Hello,

I have a BP that's a few years old. I thought it would be cool to set up a bioactive terrarium, but I'm mostly interested in the extra protection from the cleanup-crew against mold, fungus, etc. My problem: I've never taken care of a plant before and I don't really care to, so I was wondering if anyone has had success using artificial plants in a tropical bioactive setup.

Also, for substrate I was planning on using the BioDude's Terra Firma, which says it does not require a drainage layer. Is this still true if I were to use artificial plants? I imagine live plants wouldn't be sucking that much water out of the soil, but as I said, I don't really know anything about plants... It may be worth noting I use a CHE which tends to reduce humidity and moisture anyhow (I mist regularly and keep hygrometers, don't worry!).

If anyone has experience doing this and has any tips for keeping the tank alive (well, aside from the plants), please do share.