Quick Bioactive Question

This question is mainly for anyone currently using a bioactive setup with a BP, though anyone's input is welcomed.

With a bioactive setup, you need a bit deeper layer of substrate. I understand you use the overhead for the heat. But, you can't really use the surface heat with a pad or UTH, obviously. I was of the belief that you need the little basking area below with the hotter temps. This not necessary?

As long as you have a Basking of 88-91 it doesnt matter how you get it. I use Radiant Heat Panels. On one side its 90 and the other side about 10 degrees less. But make sure you measure the temps down low.
It can be a lot colder at the substrate if you have a 24"-30"H tank heated from above. :gj:
(Is that what you were asking bro?)

Maybe I'm misunderstanding. So, one side is 90, the other 80... got that. The bottom though, like you said, will be colder, no heat source on the bottom. Don't you want a heat source for the bottom, with the hide over it?

If one side is 90 you dont need belly heat.

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Originally Posted by CharlesMTF

Maybe I'm misunderstanding. So, one side is 90, the other 80... got that. The bottom though, like you said, will be colder, no heat source on the bottom. Don't you want a heat source for the bottom, with the hide over it?

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No Belly heat isnt needed, any heat that will give the cold blooded animal a body temp of 90 Hot Spot and a cool spot of 80.
When I say the temp will be cooler down low im saying measure your temps low where the snake lives not up hight. I have my thermometer Probe measuring temps 4" above the substrate.. 90 one side 80 the other..

the old expression "there are more ways than one to skin a cat" comes to mind. I've had a bio-active set up for my rainbow boa for 2.5 years with great success, probably due at least in part to a generous serving of luck. I struggled initially to find a way to provide heat inside a closed enclosure (no screen). all forms of overhead heat readily available in the pet trade are overkill and cause humidity/heat balance issues for a snake that prefers moderate warmth and moderate to high moisture. for desert snakes and lizards, no problem, screen tops and heat lamps are the way to go, but IMHO, not so good for a BP or other moisture dependent critters. a huge % of the threads on this forum are, one way or another, related to finding solutions to this struggle.

I prefer front entry enclosures to help regulate temp and humidity, they provide a thermal daming effect. providing any sort of hot spot with a front entry set up is difficult because you have no reasonable/safe way to mount a light bulb or CHE inside a closed top, relatively sealed, enclosure. add a thick substrate for a bio-active set up and your options for bottom mounted heat sources narrow as well.

trapping heat and moisture comes with perils that one must keep in mind. heat encapsulation can lead to run away thermal situations, burns and ultimately fire, so you have to account for that, a reliable thermostat is a must. lowering ventilation to conserve heat and moisture can lead to mold and or anaerobic bacteria and their toxic byproducts, so you have to account for that (I like cypress mulch because it holds up well over time and has a natural anti mold component). so why use a blow torch when you can use a candle? the various heat tapes/heat panels/UTH options when combined with a thermostat seem to offer the best combination of controllable heat, IMHO. the fine members of this forum do a good job promoting various heat tape/UTH/thermostat options that I have found very helpful.

with a bio-active set up for BP's, it appears to me that you are venturing somewhat into uncharted, or less charted territory but it has distinct advantages and some appeal to the biology/ecology minded.

