Hi All!

I am almost done with getting the materials to set up my terrarium!
I want to go get my plants tonight, I was wondering if I have to use soil or can I get away with just using bed-a-beast? I will use terra cotta pellets if I can get them, then landscaping paper then the substrate. I am using the K.I.S.S. Method for now and when I set up a larger terrarium later I will venture into making my own water feature, right now I bought the exo terra medium water fall.
Any way I will get pics when I have it all set up.
TIA!

Ok, I'm new here....what is the K.I.S.S. method????

Steve

"Keep it Simple Stupid" LOL!

I guess it depends what you're planning to keep in the terrarium. I use terrarium soil in my Brazilian Rainbow Boa and BP terrariums and ceramic hydroponic pellets (Hydroculture) in the Green Tree Python terrarium.

__________________
Andrea

I am going to be keeping Cresteds in my terrarium with tropical plants. I went and bought some yesterday as well as some plastic landscaping cloth, They didn't have clay pellets. If I can't find any I will buy a couple terra cotta pots and bust them up to put in the bottom for drainage.
I only have Bed-a-Beast for substrate right now.

when I had my anoles I used playsand, then potting soil then bed a beast, watered well and it was great without mold worries I had the female lay eggs(nothing came of them) and it looked great with plants and sticks etc. the male would eat out of my hand it was great. anyway good luck.

Thank you diggy, That sounds like the easiest and the best way to do it to me.
That was my Main concern, mold and possibly having to tear it apart in a few months. Did you use anything to seperate the substrates?

Hey Magik,
You need to read this thread! http://www.herpcenter.com/showthread...0&page=1&pp=10
It has some really good info on different substrates in your Terrarium and how to help both herps and plants florish, I personally dont use a substrate divider, (you really dont need to if you do it right) and mold shouldnt be a problem as long youre "turning the top soil every so often and not overwatering, Im really into Viviariums and so is Cody (chronicfatigue) so let me know if you have any questions!

__________________
-Ron

If Im not back in five minutes...just wait longer!
-Ace Ventura

Thank you! I have read that thread several times I just read it again and now I think I got a clue LOL.
Reading Chronic's post If I read it right I don't need Soil just the bed-a-beast and some tree fern fiber with a drainage layer. I am just a little leery of using Dirt for some reason. I guess because I worry about pesticides or fertilizers and, those **** little flies that seem to come with dirt or sphangum moss.

Sorry Guys I seem to keep asking silly questions even after reading what you send me. I just want to make sure I am doing things right and not going to have a disaster after I get my Crested Geckos.

Not knowing what bed-a-beast is (never saw that on sale here) I'll just say that if you plan to add live plants, you should have some soil because you can compact it a lot around the roots and plant, giving it some stability.

__________________
Wish list: Blue Tongue Skinks and Uruplatus =)