crested's tank that is a bit out of control. I have to cull the beetles as they emerge or it would be a Morio beetle tank!

 

[Eric Adrignola]

I've thought before that my set up might be good for going bioactive. Right now my cage sits on top of a utility sink with the plant pot sitting down in the sink on a stool. If I set up a false bottom with light grate and PVC to keep the drain clear, then did the typical layer of hydroton and weed cloth, then soil, I could see it working.

I have bioactive enclosures for my Crested Gecko and one of my skinks, with a clean up crew of isopods, small millipedes, springtails, and superworms. They keep everything going pretty well, though the superworms have created a breeding colony in the Crested's tank that is a bit out of control. I have to cull the beetles as they emerge or it would be a Morio beetle tank!

View attachment 156691

That wouldn't be a problem. Melleri will eat those things. But superworms will eat dead animals. Would be horrible to lose a chameleon and find it writhing with superworms.

 

[KLowery88]

That wouldn't be a problem. Melleri will eat those things. But superworms will eat dead animals. Would be horrible to lose a chameleon and find it writhing with superworms.

For sure. It's why I keep a very, very close eye on my Crested for anything that looks like bites. The minute I see a hint of it, I plan on pulling everything out of the tank. I've thought about doing that anyways and reorganizing, but just haven't gotten around to it yet.

 

[Venutus1]

I've thought before that my set up might be good for going bioactive. Right now my cage sits on top of a utility sink with the plant pot sitting down in the sink on a stool. If I set up a false bottom with light grate and PVC to keep the drain clear, then did the typical layer of hydroton and weed cloth, then soil, I could see it working.

I have bioactive enclosures for my Crested Gecko and one of my skinks, with a clean up crew of isopods, small millipedes, springtails, and superworms. They keep everything going pretty well, though the superworms have created a breeding colony in the Crested's tank that is a bit out of control. I have to cull the beetles as they emerge or it would be a Morio beetle tank!

View attachment 156691

OH wow-
I like this!

Nice work and very creative KLowery88.

 

[KLowery88]

OH wow-
I like this!

Nice work and very creative KLowery88.

Thanks Todd! The quad fixture I got from you really makes sure the whole thing is nice and bright and all the plants are happy. If I do end up going bioactive it'll be even more important to the low plants covering the bottom.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I've finally hooked up the new misting system nozzles to all my cages after dragging my feet a while. The demotivator for me was that these cages were designed and built in 2004 - without the idea of a misting system in mind. So I finally decided to gradually phase out the old cages and just build temporary drainage in the cheapest, laziest possible way: wire frame shelves and plastic drop cloth funneling the water into a bucket. It works. Looks like hell, but it works.

So for the new cages, I wanted to design them around drainage. But I was also thinking of implementing a bioactive cleaning system with isopods and springtails. I've got some ideas for smaller scale cages build around plastic tubs.

Plastic tub, drainage rocks/material, screening, soil, etc. does anyone have any examples/ideas they've tried?

After a lot of thought, discussion, and procrastinating, here's what I'm going to do. I haven't received the bulkheads, so am not 100% sure everything will work as planned in my mind. Fingers crossed.

I'll have substrate pans in the cages. Sides are three solid walls. Substrate pans will have a bulkhead installed in the bottom feeding to a bucket of some sort. This is the bulkhead I'll use:

http://www.neherpetoculture.com/pumps

I believe it is the same as the bulkheads MistKing offers but 1/2 inch rather than 3/4 inch. I'll need to cut one of the wires on the wire rack to allow room.

Next, a think layer of hydroballs with weed suppression fabric over top. Then fully a 50/50 mix of a light potting soil and coco fiber.

My worry is the water will drain down the sides of the cage and miss the substrate pan altogether. The cages will be placed on a 1/2" painted plywood shelf which might have some sort of a lip on it. I'll have to think carefully about the cut-out of the plywood where the bulkhead goes through. I don't want any water to run along the wire of the shelving. The new cages I am having built will have a thick piece of plastic welded onto the three solid sides of the cage so the water that runs down the sides is stopped and ends up mostly dripping into the substrate pan and down a drain.

Another plan I have is to have the Dragonstrand cages with a bulkhead put in the bottom of the drainage pan. The substrate pans will have a hole or holes drilled in the bottom, hydroballs, weed fabrick, soil. The drainage pans are designed to take any run off from the cage edges.

I have't done. I believe I should be receiving the bulkheads any day so there isn't an excuse to keep putting it off. And, underneath it all will be rubber matting.