for the hot spot, I would suggest either going under tank or finding a safe way to place a heat source inside. for under tank, using a temp gun to fine tune the temp in part by making the substrate as thin as needed in that place, and placing a hide over it, periodically checking on the temp and watching moisture. a sweet spot is attainable. you can periodically move droppings to the deeper substrate. you will need to increase the temp of the surface under the substrate above what is ideal, should your BP burrow down and contact the glass. there are differing opinions about whether that is a good practice or not, but I believe if you monitor this and use a thermostat, that you reasonably reduce the risk of burns/overheated snake. setting this up toward a side of the enclosure also leaves open the possibility of side mounting more flexwatt tape or an UTH, but that will also need a probe. Herpstat/spyder robotics offers a very elegant way to control multiple probes independently while minimizing spikes in temp. there is one other scenario that I have recently been experimenting with as well, and that is using an UTH on a thick pain of glass for the ceiling of the hide. I've started with a wooden box for my juvenile red foot tortoise, removed most of the top and mounted an UTH to a pain of glass with a probe affixed to it's back, facing down. In a snake enclosure this will need further shielding to prevent direct skin contact from above when the snake climbs on top of the hide, which is easy to do with silicone spacers and a second pain of glass or plexi, leaving room for ventilation so that if/when the thermostat fails, thermal runaway is prevented. look in my gallery if you want to see my DIY UTH set up... so far I'm liking it. I've been tweeking the design for about 2.5 years and I've used it in hermit crab set ups, turtle set ups and snake enclosures. I've run the design by zoo med tecs and the owner of herpstat and taken cautions into consideration.

another moderate heat source is LED lighting. I hang my LED set up, a finnex planted +, using suction cups from above to avoid using adhesive inside the ensclosure. it will create a thermo cline in the tank, heat the glass and radiate some heat downward, but hasn't caused over heating issues so far for me, not even a heat spike in the hides because the probes simply adjust the heat there accordingly. having LED grow lights of some sort allows for adding things like pathos vines (not much else seems to thrive with snakes that trample and turn over substrate). plants do two things that help with a bio-active set up that I'm aware of, they harbor good bacteria and symbiotic mycorhizae, especially in their roots (helps keep things aerobic) and they absorb nitrogenous compounds created by snake dropping decomposition. This has worked really well with my BRB and I'm curious and cautious about how well it will work for my BP's. I use cypress mulch as a base and basically pot the plants and spot feed with organic fertilizer. you can use the mulch to hide the pots for a more scaped look.

to retain heat, I use thermal mass (thick cut glass/ sometimes rock slab above etc) and insulation around the outside. so far, it's not very sexy looking, a bit more like a NASA space project, but it seems to be doing the job quite nicely.

One last thought on my venturing into the bio-active approach so far is about controlling mites. the only practical way to control mites in a bio-active set up is to be OCD about preventing them, as it's very challenging to get rid of them once they occur. I would start with sterilizing the enclosure, freezing the substrate and perhaps even pre-treating the snake, at least with olive oil, maybe even quarentining the snake for a bit prior to adding it to the "biodome". tissue cultured plants are the best for avoiding mites. contact folks like Josh's frogs for sourcing plants that are free of mites. I've done planted aquariums and have had a hell of a time controlling microbes that come in on plants, so I have become a bit more hard core in this respect.

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Originally Posted by rdoyle

If one side is 90 you dont need belly heat.

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Originally Posted by Mr Sully

No Belly heat isnt needed, any heat that will give the cold blooded animal a body temp of 90 Hot Spot and a cool spot of 80.

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Got it now. Thank you.

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Originally Posted by Slither Seeker

...the only practical way to control mites in a bio-active set up is to be OCD about preventing them...

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I thought the little buggers that are already in the bioactive takes care of the mites. Would suck to take apart the tank and sterilize, after its all set up and working.

Overall... I like the sound of "bioactive". I'm sure its attractive to most people... when it works the way its intended. So, as I get ready to get my first BP, I'm going to set up a regular enclosure (NON-bioactive), the way I've been reading here, generally following the Glass Enclosure Setup instructions. After I get a better idea, and experience under the belt of caring for a BP, and getting better at tank parameters, then I'm going to probably setup something a bit nicer. If I convince myself enough to do it, maybe I will start a bioactive on the side, with no pets, just to slowly take my time and get it working. And, if it works, I can move the snake in there. This, only after the main tank is working and the ball is comfortable in his new surroundings. Tanks are not an issue. I have glass tanks. Though, ultimately, I'd like to get a T8. Space for putting the tanks, THAT is the issue. 48x24 is a bit hard... 36x18 is not... that's the glass I'm gong to start with. But, I WILL find a spot for the T8... don't know where yet, but I will.

