Planning Bioactive - Advice please?

[scalypasta]

So I'm planning, in some far-off future, to take my BP's enclosure bioactive. This is a thread to help me plan that and get more info on how this whole thing works!

I understand the substrate layers pretty well from using aquaponics systems with my plants, but I'm a little fuzzy on the rest.

Structure would be as follows:

a 1" layer of activated charcoal as part of the drainage and water filtration.
a 2" layer of gravel and hydroballs as a drainage layer. Mesh and/or fabric on top of that to prevent substrate from falling in.
A thin 1" layer of river stones and then a 1" layer of coconut chips/reptibark between the mesh and the next substrate layer, also to help prevent substrate from falling through.
A 2" layer of cypress mulch, peat mix, and coconut coir/coco fibre mixed as plant fodder.
optional 1" layer of home compost for the earthworms.
A 4"-6" layer of topsoil and diatomaceous earth to put the plants in.
A 2" layer of Eco Earth or similar, mostly for looks
Leaf litter
Mosses (Sphagnum, carpet, reindeer, etc)

One portion of the enclosure will be a little river with a waterfall. It'll dip down into the topsoil a bit, with a base of something a little thicker like excavator clay,or maybe a plastic form, then gravel and river stones or slate to make a nice 2-3" deep riverbed. It'll drain down through a small tube or series of tubes, directly to the mesh/fabric and drainage layer. The water intake will be housed boxed in mesh in the drainage layer, and pumped back up and out to the "river" again from an outside-enclosure compartment behind a primarily cork and/or stone background. I want to do cork but I might have to be crafty around the waterfall to prevent mold and mildew. Depending on how this idea actually works out, this would theoretically be the only water needed in the enclosure- when it starts to get low, I could fill it from the pumphouse compartment on the back.

There would be at least 2 hides receded into the topsoil layer, possibly with a tube connecting them? One would have moss in it to be a humid hide, the other would have something like aspen or orchid bark. I'd want these to be made of something sturdy and not too far down, visible from the front so I could see if something started rotting. He loves to burrow so either that, or a section full of something like aspen that would be free for burrowing in.

He'd also have 3+ surface hides- one secured to the back or side, near the top, for heat and climbing purposes. I think a cork tube would be good for that, or one of those plastic box hides that I could cover with cork flats. I'd put one of these near the river, with sphagnum moss in it, positioned to be warmer than the underground humid hide, and one on the other side of the enclosure with maybe a bit of leaf litter. Then a hide on the ground made of slate tile or something similar, to be cave-like, and/or possibly one fashioned from cork to look like a tree stump!

At the top I'd have a lattice of bamboo sections, for climbing on and to redirect excess growth from the vines. I'd have some nice knotty wood like mopani or something on the ground level. I'd also like to fashion some sort of natural ledge for a midlevel, but who knows!

My cleaning crew would be earthworms and snails, but seeing as BP's don't make a lot of waste I don't see myself needing very much in the way of cleaning. I honestly see myself doing more rehoming baby snails than anything else... but I wanted snails anyway, so.

The lid of the cage would be mesh, and then it'd have a wooden canopy on top to house lighting and such. I'd also like to put in some sort of vent system to heat the enclosure.

Obviously I can only fit so many plants, but I'm considering as follows:
- lucky bamboo (the type that originates from Africa as forest undergrowth. I already cultivate it- it's a strictly indirect light plant and grows veeeery slowly. It also LOVES nitrogen, such as is found in animal biowaste. But I can't find anything stating whether or not it's safe for ball pythons, so if I don't find that info, I won't be using it.)
- pothos
- aglaonema
- wandering jew
- caladium
- Dieffenbachia
- Neoregalia
- Cryptanthus
- Anthurium
- Pteris Ensiformis
- Nephrolepsis exaltata
- Ficus benjamina
- Ficus Alii
- Peperomia clusiifolia
- Peperomia turboensis
- Philodendron
- Spathiphyllum
- aloe (only if I can find a variety that doesn't grow thorns)
- Sansevieria
- Asplenium antiquum
- Hoya
- Rhoeo
- Chlorophytum comosum
- Fittonia
- Platycerium ellisii
- Vriesea era
- possibly a bonsai tree, if I can find a species that works

I'd like a little more color in it that most of the plants I've picked out so far have, but I'm still working on that list. (Making it is easy. Narrowing it down will be the hard part.)

Considering that these plans would put me at almost a foot and a half of substrate, is there anything besides the plant fodder and the stone/reptibark layer that really doesn't need to be there? The stones and reptibark are to help keep the other substrate from falling through, and the more I can keep from going through the better, 'cause it means I don't have to do cleaning or repair on the water lines as often.

The only major thing I can't figure out how to do is provide belly heat! The best I can figure is if I did do some sort of mid-level ledge, to make it part of the side of the enclosure and put a mat under that. Would that work?

Is there anything else that I'm missing?

Obviously this is going to be a custom enclosure, so I'll try to make a diagram of it soon and post that as well.

[distaff]

There is a bonsai guy on YouTube who says that the fastest way to start an argument with other bonsai people is to mention soil composition; religion and politics would be safer topics.

I follow the recipe and advice given by New England Herpetoculture. Johs's Frogs is very similar. If your above works for you, good. I plant a lot of small terrariums that just hold plants (we are too dry here to keep many humidity requiring tropicals alive any other way). If you can get good results in a plant-only terrarium, without a mucky mess, you should be on the way to a good habitat for a snake. So, I won't argue substrate composition and soil recipes with you... it is results that matter.

