Bioactive on a Budget
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- Опубліковано 27 лип 2024
- Good Morning, Reptilians! I can’t tell you how excited I am to be setting up another tank. Even though nothing is going in it… I just really love building tanks. You know what else I love? Saving money. So let’s do both of those things. Also, as I was looking for the links for all these things, I realized I had the feeding ledge upside down. Oops.
Our New Links:
www.etsy.com/shop/ellesreptiles/
ellesreptiles.com/
All the things I used in this build(many of these are affiliate links, the prices are the same for you, but purchasing from the link supports the channel 😊):
Tank - 12x12x18 Exo Terra purchased second-hand forever ago.
River Rock - go.magik.ly/ml/1bod7/
Mesh Screen - I couldn’t find the exact one, but this one looks close? Maybe? go.magik.ly/ml/1bocd/
Top Soil - go.magik.ly/ml/1boc2/
Cypress Mulch - amzn.to/2LMZENA
Sphagnum Moss - go.magik.ly/ml/1bodc/
Leaf Litter - amzn.to/2Mi0tNT
Springtails - www.joshsfrogs.com/temperate-...
Night Crawlers - go.magik.ly/ml/1bodd/
Dubia Roaches - (I already buy these regularly as feeders) www.thedubiadude.com/
Driftwood - Gathered from local river, and sanitized
Autumn Fern - Walmart garden center
Sword Fern - Walmart garden center
Lucky Bamboo - Walmart garden center
Feeding Ledge - www.wish.com/search/reptile%2...
Food Bowl - ? Walmart Clearance Section
Lights - amzn.to/2JYe37n
Other things you can use:
Plantation Soil - amzn.to/32WiHu4
BioShot (never used, but heard good things about this)- www.thebiodude.com/products/b...
Isopods - www.joshsfrogs.com/dwarf-trop...
www.supremegecko.com/shop-onli...
Don’t forget to use code ELLE for 10% off your purchase at thedubiadude.com
Thanks for watching! :)
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Curious about what I use in my tanks or what you need for your new setup? Check out my Amazon Store:
www.amazon.com/shop/ellesrept...
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🦗Want to support the channel? Buy my reptiles some feeders at: www.buymeacoffee.com/ellesrep...
Instagram: / elle.622
Twitter: / ellesreptiles
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What I Use To Film (nothing exciting here, but for those that are curious):
Camera:
amzn.to/2UUNUJp
Microphone:
amzn.to/2SOIRwx
Ring Light:
amzn.to/2IdotkG
Vlog Tripod:
www.target.com/p/joby-griptig...
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Disclaimers:
Although I have a few reptiles, I am in no way a reptile expert. I just research a whole bunch and make videos. Please always do lots and lots of research before getting any pet! :)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This just means that I receive a small percentage of your purchase, but don't worry, the prices are the same.
I'm just a girl with a love for animals. :)
Don't forget to subscribe! I upload every single Sunday. Come hang out with me and watch me talk about animal things... and watch my animals do animal stuff.
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#lizardlove #snakestuff #reptiles - Домашні улюбленці та дикі тварини
Nice video! I almost doubt you can get the cost much lower than what you've shown here. There are some costs we just can't avoid! Though for cleanup crew, a lot of people can find isopods, pillbugs, or roly-polys (or whatever you call them locally) in their yards (I bet you can find them by that river you go to for driftwood, too).
Keep them in a separate container on a bit of the substrate you are using in your enclosure. Keep the substrate slightly moist. Feed them a couple sprinkles of fish food flakes or a piece or two of mushroom. After a week or so - just to be sure they've passed anything they may have picked up in the yard that might be bad for your tank - they should be good to put into the enclosure.
Love that! I thought about mentioning finding them outside, but decided not to due to outside parasites/pesticides. I never thought to quarantine them 🤦🏽♀️ But that’s a wonderful idea! 😁
@@ellesreptiles Now you just need a beautiful little Dart Frog for that enclosure. RIGHT??