Actually... here's a question... two questions really...

Coming from the fish/aquarium hobby, I equate setting up the bioactive tank to "cycling a fish tank" before the fish go in. If I set up the bioactive, I would probably give it some time to finish "cycling" before I put the snake in. How long does it take for the tank to be ready for breaking everything down? 1 week? 2 weeks? more?

And, second... how do you KNOW its ready, without having a snake in there?

the best way to cycle a fish tank is dosing with amonia before the fish are added. you could get things going by adding nutrients but I don't know of any set time or system. it's a less common approach with reptiles in general and perhaps even less with BP's since morphs and breeding seem to be so popular. folks seem to go for the simpler and more controlable approach since they are often dealing with large collections.

I'm curious about an update/success? I've setup a few bio active tanks for my Crested/Gargoyle Geckos and dying to set one up for my BP's but having the same issue as you. Searching online I come up with zero solutions regarding heat. The UTH would would actually interfere with the plants (no plants on that side) in addition to the glass tank (In my case my Exo front open tanks) would IMMEDIATELY CRACK if any water (from daily misting for plants/clean up crew) drained downward; which is the entire purpose of the drainage layer. I'm 100% correct on that statement because it happened with my initial set up attempt (bottom cracked immediately upon misting the tank). Also pick you plants correctly- Bromeliads are standard for geckos but BP's would trample. Snake tongue plants are a good choice but then again they grow tall and BP tanks are often low height etc... I'm definitely looking forward to your updates and any further advice from the community

This is an older thread, but I'll add my perspective in case the OP gets back to it. I don't have a BP, but I've kept both a king and a corn in planted tanks for over a year. I also keep fish.

I think "bio-active" is a misnomer when it comes to relative large animals in standard size glass enclosures. The term works better for smaller animals like dart frogs, whose waste is so small, that the usual clean up crew of spring tails, pill bugs, earth worms and microbes can break it down efficiently. A snake enclosure will still require cleaning - the piles are too big, and the contaminated area should be removed as soon as the waste is detected.

I know of no critters that will effectively fight snake mites. IIRC, according to Vosjoli (and agree with slither seeker), one must simply prevent their introduction in the first place. I expect the only way to eradicate them would be to entirely dump the tank contents, and start over with the usual miteicide protocol.

I would not liken the planted enclosure exactly to "cycling" a fish tank. You are not so much concerned with the microflora establishing in a planted viv, as you are getting the plants to root securely enough to withstand a heavy BP. I introduced both my slender smaller animals as soon as the transplants were in.

My heat sources are radiant heat panels at the ceiling, and UTH heat pads that are inside the tank, not underneath. This placement is "off label," so to speak, so do so at your own risk. However, I don't see why my t-stat controlled heaters pose any extra danger. they are attached to a underside slab of stryofoam set on top of the substrate for a hide. The snake crawls under the styrofoam and gets back heat. This arrangement does make for an extra cord that has to exit the enclosure in some way, easy if you have an Exo-terra, less easy if you have the standard Zilla screen tops on a tank. We keep a VERY cold house in the winter (sometimes 55F) which is why I run two heat sources when it is could. Summers, I just run the UTH's.

Hope that helps.

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Originally Posted by distaff

This is an older thread, but I'll add my perspective in case the OP gets back to it. I don't have a BP, but I've kept both a king and a corn in planted tanks for over a year. I also keep fish.

I think "bio-active" is a misnomer when it comes to relative large animals in standard size glass enclosures. The term works better for smaller animals like dart frogs, whose waste is so small, that the usual clean up crew of spring tails, pill bugs, earth worms and microbes can break it down efficiently. A snake enclosure will still require cleaning - the piles are too big, and the contaminated area should be removed as soon as the waste is detected.

