Hello,

I have had my ball python since I was a teenager and now that I'm an adult I want to give her the quality of life she has always deserved.

I'm hoping to receive advice about how to improve my planned setup AND advice on maintaining it to prevent a crash. For the most part, I followed the BioDude's tutorials (but not exclusively).

Tank:
Right now, I have a 70-gallon, 4-foot long tank cleaned and ready.

Heating:
I plan to use 2 ceramic heat bulbs to heat the tank, both with a dimmer switch and probes that automatically cycle day/night temps.

Substrate:
I have the BioDude's TerraFirma which I'll mix some sphag moss into. I also have the BioShot for that. According to the BioDude, the TerraFirma does not require a drainage layer, so I have no plans for a drainage layer.

Cleanup crew:
I'll be using dwarf white isos and tropical springtails (I live in Florida so my house is usually not colder than 75 degrees except at night). For the isopods, I plan to drop in most (but not all) of the isos from a culture of 100, which I will be purchasing online. I have purchased a much smaller culture of isos from this website before and kept them alive in their original container for a few weeks as a test run. For springtails, I plan to drop in about 50 and keep about 25 to the side. They'll be coming from the same source as the isos, and I did do a short test run with them in their original containers as well. *NOTE I wasn't really paying attention to their breeding, just seeing if they stayed alive. To feed them, I have leaf litter, seed pods, cork wood, bamboo stalks, etc. and Springtail Grub from the BioDude.

Plants:
I'm waiting to receive a dracaena, two types of pothos and a bird's nest fern from the BioDude. I also ordered a 22-inch LED strip which is about 1/2 the length of my tank (I think it was the biggest size available). Will I need a second strip for the other half? Also, I have NEVER taken care of plants before (ever!) so I have no idea how to tell when I will need to water them in addition to regularly misting the tank. I will keep them for about 1 month to make sure they don't have disease/pests before planting them in the terrarium.

Safety precautions/maintenance:
I have a stick-on digital thermometer/hydrometer for both the warm/cool sides. Both of my heat lamps will be on a waterproof probe that is set on a timer for day/night. I will also be using a heat gun to ensure surface temps.

...And of course I have the basics like hides and a big water dish.



I am open to any and all advice, feedback, or constructive criticism about my plan so far. This will be my first Bioactive setup and my first time owning plants.

P.S., how long should I wait after completely setting up the terrarium before I put my snake in?