Drainage layer when using Biodude's Terra Aranea??

Kransas

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First time scorp owner planning on getting an Emperor or Giant Asian Forest . I'm getting really interested in bioactive vivarium habitats and after researching substrate I stumbled upon Biodude's Terra Aranea which seems pretty well reviewed. It says in the description that no drainage layer is needed when using it. Somehow it seems safer to me to include a few inches of drainage layer separated by a screen to more easily control the humidity and water table by siphoning out water, draining,etc. Although excluding the drainage layer would give the scorpion more depth for digging....Would love to get some opinions. Should I include a drainage layer to be safe?
 

viper69

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Perhaps drainage layer is necessary with a certain of water, and less water wouldn't require such a layer. I haven't used his stuff. I'm not so sure he knows what he's doing, at least in the beginning he didn't seem to.
 

Kransas

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Thanks for the response. Everything I've read about the Terra Aranea substrate is good and it seems reasonably priced. I think I'm shooting for around 80% relative humidity based on what I've read about the scorpions. Now that I think about it, since I'm going to look into automated misting probably best to have a drainage layer just in case there are any mishaps with the misting and I need to do an emergency drain....
 

moricollins

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Thanks for the response. Everything I've read about the Terra Aranea substrate is good and it seems reasonably priced. I think I'm shooting for around 80% relative humidity based on what I've read about the scorpions. Now that I think about it, since I'm going to look into automated misting probably best to have a drainage layer just in case there are any mishaps with the misting and I need to do an emergency drain....
If you're setting up a misting system then a drainage layer is basically a mandatory, you'll thank yourself later.
 

Dorifto

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It depents in wich susbstrate are you going to use, but please don't waste so much money when you can use topsoil. Muuuch much cheaper and imho.

I use topsoil in my vivariums and works the best. In have used clay balls and with coco fiber is a total mess. The top layer dries too quicly while the bottom one drains the water...

If you are going to use a drainage system, how are going to pump the excess water? If it helps, I used a glued pipe with some holes in the base to suck off the excess of water.

You can use a mix of clay, sand and topsoil as a first layer like I do, and then are more topsoil on top. It keeps the humidity more homogeneously throught the layers.

IMG_20200414_114716-01.jpeg
IMG_20200407_204524.jpg
 

Kransas

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Thanks for the reply. Those pics look great! As of now I'm thinking I'll just drill a hole on the bottom side of the tank and install a bulkhead with a valve that I can release to drain. I've also seen people that have a length of pvc pipe extending from the base and above the substrate so you can pump water out if you need to. Is that similar to the system you use? For future builds I may mix my own substrate but since I'm only doing a 10 gal tank right now and this is my first I don't feel too bad purchasing premixed substrate. I see a tarantula on the right side of that build. What's in the other side?
 

Dorifto

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Thanks for the reply. Those pics look great! As of now I'm thinking I'll just drill a hole on the bottom side of the tank and install a bulkhead with a valve that I can release to drain. I've also seen people that have a length of pvc pipe extending from the base and above the substrate so you can pump water out if you need to. Is that similar to the system you use? For future builds I may mix my own substrate but since I'm only doing a 10 gal tank right now and this is my first I don't feel too bad purchasing premixed substrate. I see a tarantula on the right side of that build. What's in the other side?
Another tarantula hahahahaha.

IMG_20200522_175123.jpg
Screenshot_20200524-060501.jpg

I used a pvc pipe to pump out the water with a manual pump, and worked quite well.
 

Kransas

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Those are some beautiful tarantulas! One reason I'm a little hesitant with the pvc pipe method is if I'm on vacation or something and the tanks are left unattended and there's a mishap with the automated misting then there's the possibility of flooding. With the bulkhead method I could just have a tube routed to a reservoir to drain the water if it got to a certain level. Those are some great looking backgrounds you have! Are those premade panels or what? Nice effect with the moss on top really gives it a natural feel. Do the tarantulas ever notice each other through the glass and get aggressive or anything?
 

Dorifto

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Yeah, it'll be better your option. I use a trixie reptiland thermostat and hygrostat to control the humidity and temperature in the enclosure, and works very well.

The foam background and the misting sistem was made by me. The foam background was made with non expansive polyurethane and ultra fine black joint mortar, used for bathroom tiles.

That's the tutorial that I made:


For the misting system I used a Ulka water pump, and good 90° spray nozzles.

The trixie reptiland also can be configured to activate fans in order to reduce temperature or humidity.