I know of no critters that will effectively fight snake mites. IIRC, according to Vosjoli (and agree with slither seeker), one must simply prevent their introduction in the first place. I expect the only way to eradicate them would be to entirely dump the tank contents, and start over with the usual miteicide protocol.

I would not liken the planted enclosure exactly to "cycling" a fish tank. You are not so much concerned with the microflora establishing in a planted viv, as you are getting the plants to root securely enough to withstand a heavy BP. I introduced both my slender smaller animals as soon as the transplants were in.

My heat sources are radiant heat panels at the ceiling, and UTH heat pads that are inside the tank, not underneath. This placement is "off label," so to speak, so do so at your own risk. However, I don't see why my t-stat controlled heaters pose any extra danger. they are attached to a underside slab of stryofoam set on top of the substrate for a hide. The snake crawls under the styrofoam and gets back heat. This arrangement does make for an extra cord that has to exit the enclosure in some way, easy if you have an Exo-terra, less easy if you have the standard Zilla screen tops on a tank. We keep a VERY cold house in the winter (sometimes 55F) which is why I run two heat sources when it is could. Summers, I just run the UTH's.

Hope that helps.

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Great reply- So you don't think Isopods AND springtails would breakdown the poop? I thought it would be too much but then read elsewhere that the combo actually does well breaking it down so I'm curious. Hoping the original OP will update. I like your "off" suggestion but one of my BP actually enjoys climbing while the other prefers burrowing so I'm going with overheat lamp. Still trying to figure out low sturdy plants since normally BP tank is 18" height and not willing to spend another few hundred on new tank just to accommodate new plants :)

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Originally Posted by LiveBreatheAdapt

Hoping the original OP will update.

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I am definitely inclined to try the bioactive setup. However, its going to be some time. Originally, I had (still have actually) a 20 gallon long glass tank. I was going to set that up, and that would of been for the juvie bp I will get soon. But, like a dog salivating at the site of a juicy red T-bone steak, I too had that feeling whenever I read about the Animal Plastics T8. So, I ordered the T8 awhile ago and am awaiting delivery. The wife, who still thinks it won't be so bad for me to have a 20 gallon tank with a ball python in it will, well, probably go rabid. But, that's ok. It'll work out with her. :)

With that said, I'll have a divider in the T8 initially, with a bp on one side and probably a MKB on the other. After they get bigger, that T8 in full will house one of them. Meanwhile... the bioactive tank...

While the T8 serves its function as intended, I will probably set up a bioactive glass tank, just without snakes. I'll get everything right (or hope to do so), and just play with the idea. Maybe I'll put something else in there (non-snakes). It'll be an experiment. I know many have said the bioactive isn't for bp's, and I respect that... especially since my experience is, well, not there... I am just learning. I'll play with the bugs going in, the substrate, tough plants, lights (for the plants), heating, etc. Hopefully it'll work.

If not, I'll throw my sons' hermit crabs in there, and call it a day!

Will keep you all posted. And, please, any comments or updates of your own, please post.

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Originally Posted by LiveBreatheAdapt

Great reply- So you don't think Isopods AND springtails would breakdown the poop? I thought it would be too much but then read elsewhere that the combo actually does well breaking it down so I'm curious. Hoping the original OP will update. I like your "off" suggestion but one of my BP actually enjoys climbing while the other prefers burrowing so I'm going with overheat lamp. Still trying to figure out low sturdy plants since normally BP tank is 18" height and not willing to spend another few hundred on new tank just to accommodate new plants :)

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It is not that that they can't break it down eventually, but just how long do you want that dirty pile of poop to sit around while you wait for the bugs to do their thing? I don't think the pillbugs and springtails are a bad idea in a snake encolsure, I just don't think they aren't necessary if the keeper cleans up the waste. I clean waste piles as soon as I find them. Add the detritovores if you like them (and they can take care of any tiny bits that get missed), I didn't simply because I didn't want to spend the money.

