# Bioactive terrarium WITHOUT live plants?



## PhilMcWonder (Nov 6, 2018)

I was curious about setting up bioactive tanks that don't use real plants. I am not a particularly huge fan of real plants. I'm more interested in clean up crews.


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## cold blood (Nov 6, 2018)

Clean up crews will only work for certain species...specifically, those where the sub can be kept damp.   Isopods and springtails are the most common, but both require a certain degree of moisture just to survive.

I have never seen a need to use either, but many do use them.  Under the right conditions though, they certainly can be beneficial.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## PhilMcWonder (Nov 6, 2018)

We were talking about humidity and tarantulas and I have people telling my humidity is good with bioactive. I'm more interested in clean up crews to take care of mold and poop.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Polenth (Nov 6, 2018)

PhilMcWonder said:


> I was curious about setting up bioactive tanks that don't use real plants. I am not a particularly huge fan of real plants. I'm more interested in clean up crews.


The regular critters used for that don't require live plants. They may appreciate dead plants, such as leaf litter and pieces of rotten wood.


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## tewebag (Nov 6, 2018)

PhilMcWonder said:


> We were talking about humidity and tarantulas and I have people telling my humidity is good with bioactive. I'm more interested in clean up crews to take care of mold and poop.


Humidity is not a tarantula term, it's either damp or not damp sub, keep the humidity to reptiles. 

Species that require damp sub will work as bioactive, dry requiring ones will not.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Jurdon (Nov 6, 2018)

A setup with no live plants /uvb/etc. isn’t bioactive. Just get springtails if you’re looking for a cleaner crew, they don’t need a bioactive enclosure to establish themselves. Assuming your Avic is the one you need the cleaner crew for, maintaining springtails in the dry, well-ventilated environment Avics enjoy would be a bit of a challenge, as springtails thrive in moist environments. Not saying it can’t be done, just saying you wouldn’t have a large population in the enclosure.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## viper69 (Nov 10, 2018)

Isopods often become dinner

Reactions: Like 1


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## boina (Nov 10, 2018)

If this is for an Avic - don't. I don't know what people have been telling you about 'humidity' and Avics, but humidity is a good way to kill those spiders. Only enclosures of species that are kept continually moist can support cleaner crews, like springtails and isopods - and Avics are certainly not kept moist.

@Jurdon - what is the definition of bioactive? People use that word everywhere but no one defines what they mean. If you define it as using biological agents (like springtails) to support your keeping parametes, any enclosure with springtails/isopods is bioactive. Why do you need plants for that? What exactly is your definition? - Not attacking you, just curious.

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 1 | Love 1


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## The Snark (Nov 10, 2018)

boina said:


> what is the definition of bioactive?


Mistaking bioactive with ecosystem. Probably hoping for some degree of a self sustaining ecosystem. The problem of course is a fully self sustaining ecosystem will never be what was intended, or most often, desired.

If you think about it, introducing and sustaining bioactivity within a containment demonstrates how completely preposterous the intelligent deign concept is. The life installed in an environment is in constant flux. The life you put in it today is like the life all over the planet. Completely different in countless ways from the life that was around us yesterday, or even a few minutes ago. Nothing is ever going to be entirely self sustaining for the nature of life must include deaths, births of new life forms, alterations, evolvements and adaptations in endless cycles of evolution and entropy.

Reactions: Like 2 | Clarification Please 1


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## Jurdon (Nov 11, 2018)

boina said:


> @Jurdon - what is the definition of bioactive? People use that word everywhere but no one defines what they mean. If you define it as using biological agents (like springtails) to support your keeping parametes, any enclosure with springtails/isopods is bioactive. Why do you need plants for that? What exactly is your definition? - Not attacking you, just curious.


 Oops, seems I messed up a bit with this! I sorta did combine bioactive and ecosystem. My bad!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Dorifto (Nov 12, 2018)

viper69 said:


> Isopods often become dinner


True... My geniculata juvie loves them...

She devoured almost all of them

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Potatatas (Nov 13, 2018)

Can springtails thrive and reproduce in moist species enclosures or do they eventually all die off and you need to introduce more?


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## Ludmil (Nov 13, 2018)

Potatatas said:


> Can springtails thrive and reproduce in moist species enclosures or do they eventually all die off and you need to introduce more?


They can self sustain if the conditions alow it. I have some even in bonedry enclosures ( they went there by themselves from other ones  as all mine are in big box during the winter)  and just sit under the water dish or in it


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## The Snark (Nov 13, 2018)

@Ashlynn Rose Clarify which?


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## Ashlynn Rose (Nov 14, 2018)

The Snark said:


> @Ashlynn Rose Clarify which?


I was just confused about what you were talking about with "the intelligent design concept." Are you referring to St. Thomas Aquinas' Argument from Design or something else?


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