How to Build a Vivarium
Decide what animals and plants you want to keep., Purchase a suitable sized aquarium or terrarium, remember animals like to move around and plants need room to grow., If this is a temperate or tropical vivarium build a false bottom., Install the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: 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). -
Step 2: Purchase a suitable sized aquarium or terrarium
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 hydrophilic properties of substrate(s).
If using plants that were previously potted plants, be sure to thoroughly flush out the roots with water to remove any toxic fertilizers before planting them in the vivarium. , Desert vivariums do not need a false bottom since there will be little watering.
A false bottom is an area for excess water to pool without drowning the plants roots.
The two main types of false bottoms are filled vs. open false bottoms.
A filled false bottom is a 1–2 inch (2.5–5.1 cm) layer of gravel or LECA with a screen on top to prevent dirt from entering.
An open false bottom consists of a piece of egg crate supported by PVC, with a screen on top.
Both styles are adequate methods with their own pros and cons. , These can be attached with silicone or hot glue; however, it is important that the dried adhesive is inert and cannot contaminate the vivarium with harmful chemicals.
Possible background and hard-scape include: wood, cork-bark, rocks, disguised foam, disguised plastic, ornaments, or any number of other items.
It is important that anything placed in the vivarium is clean and non-toxic.
Items found outdoors must be cleaned before placing them in the vivarium. , A screen top usually prevents high moisture since the vivarium will take on the humidity of the room it is in; while a mostly glass top (90-95% glass, 10-5% screen) will keep the humidity level much higher.
However, normal glass and screens blocks most UV light, thus UV lights must be placed inside the vivarium , Plants require full spectrum lighting with a color temperature between 5000-7000K for best growth.
Most 'normal' home lights are drastically less than 5000K while 'bluer' bulbs can be much higher Kelvin. , Equipment includes a thermometer, hydrometer, under-tank heater, in tank heater, pumps, filters, etc. , There are a large number of substrates available at pet-stores.
Usually it is best to use these rather than collect anything from outdoors.
Both plants and animals have substrate they prefer (do research!).
A temperate or rain forest vivarium might have a layer of peat, fir bark, and black earth, followed by a layer of sphagnum moss, with a layer of leaves on top.
A desert vivarium will probably have just a layer of sand with maybe some gravel in certain areas. , For temperate and tropical vivariums it is best to wet down the entire vivarium to make sure there are no overly wet areas.
A desert terrarium will usually just have a water dish. , Remember, every plant has its own requirements; such as soil moisture, watering schedules, and light levels. , This will allow you to monitor the health of the plants and the functionality of your design without unduly disturbing the future animals.
This is particularly important with water features. , This is important to prevent contaminating a vivarium that took a long time to build.
A one to four week quarantine is suggested. ,, -
Step 3: remember animals like to move around and plants need room to grow.
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Step 4: If this is a temperate or tropical vivarium build a false bottom.
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Step 5: Install the background and hardscape.
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Step 6: Install a top.
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Step 7: Install a light.
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Step 8: Install equipment.
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Step 9: Add substrate.
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Step 10: Add dechlorinated water.
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Step 11: Plant the plants
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Step 12: leaving room for the plants to grow and 'fill in'.
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Step 13: Turn on the vivarium and let it 'stabilize' for 24 hours to several weeks.
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Step 14: Quarantine your newly purchased
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Step 15: and researched
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Step 16: animals to assess their health.
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Step 17: Add your quarantined animals to the vivarium and monitor their acclimation closely for the first week or two.
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Step 18: Sit back and enjoy your slice of the environment.
Detailed Guide
Determine if their basic requirements make them incompatible (Such as high humidity frogs and low humidity cacti).
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 hydrophilic properties of substrate(s).
If using plants that were previously potted plants, be sure to thoroughly flush out the roots with water to remove any toxic fertilizers before planting them in the vivarium. , Desert vivariums do not need a false bottom since there will be little watering.
A false bottom is an area for excess water to pool without drowning the plants roots.
The two main types of false bottoms are filled vs. open false bottoms.
A filled false bottom is a 1–2 inch (2.5–5.1 cm) layer of gravel or LECA with a screen on top to prevent dirt from entering.
An open false bottom consists of a piece of egg crate supported by PVC, with a screen on top.
Both styles are adequate methods with their own pros and cons. , These can be attached with silicone or hot glue; however, it is important that the dried adhesive is inert and cannot contaminate the vivarium with harmful chemicals.
Possible background and hard-scape include: wood, cork-bark, rocks, disguised foam, disguised plastic, ornaments, or any number of other items.
It is important that anything placed in the vivarium is clean and non-toxic.
Items found outdoors must be cleaned before placing them in the vivarium. , A screen top usually prevents high moisture since the vivarium will take on the humidity of the room it is in; while a mostly glass top (90-95% glass, 10-5% screen) will keep the humidity level much higher.
However, normal glass and screens blocks most UV light, thus UV lights must be placed inside the vivarium , Plants require full spectrum lighting with a color temperature between 5000-7000K for best growth.
Most 'normal' home lights are drastically less than 5000K while 'bluer' bulbs can be much higher Kelvin. , Equipment includes a thermometer, hydrometer, under-tank heater, in tank heater, pumps, filters, etc. , There are a large number of substrates available at pet-stores.
Usually it is best to use these rather than collect anything from outdoors.
Both plants and animals have substrate they prefer (do research!).
A temperate or rain forest vivarium might have a layer of peat, fir bark, and black earth, followed by a layer of sphagnum moss, with a layer of leaves on top.
A desert vivarium will probably have just a layer of sand with maybe some gravel in certain areas. , For temperate and tropical vivariums it is best to wet down the entire vivarium to make sure there are no overly wet areas.
A desert terrarium will usually just have a water dish. , Remember, every plant has its own requirements; such as soil moisture, watering schedules, and light levels. , This will allow you to monitor the health of the plants and the functionality of your design without unduly disturbing the future animals.
This is particularly important with water features. , This is important to prevent contaminating a vivarium that took a long time to build.
A one to four week quarantine is suggested. ,,
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Joshua Vasquez
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