@@caitwn8548 mourning gecko or dendrobates azureus would be great!
I don't know that I would use wild isopods...there are risks to doing that. There are risks to using the driftwood like she did without properly sanitizing to kill whatever hitchhikers are coming along. There are TONS of little itty bitty bugs that live in wood, especially driftwood, that you seriously do not want in your vivarium or your house.
I had 4 isopods in a little terrarium and now I have hundreds. I had to separate them and start a new group.
I just decided to name one of my new hatchling beardies after you Elle!!
Awww oh my. Thank you. That's so sweet. ♥️
lol bloopers get me each time. the "done" expression on your face is priceless. you deserve waaaay more subs
Thank you Elle🙏 learning from you, everything about geckos. Got 1, then had to get another lol. I just bought my 1st baby leopard & baby crested gecko, recently. Zoo Med… only terrariums on sale at Petco & PetSmart ($84.99) 25 gallon for baby leopard. ($111.00) 12x12x18 for baby crested. Bought heating pad, lights, plants, hides, temp gauges, reptitemp (temp control) At the end of the day…Spent over $200 each, on bare minimum setup. Worth it. Didn’t want dollar store, or any wood from outside. Not worth the risk. Wanted good , tried & true, quality, name brand products for both my baby geckos. Love my lil babies too much, plus their homes look great in my living room👍💙💙🦎🦎
Super cute setup! Watching this as I’m slowly working on my bioactive😂
Haha thank you! 😊
Great video, and really great advice on saving a few dollars on setting up a bioactive enclosure, thank you for that.
Glad you enjoyed it! 😊
@@ellesreptilesI always look forward to your videos so, I always enjoy all of your videos 😊
Wow! Awesome video always Elle. You're the best!
Thank you!!! Loved the idea! 😊
I love this channel! Morning 🦎👀s. Mr Husband, thanks for sharing her with us. And that last close up... 😍😏
😂 thank you so much!!! 😊
I got my clean up crew from my garden. When you collect moss from outside there are usually springtails or you can get some compost-soil there are some worms, isopods, mycelium and fungus. Cheap and simple! 😊
I find mycelium takes over the enclosure really quickly and the other plants seem to take a hit as a result should i attempt to remove it?
@@coltoncowan682 Yup i have the same '' problem'' maybe adding more variation to clean up crew might help (worms, millipedes etc).worms and millipedes dig holes that ventilates the soil.
But i have noticed that my springtails devour it.
Thank you. I want to do my Crestie a bio active set up so this video is very helpful xx
Thanks a lot!!! Im very thrifty, u wouldn’t believe it, my plants and rocks even came from my moms garden and the neighbors I asked around my neighborhood; propagating! 😅🤣, great vid!!!
Wow I may look into that top soil as a regular substrate in general especially for my snakes that require higher humidity levels like my Brb. Great video! Been a minute! Way behind on your videos but will do my best to catch up!
Thank you so much! So far it's been great with plant growth. 😊
Great video thanks for the help with saving!
I'm glad it was helpful! 😊
$1 nonadhessive shelf liners in place of mesh
arent the holes too large?
@@jasontran7477 no theyre perfecy
thanks
I really want to do a bioactive setup for my leopard geckos now!!
That would be awesome! 😊
this type of bioactive setup wont work for leopard geckos because they are a desert lizard, this setup is for arboreal lizards
@@soidester1162 Actually, they live in more arid environments - they can be found between Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and parts of India. So this substrate will most likely work with leopard geckos.
@@KaiDaigneau so i can do this for my leopard gecko right before i buy this?
I’d recommend next time going to a pet shop near by and seeing their isopods I got a small cup of them for $20 and the guy at the place hooked me up and gave me a container with springtails in it too (some of the cups had those) so I only had to pay $20 for both and you just let them breed for a couple weeks and then put them in. It saved me a bunch!
