Creating the perfect bio-active enclosure

Custom Kits

Bio-active enclosures are one of the more popular choices for the new age keeper.

The benefits of a bio-active enclosure are that you can create something that mimics the natural environment of your pet. Adding bio-active custodians helps to clean the mess left by your animals and live plants and moss offer fantastic humidity for forest type animals.

Lighting and heating can be changed depending on which animal you would like to keep in your bio-active tank, to ensure the correct parameters for your pet.

Products

What goes inside your tank is really up to you! Plants, moss, branches and lighting can be changed to suit the theme you are looking for and the animal that you wish to house in there.

BPL Pin Cushion Moss 1000ml

Pin Cushion Moss

BPL Carpet Moss 500ml

Carpet Moss

BPL Leaf Litter 1000ml

Leaf Litter 1000ml

BPL Leaf Litter 500ml

Leaf Litter 500ml

Blackpool Reptiles and Aquatics moss is suitable for reptiles, amphibians and other animals.

BPL Moss is perfect for bio-active terrariums as it provides a natural environment for your pet.

Carpet moss is perfect for terrarium ground coverage along with using with decor such as bark and logs to create underground hides. Along with aiding in holding humidity, moss also helps to insulate the terrarium keeping it warm.

Moss is very useful for egg laying species who use moss as material to lay their eggs on.

Moss can also be used in a warm hide for all species to help with shedding.

Blackpool Reptiles and Aquatics leaf litter is suitable for reptiles, amphibians and other animals.

BPL leaf litter is perfect for the bio-active terrarium as it provides hides and covers for custodians as well as being a good food source for them. Leaf little is also suitable for feeding millipedes and other ground-eating inverts.

Leaf litter not only benefits bio-active custodians, it also provides a natural environment for your pet such as they would experience in the wild. Along with being beneficial for your pet, it also provides an appealing natural appearance.

Our leaf litter contains dried leafs and mushrooms and can be spread along the terrarium floor.

Drainage

Drainage is one of the most important parts of a bio-active enclosure and must be set up to avoid water logging which can drown plants. There are a number of mediums which can be used in a layered format to create the perfect drainage layer for your tank.

More information on setting up the drainage layer is available here: https://www.pro-rep.co.uk/portfolio/bio-life-drainage-medium/

ProRep Bio-life drainage medium

Exo Terra Terr. Draining Mesh 20x20cm, Nano PT3130

Exo Terra Bio-Drain mesh

Lucky Reptile hydro fleece

Exo Terra Terr. Draining Substrate 2kg, PT3115

Exo Tera Draining Substrate

Substrate

Substrate selection is vital for bio-active enclosures as it must support plant and custodian life. We recommend adding several types of substrate to your tank such as bio-active substrate which is soil like and often includes bark chips and leaf litter. Additional leaf litter can be added which is good not only for appearance but also providing a food source for custodians along with the plant and animal waste that they feed on. Moss helps to retain humidity and also adds a natural appearance to the enclosure.

ProRep Bio-life forest substrate

Exo Terra Equatorial Forest Floor Dual

ProRep Bio Life Leaf Litter Jungle 3L

ProRep Leaf Litter

ProRep live moss

Plants

There are many live plant choices or the bio-active enclosure which can also be mixed with artificial plants if you choose, to create the perfect natural looking environment for your pet or as a decorative tank. Live plants will continue to grow in the tank so its advisable to trim plants to avoid them burning on lighting or heat lamps.

Humidity control

Bio-active enclosures are humid by design, however too much humidity can produce condensation which clouds the view of the inside. Fans are very useful for this reason.

A bio-active enclosure without the use of a fan

A bio-active enclosure with the use of a fan

Lucky Reptile terrafan

Mist King Starter Misting System V5.0

Exo Terra Ultrasonic Fogger

Bio-Active Custodians

Bio active custodians are insects which feed off animal and plant waste. They are very useful in the enclosure as they keep it clean and support plant life. Custodians can not always be seen as they tend to live in the soil, but you may notice them moving around working as they carry out their cleaning duties.

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