That said, aquaponics is flood-and-drain for a reason. The roots in the hydroballs (or, whatever) get the needed air every few minutes, and nothing is trapped in a small glass box with 100% humidity. Personally, I think a waterfall is going to add too much humidity, that will run down the glass walls, and cause a mucky mess that will wick into the upper layers. A drilled drain near the bottom might be necessary. You want the humidity proper for a BP.

As far as plants go, the I am familiar with most of those. I would leave out Dieffembachia (it grows quite big anyway), dumb cane has an ugly history of use. My understanding is that it won't hurt a snake, but will hurt people and furry pets. Some of these plants are going to be too fragile on the floor (tradscendentia -spell), but could work will trailing down from a higher position. Also, trim any sharp pointy tips off the sansaveria.

[distaff]

"...a foot and a half of substrate" ???

I am confused. The minimum recommended for drainage gravel/leca/hydroballs/etc. is two and one half inches. The fluffy substrate layer on top, in which the plants grow should be the same. For an enclosure suitably large for a BP, I would suggest three inches of each, giving you six inches, total. Leaf litter, etc. goes on top of that.

Remember to plant sparingly - leave some room for the snake.

The bio-active part is more in the soil microbes and tiny critters than it is with the plants. Think of a successful compost pile - it is bio-active, but has nothing planted in it.

[distaff]

Fiberglass screen will keep the growing substrate out of the drainage rock. People use other stuff too, like airconditioner filters, and thin sheets of poly quilt batting. I can't say how long these last resist decomposition. You can also buy plastic screening made just for vivs.

I suggest checking out NewEngland Herpetoculture's Viv Building 101, and 102 before getting started. There is no reason to try to reinvent the wheel. The background will at least give you educated reasons for making different choices.

[distaff]

As for heat, you can either heat the room, or use an RHP. The RHP will dry out any plants close to it, however. I use an RHP, and just keep the plants away. The heater is suspended from the ceiling on the shaded side of the viv. My corn likes to perch up on a ledge under it for concentrated heat. I only keep one side of the viv under bright LED light, and of course, only for 12 hours a day.

I ordered an extra UTH and an extra t-stat removable probe for adapting the UTH to be compatible with a bio-active substrate. The materials haven't arrived yet, but the plan is to silicone the UTH and probe to the top side of an insulating styrafoam base. I have a slate tile I'll place over that. With everything sealed in by silicone, it *should* be safe from the usual accidents, and radiate enough heat through the slate to warm the animal. Fingers crossed for "the best laid plans..." on this one.

[JodanOrNoDan]

The only major thing I can't figure out how to do is provide belly heat! The best I can figure is if I did do some sort of mid-level ledge, to make it part of the side of the enclosure and put a mat under that. Would that work?

Sounds like a cool project. Heat the whole enclosure. No need for belly heat if you can maintain the right temp.

[distaff]

There would be at least 2 hides receded into the topsoil layer, possibly with a tube connecting them? One would have moss in it to be a humid hide, the other would have something like aspen or orchid bark. I'd want these to be made of something sturdy and not too far down, visible from the front so I could see if something started rotting. He loves to burrow so either that, or a section full of something like aspen that would be free for burrowing in.

He'd also have 3+ surface hides- one secured to the back or side, near the top, for heat and climbing purposes. I think a cork tube would be good for that, or one of those plastic box hides that I could cover with cork flats. I'd put one of these near the river, with sphagnum moss in it, positioned to be warmer than the underground humid hide, and one on the other side of the enclosure with maybe a bit of leaf litter. Then a hide on the ground made of slate tile or something similar, to be cave-like, and/or possibly one fashioned from cork to look like a tree stump!

This all looks too complicated.

You want everything, EVERYTHING! accessible and easy to take out and clean. Personally, I would just get some hides that look like caves, and add some texture that allows you to maybe grow moss slurry on them. I hide the hides under large sheets of tree bark. If the bark gets pooped on, I can just break that part off, or replace it.

This whole setup will be probably too humid as is, and even with no water features, you will NOT need a humid hide.

[distaff]

My cleaning crew would be earthworms and snails, but seeing as BP's don't make a lot of waste I don't see myself needing very much in the way of cleaning. I honestly see myself doing more rehoming baby snails than anything else... but I wanted snails anyway, so.

Earthworms have the reputation of turning a tiny viv area into mush. I've never seen anyone recommend snails for this application. Spring tails and pill bugs are the standard crew for this.

You will still need to clean some. I would get rid of any substancial waste piles, and turn under the surface that was under that.

[distaff]

Just as one can not perfectly reproduce an ecological habitat into a viv, not all the principles of aquaponics are going to translate into the a viv. Aquaponics involves big systems, the viv is a tiny system. You have a lot of space to work and tweak the system with aquaponics, and lots of room for error too.

Not so with the compairatively tiny viv.

Keep it simple, and keep to tried-and-true guidelines. You can go out on to more elaborate set-ups after you have some experience with the first one.

(I really think that water feature is going to be a major PITA to maintain, and won't be of any benefit to your pet.)

[distaff]

The lucky bamboo you specifically mentioned should be safe. Make sure any plants you purchase are pesticide free. Also wash all the soil off the roots under the faucet to get rid of chemical fertilizers. The fertilizer *probably* won't harm the snake (?), but that stuff has been reported to kill frogs (Natural Terrariums, Philip Purser....somewhere in that book).

If you get your plants from a viv supplier, they should be safe, and just follow the vendor's instructions. Otherwise, it is suggested to quarantine any questionable plant for a month or so. The pesticide needs time to break down, and you will still need to get rid of the original soil. Viv suppliers sell amphibian/lizard safe liquid ferts if you wish to add some. I just use home compost/compost tea/ and goldfish waste.

Don't use compost at a garden center - nasty stuff is frequently in there. Personally, I wouldn't even use it on a flower bed.