Bioactive enclosure advice

[Pmurinushmacla]

One thing to keep in mind is that even shaded areas outside are incredibly bright compared to what we get from lightbulbs. So even though many mosses appear to grow well in the shade, they'll require incredibly bright tank lights. You can find threads on it in various forums, but people have reported needing around 60 - 75 watts (using LEDs) to get good growth in a 30 gallon tank.

If you have to have moss, the way to do it for the health of the T would probably be to grow it somewhere else and occasionally replace it as it dies. I would imagine replacing some moss every 2 or so months would be less stressful for the T than having that much light.

I would look into Pilea depressa, which has pretty low light requirements and can form a carpet.

Thank you for an actual way to go about it while keeping the t happy rather than listing reasons I shouldn't do it. Pilea depreesa actually looks really good. Not really the moss vibe I was originally going for but I like it a lot and that looks like a good alternative to keep the light requirements down.

Also I know I'm gonna get shit on and I'm not saying this is an excuse to use lights but my P. Metallica hasn't showed the super photosensitive behaviors other people have described. He chooses to sit in between his hide and the enclosure rather than going into the darkest part of his hide, and he doesnt run back in when things get brighter

 

[Pmurinushmacla]

Hi
I agree with the tarantula needs comes first part and humidity coment but light does not need to be on all day 6 hours photoperiod will be enough to keep plants and mosses growing.It doesn't have to be that high intensity either as mosses have quite low light compensation point.Light compensation point is the minimum light intensity needed for photosynthesis to occur.
My other hobby is aquascaping and I have grown many emersed aquarium plants and mosses(they grow and propagate faster out of water due to unlimited CO2 access) for my tanks in propagators with moist soil and a 5w led spot light over it.Also plants dont care what light source are you using(there is no such thing as plant growing light) any white light will do as long as you choose low light(compensation point) plants that doesn't require high light intensity.I have grown plants under 2 pound pl-l lamp and under £500 fully customisable top of the range high output LED with same success.
The lower the light intensity the slower the growth thats all.
Regards Konstantin

I appreciate the insight, but it seems like i should stick to low light due to the p. Metallicas photosensitivity and really poecilotherias in general. You said you have grown mosses in your aquascapes, did you ever use a lower light one that you would care to tell me? I've attempted googling it but Google really doesnt seem to understand what I'm asking.

 

[Pmurinushmacla]

Moss isn’t easy to grow from what I’ve read and in my own experience with amphibious animals.

Stick plants and good luck doing this

Thanks. I'm probably going to set up the tank first and let it grow for a couple months as the sling isn't going anywhere. If I can I'm going to use low light mosses, but I might have to just use plants instead. Any recommendations on good plants for low light conditions that look decent? I know pothos and philodendrons are good but I'd prefer the looks of something less vine like.

 

[Konstantin Konstantinov]

I appreciate the insight, but it seems like i should stick to low light due to the p. Metallicas photosensitivity and really poecilotherias in general. You said you have grown mosses in your aquascapes, did you ever use a lower light one that you would care to tell me? I've attempted googling it but Google really doesnt seem to understand what I'm asking.

Hi
Taxiphyllum sp (barbieri is one of the hardest ) but Vesicularia dubyana worked too
Its just trial and error to find out how much abuse they can take as far as light is concerned.Often low light levels mean that the growth is slower and the coverage is not as thick.With moss you can blend it with a lil water and brush it on decor in separate container(with high humidity and more light )to establish it on and then use the decor when scaping your enclosure.
May be worth a walk in a forest to collect some native to you shady mosses and after quarantine and propagation to use them as well
Regards Konstantin

 

[Pmurinushmacla]

Hi
Taxiphyllum sp (barbieri is one of the hardest ) but Vesicularia dubyana worked too
Its just trial and error to find out how much abuse they can take as far as light is concerned.Often low light levels mean that the growth is slower and the coverage is not as thick.With moss you can blend it with a lil water and brush it on decor in separate container(with high humidity and more light )to establish it on and then use the decor when scaping your enclosure.
May be worth a walk in a forest to collect some native to you shady mosses and after quarantine and propagation to use them as well
Regards Konstantin

Yeah i was thinking of the same thing. Letting it grow in higher light and then slowly acclimate it to lower light. I have time to experiment because my t is only and inch and a fourth so. Also about local mosses, I've found a couple. I'll see if I can find their scientific names real quick and I'll respond when I do

 

[Pmurinushmacla]

Hi
Taxiphyllum sp (barbieri is one of the hardest ) but Vesicularia dubyana worked too
Its just trial and error to find out how much abuse they can take as far as light is concerned.Often low light levels mean that the growth is slower and the coverage is not as thick.With moss you can blend it with a lil water and brush it on decor in separate container(with high humidity and more light )to establish it on and then use the decor when scaping your enclosure.
May be worth a walk in a forest to collect some native to you shady mosses and after quarantine and propagation to use them as well
Regards Konstantin

It seems to be thick sphagnum moss, a moss similar to physcomitrium collenchymatum, and leucobryum albidum.

 

[Matt Man]

if you have a local forest, search there. Find stuff in the lowest light. Typically Isopods aren't that much of a threat with arboreal Ts as they are rarely sharing the same zone. Pokies though, will sometimes molt on the floor in their hide so an unfortunate meeting can occur