IMG_20200524_142234.jpg

IMG_20200524_142333.jpg

IMG_20200517_015204.jpg

I'm testing them right now 😂😂😂
 
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moricollins

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As of now I'm thinking I'll just drill a hole on the bottom side of the tank and install a bulkhead with a valve that I can release to drain. I've also seen people that have a length of pvc pipe extending from the base and above the substrate so you can pump water out if you need to. Is that similar to the system you use? For future builds I may mix my own substrate but since I'm only doing a 10 gal tank right now and this is my first I don't feel too bad purchasing premixed substrate. I see a tarantula on the right side of that build. What's in the other side?
PLEASE Don't put the drain bulkhead in the bottom. You'll regret it later. All it takes is someone else moving the tank around and SNAP there goes the bulkhead against a hard surface, breaking the bottom of your tank. Put the drain bulkhead in the back-side panel instead :)
 

Pyroxian

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PLEASE Don't put the drain bulkhead in the bottom. You'll regret it later. All it takes is someone else moving the tank around and SNAP there goes the bulkhead against a hard surface, breaking the bottom of your tank. Put the drain bulkhead in the back-side panel instead :)
This, plus many commercial glass tanks (at least here in the US) use tempered bottoms which you can't drill without shattering.
 

Kransas

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PLEASE Don't put the drain bulkhead in the bottom. You'll regret it later. All it takes is someone else moving the tank around and SNAP there goes the bulkhead against a hard surface, breaking the bottom of your tank. Put the drain bulkhead in the back-side panel instead :)
This, plus many commercial glass tanks (at least here in the US) use tempered bottoms which you can't drill without shattering.
Ya sorry if I worded it poorly I was planning on putting the bulkhead on one of the side panels about 2" up from the base. Wasn't planning on putting it on the bottom panel. Seems to me that would only make sense if you hade the tank mounted on a platform or something with the reservoir installed underneath. Thanks for the advice though! Anyone have any tips or good tutorials on drilling the glass to place the bulkhead?

Yeah, it'll be better your option. I use a trixie reptiland thermostat and hygrostat to control the humidity and temperature in the enclosure, and works very well.

The foam background and the misting sistem was made by me. The foam background was made with non expansive polyurethane and ultra fine black joint mortar, used for bathroom tiles.

That's the tutorial that I made:


For the misting system I used a Ulka water pump, and good spray 90° nozzles.

The trixie reptiland also can be configured to activate fans in order to reduce temperature hor humidity.

I'm testing them right now 😂😂😂
Thanks Dorifto! I'll definitely check out the tutorial and look into those components for my misting system. I think I saw you posted in another of my threads about mounting the heatpad behind your backgrounds. So it's your opinion that using that black joint mortar to attach the backgrounds will make it possible to put the heatpad on the back? That would be great aesthetics wise because I'd really like to have the side panels clear of any obstructions of the view. Thanks everyone for the help, this seems like a great community
 

moricollins

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Ya sorry if I worded it poorly I was planning on putting the bulkhead on one of the side panels about 2" up from the base. Wasn't planning on putting it on the bottom panel. Seems to me that would only make sense if you hade the tank mounted on a platform or something with the reservoir installed underneath. Thanks for the advice though! Anyone have any tips or good tutorials on drilling the glass to place the bulkhead?



Thanks Dorifto! I'll definitely check out the tutorial and look into those components for my misting system. I think I saw you posted in another of my threads about mounting the heatpad behind your backgrounds. So it's your opinion that using that black joint mortar to attach the backgrounds will make it possible to put the heatpad on the back? That would be great aesthetics wise because I'd really like to have the side panels clear of any obstructions of the view. Thanks everyone for the help, this seems like a great community
Youtube has good tutorials on drilling glass, that's where I learned lol. Water is your friend for this job. And PATIENCE is your best friend
 

Dorifto

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Yes, I have one mounted for winter, like a extra heat source, since in my new house is heat enough to maintain the enclosures at 25°C estable almost allbthe year without any extra heating source at all. But somethimes, or if I'm out, like big holidays etc. the heat mat will heat the substrate to 26° and the misting system will spray water if the humidity drops from 65%.

Those parameters are controlled by the thermostat/hygrostat. It also controls the light too.

In my case I used the joint mortar like a natural radiator, since it keeps the heat better and more homogeneously and doesn't get as hot like a direct mat on one of the sides. But you have to do it right, with thermostat in the ground etc.

You can do the same but in the background using a first layer of mortar like a heat irradiation zone, directly in the glass, and the heat mat behind that glass, and then add some polyurethane to carve it, and paint it with joint mortar to give that natural rock look.
 
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