English ivy, and potos can probably withstand a BP. I also have a short version of Sanseveria that would work with a low ceiling (the pointy leaves of Sans. can be almost thorny at the tip - be sure to trim them if necessary).

CharlesMTF, I started with some practice plant-only terrariums too. I also experimented with a planted tray that I could insert in the snake enclosure, but also remove if the plantings didn't work out (those first ones didn't - one thing I learned was that the King would just bulldoze under any moss I had growing).

There is another current thread that comes and goes about bio-active. If you haven't come across it, it is worth a read too. The short form is, IMHO, a min. one inch bottom drainage layer is absolutely necessary (gravel, leica, hydroballs, or matalla filter covered with regular fiberglass window screen), and also, spend the money for a quality substrate to plant in. Garden soil and compost are good amendments for the substrate, but should not be a large portion of the substrate. You really need an ABG (Atlantic Botanical Gardens) type of light fluffy mixture. I like NewEnglandHerpetoculture's version. That will probably be the most expensive part of the build.

I would build this with the MBK in mind, not the BP. That said, I know of at least two other members (active recently??) who have BP's in planted enclosures. One person, I can't remember, but IIRC, Snake Judy is the other.

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Originally Posted by LiveBreatheAdapt

Great reply- So you don't think Isopods AND springtails would breakdown the poop? I thought it would be too much but then read elsewhere that the combo actually does well breaking it down so I'm curious. Hoping the original OP will update. I like your "off" suggestion but one of my BP actually enjoys climbing while the other prefers burrowing so I'm going with overheat lamp. Still trying to figure out low sturdy plants since normally BP tank is 18" height and not willing to spend another few hundred on new tank just to accommodate new plants :)

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I can say that I have not removed a dropping from the vivarium of my 5 ft BRB in over a year. yes the droppings are large, but they remain remarkably innocuous and break down to soil. the tank doesn't smell, the plants are growing like wild and the snake is very healthy. it is a relatively large, multi layered environment and the snake does have like 5 different places it likes to hang out (2 hides, below the false bottoms that is consists of pebbles, above the false bottom but below the substrate layer as well as on top of the substrate layer). I have yet to venture into setting up such a vivarium for my BP's but I am curious if something like this will work for them. their humidity requirements and droppings are quite different from my BRB, so I don't know if it can work, with big girthey snakes that produce a lot of waste, it may be a matter of making the enclosure large enough to handle the load, but that may turn out to be unrealistic. I think calling what I'm doing "bio-active" may not be what people are referring to, I've gone all in with grow lights and have some experience with terrariums/vivariums and fish tanks to help me walk the tight rope. Early on the whole thing went anaerobic before I installed a false bottom and I had to start over... I almost gave up but I'm glad I didn't. I suspect that with a full grown BP that a successful eco-dome (for lack of a better term) would have to be maybe twice the size of my current BRB vivarium, which is about 55 gallons, so maybe more like 100 gallons and would need a more extensive grow light to drive the plant mass needed to soak up that much nitrogen and propagate the necessary micro-biome. I'm just not sure if this forum is the right place to get into this too deeply, it seems that some people hold strongly to their prescribed way of doing things and are quick to cut people down if they find something to point out. I realize some folks get pretty freaked out by the idea that you could actually create a relatively contained ecosystem that can handle raw waste. being able to do it in a way that does not endanger the animal comes down to your ability to monitor biological process and know what to look for and it's a bit of a no mans land.

