I just upgraded from a 5 gallon aquarium to a 10 gallon one. (The light fixture is broken). So... I want to turn it into a terrarium. From what I've read, I'll need a layer of rocks for drainage (no problem since they are already in there) and then a layer of spagnum moss and then potting soil. Is this correct? The cover (which has openings for the pump, etc) won't totally seal the aquarium. Will this be okay? Or will it need to be totally sealed? Now, as far as plants... do I just get an assortment of small houseplants? Thanks for any advice!
No, you don't have to totally seal it. I would wash the gravel and make it about 1 or 2 inches. Find clear 2 inch rigid tubing found in a fish store or something like that and cut it off to a little higher than the height that your soil will be. Stand it in the gravel so you will have a well, to use a turkey baster, in case you over water it. Then I would use quilt batting or something like that, to cover the gravel completely. You can even use a good grade carbon mixed in with the gravel. Then add your soil and you can also use more carbon in the soil. Lightly water and you are ready to plant. When I get back from our day trip today, I will take pictures of mine. I love terrariums. Mine have been running for about 20 years. Barb in Pa.
You might decide on a theme, i.e. jungle, desert garden or a terrarium that features specific plants. Where it will be placed and the amount of light it will receive will determine the plants you select. As for the construction, good drainage can be accomplished with a layer of sand, gravel or crushed rocks. Charcoal for filtering if the container is sealed. Otherwise Spaghnum moss to prevent the next layer, soil, from working its way down into the drainage layer. Plants in layers to get a dimensional quality. An occasional rock or log. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. A quality you have in abundance. Experiment, that is the fun part, try different things. A terrarium is a garden for all seasons and a source of endless enjoyment. Above all, have fun. Jerry
A good grade carbon will sweeten the substrate and adsorb gasses till the strata becomes established. It is not essential but is of some benefit. These are old pictures of my terrariums. The tall one is so over grown now after 20 years. I will get some pictures of them tomorrow. The L shaped one is wonderful but empty at the moment. I have 3 and will be blending them all into the L shaped one soon. Barb in Pa.
Wow Barb!! Those are fantastic! (and humongous compared to my little 5 gallon aquarium) Yes... please more photos.
I have let them go because, of course, you know this year has been hard for me. I plan on putting the upright ones in storage and using the L shaped one. I ripped out all the plants I wanted to keep and replanted them in pots or started some of them under my greenhouses benches. They have run wild. LOL The upright ones have sliding out glass sections to do maintance on them and the top panel is screen. They all have a drilled hole with a tube that drains down to the ground. It also has a hole on top that has a lil watering system that was on a timer. I have pictures of them when they were lush and beautiful but can't seem to locate them at the moment. As you can see the ficus is growing out of the screen area. Barb in Pa.
I can honestly say that I've never seen such elaborate terrariums! :-o Guess I know who to go to with any questions/problems I may have. And Jerry... I hadn't thought about a theme. Hmmm... too bad someone is already using a mini-farm setting! 8)
Thank you Cherylad, I have fooled around with them all of my life. When I was about 12 I started making them i a little bowl and I grew from there. I have had them in the speckled shade in the yard, mostly in my home, and the best are in my greenhouse. They are sort of a greenhouse in a greenhouse. Kerry, I mean, Jerry? Do you do terrariums also??? I don't think it's common for guys to do it. I would love to see pictures if what you have done. I also used to keep dart or poison arrow frogs in some of mine. That was fun. I won't be keeping the frogs in them anymore for 2 reason these days. We keep the greenhouse much too cold in the Winter and I gave up on the natural way to go and I use a kind bug spray in the greenhouse if I ever get pugs on something. the frogs can't take that. If you look at the first pic you will see how the quilt batting lays between the gravel and the soil. I keep allot of gravel in mine because I have so much space to use on top. The gravel is very important for a long lasting terrarium. I have taught hundreds and hundreds of others to build a little world like yours. That's was a big part of my business in my pet shops, when I sold dumpy tree frogs. They are the best, tank pet, you ever can get. Barb in Pa.
Probably. All you need is to keep the soil from falling down into the gravel. Then there will be no water flow and grow mold. Barb in Pa.
I use to have a terrarium many years ago and as I lived in an apartment I had little room for plants. It was more to experiment with plants than a showpiece. Photography at the time was limited to a Polaroid but I will look. Today my interest is more on the historical aspect of Wardian cases and Dr. Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward, the father of terrariums. Jerry
I did an image search for Wardian cases. Now those are some fancy terrariums! I did see something that gave me a great idea.
That's so cool Kerry Sullivan. I have done many sealed thingies also. We took some mulch off the ground from the forest and out it in a 5 gallon water jug and watered it lightly. Put it in a dark place for a while and then brought it into the lighted room and low and behold we had good things growing in it. Don't really know what they were but it was fun. We had fungus and such. I dropped apple seeds in later and they grew. That's what started me. Years ago, I had square bird cages that the lid was hinged and opened up with stand. I lined them with glass and sealed them. Also the roof was done. It just wasn't sealed between the roof and the sides of the bird cage. It was like a 10 gallon tank standing on end. It was very cool to make a terrarium with that. I used to sell them for $120.00 ready to add water and plants.It looked like this only rectangular. Barb in Pa.
Here are my Dumpy Tree Frogs that grew out of my 10 gallon terrarium. I no longer have them. I'll bet some of you know of these sweet creatures. Barb in Pa.
