How Do You Build A Vivarium?
Vivariums are (usually tropical) enclosures that contain live plants and terrestrial animals. Paludriums also have a water feature with live aquatic animals. Since oftentimes plants and animals have different requirements, there is an art in setting up a sustainable environment. • Decide what animals and plants you want to keep. • Determine if their basic requirements make them incompatible (Such as high humidity frogs and low humidity cacti). • Purchase a suitable sized aquarium or terrarium, remember animals like to move around and plants need room to grow. • An aquarium is basically a glass box that is only open at the top. Terrariums usually have hinged or sliding glass doors on one of the vertical sides to make access easier. • You may also build your own enclosure. This can be done with glass and silicone, wood and epoxy, cement and epoxy, or a number of other ways. • If humidity and temperature in your living environment are suitable, then you can water substrate for a plant at
• Decide what animals and plants you want to keep. • Determine if their basic requirements make them incompatible (Such as high humidity frogs and low humidity cacti). • Purchase a suitable sized aquarium or terrarium, remember animals like to move around and plants need room to grow. • An aquarium is basically a glass box that is only open at the top. Terrariums usually have hinged or sliding glass doors on one of the vertical sides to make access easier. • You may also build your own enclosure. This can be done with glass and silicone, wood and epoxy, cement and epoxy, or a number of other ways. • If humidity and temperature in your living environment are suitable, then you can water substrate for a plant at any level with a siphon (inverted-U) hose connecting to an aquarium. This arrangement can be raised, lowered or replaced according to root growth, substrate depth(s), and hydrophylicity of substrate(s). Consider flushing substrates of existing potted plants through with water. •