One thing that I know for sure regarding the UTH (which is why I'm glad most agreed overhead heat is ok)- 100% your bottom tank will Crack if utilizing live plants. Why? You must mist the plants daily and the moment water hits the UTH "heated" glass CRACK! I found out when my daughter tipped the water dish and literally only a few drops hit that area and the tank now has a huge Crack. I ended up using aquarium grade silicone to ensure it was safe in case my BP burrows... figured i share my experience. So when i do convert to live i definitely will not be using UTH under the glass. Nice post BTW and appreciate the OP replying to us 👍

not a problem if you place it on a pane of glass and put it on the inside, closer to the surface. I use this for belly heat for our BP's and overhead heat for our red foot tortoise. I am definitely outside anything the manufacturer recommends but it's been working great in one of my tanks for 2.5 years. Zoo Med's seems to be able to handle getting pretty wet.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...2/img_8200.jpg

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Originally Posted by LiveBreatheAdapt

One thing that I know for sure regarding the UTH (which is why I'm glad most agreed overhead heat is ok)- 100% your bottom tank will Crack if utilizing live plants. Why? You must mist the plants daily and the moment water hits the UTH "heated" glass CRACK! I found out when my daughter tipped the water dish and literally only a few drops hit that area and the tank now has a huge Crack. I ended up using aquarium grade silicone to ensure it was safe in case my BP burrows... figured i share my experience. So when i do convert to live i definitely will not be using UTH under the glass. Nice post BTW and appreciate the OP replying to us 👍

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All good info, thanks. If I try this, it'll be in a glass tank, as the T8 is definitely not the right enclosure for this. Plenty of glass tanks lying around, so will play with that.

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Originally Posted by Slither Seeker

...droppings are quite different from my BRB...

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Is the BRB poop not as much as a bp? Just curious, have no idea.

I run bio-active substrate for all of my reptiles. My biggest big-active cage is for my Tegu. While there are times that I do spot clean, the majority of the waste is broken down rather quickly by all the little bugs in there. That being said my cage is 8x4x4 with 2ft of dirt in it, so I did have to load it with a ton of worms, springtails, isopods, etc. In addition I throw wood leaves in there and plant grass every year, so there is a lot going on.

I haven't kept either species, but I expect the BRB enclosure would have higher humidity than would be ideal for a BP, and I think that would help break stuff down quickly. My enclosures have just enough moisture to keep the plants going, and while there is compost in the mix, there doesn't seem to be much active composting going on (not like a compost pile or worm bin, anyway). Also, the layers I've used are fairly thin. The leica "false bottom" drainage layer was laid down at 1 1/2 inches, and the growing substrate was originally 3-4 inches, but has since packed down/broken down a bit. (Slither Seeker, I am not trying to cut anyone down if that is how it came across. I just wanted to provide helpful advice based on my own experience. You obviously know what you are doing!)

Smell to me, is the best indicator if spot cleaning is needed. If the viv is stinky, I start searching for the source. If it smells fresh and woodsey, I don't worry about it.

Both of my tanks started with similar materials and plants, but they developed very differently. I think that is part of the fun of them.

no offense taken, I think i was still a little wrankled by a comment by someone else on another thread and some of that probably came through, it kind of "messed with my zen thing", to borrow a phrase from Tron. it's kind of hard to know what to make of some people's comments when they are obviously quite experienced and adamant about their being only one right way to do something, that I know for a fact many other people do differently and have success with. I guess it's time for me to go burn some incense and do some more yoga, LOL!

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Originally Posted by distaff

I haven't kept either species, but I expect the BRB enclosure would have higher humidity than would be ideal for a BP, and I think that would help break stuff down quickly. My enclosures have just enough moisture to keep the plants going, and while there is compost in the mix, there doesn't seem to be much active composting going on (not like a compost pile or worm bin, anyway). Also, the layers I've used are fairly thin. The leica "false bottom" drainage layer was laid down at 1 1/2 inches, and the growing substrate was originally 3-4 inches, but has since packed down/broken down a bit. (Slither Seeker, I am not trying to cut anyone down if that is how it came across. I just wanted to provide helpful advice based on my own experience. You obviously know what you are doing!)

Smell to me, is the best indicator if spot cleaning is needed. If the viv is stinky, I start searching for the source. If it smells fresh and woodsey, I don't worry about it.

Both of my tanks started with similar materials and plants, but they developed very differently. I think that is part of the fun of them.

