Bioactive Tank Tips

[sunshinebridge]

Hi! I am taking a Companion Animal Biology class at my high school and we have to do an SAE project (we stole the idea from FFA so same concept) where we get to have a cool experience with plants, animals, or the environment. I wanted to breed my geckos but they aren't old enough. SO, my next idea is a bioactive tank. I would give one gecko a bioactive one and the other would stay the same with just paper towel substrate and store bought hides and water dishes along with some fake plants. I have been looking at the Bio Dude website and YouTube channel but I was wondering if anyone thinks it would be possible to make a bioactive terrarium with a 10 gallon aquarium instead of a vivarium. Also do I need to use a special blend of soils or can I make my own somehow for a cheaper price? If anyone has any tips for a bioactive setup on a budget please let me know.

 

[swimmerfishified]

Well, for your terrarium, you should use dirt, moss, and leaves. If you're looking for stuff like that, You should use Eco Earth products, they are pretty cheap. I found a lot of information on The Bio Dude. I found a lot of tips you can find there on his website. I'm not an expert on this, but I tried doing some research so I hope the information I gave to you helps. Good luck on your project!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I see you've found this link.

Creating a Bioactive Leopard Gecko Setup - Gecko Time - Gecko Time

 

[sunshinebridge]

Elizabeth,
I did look at that link and I thought that the article explained everything really well but I was just looking for some extra information. It's really hard to find articles about bioactive setups for leopard geckos that are really easy to follow!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi! I am taking a Companion Animal Biology class at my high school and we have to do an SAE project (we stole the idea from FFA so same concept) where we get to have a cool experience with plants, animals, or the environment. I wanted to breed my geckos but they aren't old enough. SO, my next idea is a bioactive tank. I would give one gecko a bioactive one and the other would stay the same with just paper towel substrate and store bought hides and water dishes along with some fake plants. I have been looking at the Bio Dude website and YouTube channel but I was wondering if anyone thinks it would be possible to make a bioactive terrarium with a 10 gallon aquarium instead of a vivarium. Also do I need to use a special blend of soils or can I make my own somehow for a cheaper price? If anyone has any tips for a bioactive setup on a budget please let me know.

Elizabeth,
I did look at that link and I thought that the article explained everything really well but I was just looking for some extra information. It's really hard to find articles about bioactive setups for leopard geckos that are really easy to follow!

10 gallon tanks really lack the space for your experiment. I recommend a couple 20 long enclosures (30 x 12 x 12 inches high). That way you'll be able to judge more clearly the long term benefits of bioactive enclosures. Soon your leos will need upgrades anyway.

Big Box stores frequently have $-per-gallon sales.

Are you sure of their sexes?

Have you seen these?
Leo Ziggy's Bioactive Enclosure......Jessica Johnson -- August 2017
Click: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1S2b893gzI&feature=youtu.be

http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...bioactive-2-9-march-2017-jessica-johnson.html

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

Buy a pre-mixed bioactive substrate by Arcadia (or Biodude, though I don't have any experience with this brand) and you are good to go. The bottom layer should consist of clay balls and a bit of the bioactive substrate. Top layer is just the bioactive substrate (so, the flooring is two layers). Put some live plants in it (Dracaena and Sempervivum works really great). Adding springtails and woodlice is optional, though recommended. You should provide some light for the plants, neodymium bulbs work the best.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

3 layers are recommended for humidity loving geckos, but not for leopard geckos at all. Otherwise the soil will mix with the clay balls when watered.

• hydroton clay balls
• then mesh like Easy Gardener WeedBlock Landscape Fabric to separate the layers and prevent them from mixing
  
• then soil, fine grade orchid bark, or Eco Earth's coco fiber for the topmost layer

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

2 layers are more than enough for a leopard gecko terrarium, considering you are using a pre-mixed bioactive substrate (good quality one). Clay balls don't get mixed up with the soil when watered at all. I got 3 bioactive terrariums and it works really well this way. My geckos thrive more than ever.
Regular soil with orchid bark and coco fiber stays humid waaaay too long. That's just not good for leopard geckos whatsoever.

 

[CheshireGleam]

I use coco fiber for my leopard gecko and it works great. It's recommended to let it dry out awhile before using it for a leopard gecko so just prepare it in advance if you're using it. The Eco Earth my leopard gecko is on is bone dry now, as is the rest of his tank, aside from his humid hide. Good thing there's lots of substrate options though to suit preferences.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Click: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...jessica-johnson-11-dec-2017-a.html#post482378

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

I use coco fiber for my leopard gecko and it works great. It's recommended to let it dry out awhile before using it for a leopard gecko so just prepare it in advance if you're using it. The Eco Earth my leopard gecko is on is bone dry now, as is the rest of his tank, aside from his humid hide. Good thing there's lots of substrate options though to suit preferences.

There is nothing bioactive about pure bone dry coco fiber..

 

[CheshireGleam]

Never said anything of the sort, my point was that dry coco fiber is okay to use for leopard geckos as a substrate option. It could be used for a bio active setup if it isn't too moistened and has the proper components that go into a bio active substrate, but I wouldn't know since I've never tried it.

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

I personally wouldn't use coco fiber (at least not too much of it) in a bioactive substrate made for a leopard gecko. It screws up the texture and holds too much moisture. I used to use pure eco earth as a substrate, but bioactive soil is much better (practically and aesthetically).