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Okay, I've run bioactive for years and I'll address some of the misconceptions here.

Reptile mites will not thrive in an enclosure without a snake, so if for some reason you do get reptile mites, simply move the snake over to a different enclosure and treat, get rid of the mites, then put the snake back in. You're not going to introduce reptile mites by collecting stuff from the woods. However, I still advise a bit of caution because of pesticides and what not.

I get oak leaves from my yard, but I still rinse/soak them to make sure they're clean, then I bake them. I do this because I originally ordered all my microfauna online and have cultures. I breed my own springtails & isopods. If you did have to take your snake out because of mites, you can just make sure the microfauna in the enclosure have stuff to eat. I'm not going to get into too much detail with this though.

Anyways, I run 3-3.5 inches of substrate in my bioactive tanks, I use a mixture of 100% organic garden soil(Lowes), majestic earth 100% organic spaghnum peat moss(Lowes) and quikrete play sand(Lowes). Now with maintaining humidity you don't want to keep the soil soggy, however spraying it will not reach the bottom layers unless you water it and then you can run into more issues. So spraying is fine. However when I'm filling the water bowl in the enclosures, I over fill it and let it run into the bottom of the enclosure. When I used exo-terra tanks I put a layer of rocks in the bottom and this way I let standing water sit on the rock layer as this helps the best with humidity. With my PVC enclosures I don't do this because I can't see the bottom layer. Now this isn't the best way to setup if you're wanting to run live plants. If you want do to that then you need a bit thicker layer, and you can put the clay balls or growstones on the bottom, with that black garden stuff over them, then you can do your substrate.

The snake fecal matter is broken down before I even notice it, so whoever said waiting for poop to be broken down obviously has 0 experience with bioactive. The reason you run isopods & springtails is because each have their own way of cleaning.

Springtails eat rotting, organic matter, decaying matter, mold.

Isopods don't eat mold, they eat rotting/decaying stuff as well. They are more or less your terrestrial bugs.

I mix oak leaves into the substrate as well and even put some on top, so everything has food they can eat.

Neal, it seems like you and a few others have it down-packed. I like that. And, I hope to eventually try it and succeed. It also looks like its harder to accomplish in a PVC enclosure vs say a glass or exo-terra tank. All interesting. Can't wait to start playing with this stuff.

Neal, excellent post! I hope to see more folks "come out of the closet" and share their experience on this matter with us!

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Originally Posted by CharlesMTF

Neal, it seems like you and a few others have it down-packed. I like that. And, I hope to eventually try it and succeed. It also looks like its harder to accomplish in a PVC enclosure vs say a glass or exo-terra tank. All interesting. Can't wait to start playing with this stuff.

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Not so much harder to accomplish, but you can't see beneath the top level so it's hard to gauge how damp it is under there or if you need to get water there. There are other variations I've done for species requiring higher humidity. In one PVC, I've ran rocks at the bottom, then on the side I let the substrate go down so I can see the rocks. This allows me to see if there is water on the false layer

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Originally Posted by CharlesMTF

Neal, it seems like you and a few others have it down-packed. I like that. And, I hope to eventually try it and succeed. It also looks like its harder to accomplish in a PVC enclosure vs say a glass or exo-terra tank. All interesting. Can't wait to start playing with this stuff.

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Its not the enclosure material that makes it difficult, it is how deep the enclosure allows you to go for substrate. Most front opening PVC enclosures do not allow for a deep enough substrate layer to make it bio-active. On my PVC enclosures I had to make a barrier so that I could get a deep enough substrate going. It can be done in any enclosure. My skinks and beardie are in PVC, Tegu is in a home made wooden cage lined with PVC, snake is in a glass tank and the frogs are in a glass tank, all on Bio-active...


Here is a link to a Bio-Active thread we started a while back, it lost traction, but it has some good info and pointers in it:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...oil-Guide-Tips