This was very helpful
Love the video!❤️ i want to see a update in the future
I know this is an old video but just to confirm, this is completely safe for reptiles right? I’d like to use this setup for my tokay gecko but I want to be completely sure it’s safe
Yes I know my reply is slightly late but it is 100% safe but be careful with what plant soils and plants you use where I live there’s a greenhouse that uses absolutely no pesticides or harmful fertilizers In their soils and plants so if y out don’t have a place like that whether a plant store or reptiles store try to buy normal ones and inspect them REALLY well to make sure it’s safe
If you use items from nature you need to put them in boiling water or even bleach water(and follow up with a dechlorinated water solution to get the chlorine off again) because there are a lot of potential hitchhikers from wood, leaves or even rocks from nature. You could get bugs, eggs, slugs, snails or other pests that would NOT be good for your vivarium or pet. If you really want to ensure it is safe purchase items from a pet store where it's verified as safe - such as Josh's Frogs or even Petco, Petsense, or other chain stores...just they are more spendy. Josh's Frogs prices are pretty decent.
It said it would recommended for crested geckos and crested geckos r reptiles!
I love this!
I ended up getting some dermestid beetles accidentally with a cricket order and they are reproducing like crazy! Not sure if they can be used in a bio active tank, but they’re keeping my cricket tank super clean!
In the process of going bio active in a 7ft x 4 ft Viv ! That's gonna be a costly one haha
Love your builds! Keep up the good work!👍
Thank you!!! 😁
Great video👍👍👍
Thank you! 😊
This video is perfect soon I’m gonna be getting my second crested gecko so this is really going to help :3
Early congrats on the new crestie! 😁
I have Dubia,isopods,springtails all in my vivariums, but no night crawlers, I should look into getting some, I just heard they might overwelm the vivarium, but I dont know if that’s a myth, and I love mixing in veggie scraps in and on top of soil to encourage microfauna and clean up crew to settle. this video is a must for vivarium starters.
Thank you so much!!! 😊 I didn’t even think about just throwing some veggie scraps on top. That’s a great idea.
For the clean up crew: Basic Isopods and some spring tails. Super cheap and you can even just put the isopods you find in your yard in there.
It isn't that easy... putting isopods from your yard is kinda risky because they can port parasites and that isopods with parasites can be eaten by the leopard gecko.
How well does this combination of substrates work with invertebrates? I’m looking to upgrade my tarantulas, scorpions, whip spiders, vinegaroons, and centipedes into a bio active setup.
Hii great video! Got a few questions if you don’t mind tho. Is there any other types of moss that you recommend? Also what type of light should we use ? I’m planing on getting a white tree frog :}
I'm terrible at saving money. But your setup turned out great! Looks perfect for a crestie or a garg.
Thank you! I do not like spending extra money on something that I can find cheaper, or that I can do a cheaper way. But then I'll just turn around and spend the money I saved on something else haha
How did the grow light end up working?
Hey, great video, but i have a question, do you think fake plants are safe to use in the enclosure?
Omg I love your hare
h a r e
hey question ! so i got a crested gecko its about 7 months old is this good and safe for it
?? also... what if the gecko tries to eat the clean up crew ?
and do they stay in their the whole time(sorry trying to make sure i understand)
How do you quarantine a plant for 2 weeks and keep it alive? May be a dumb question but I'm confused. Do you re-pot it for 2 weeks?
Great video,
You could keep a single Eurydactylode or even a single pygmy chameleon ,or a single Parodura Stumpfi or mourning gecko in that. I keep my mourning gecko “ Applegridge” and Eurydactylode “ Juno” each in their own vivarium of a exo terra like what you feature in this great video and Applegridge in a Zilla front opening tank of same dimensions.
🤔 my husband loves Pygmy chameleons. I might have to look into that... thank you! 😊
you could use this for a dart frog or mourning geckos!
sooo cool
Thank you! 😊
Is the top soil fine for dart frogs? I know their kind can basically absorb anything they touch. Just making sure my babies don't have any kinda problem. Theres no pesticides in this soil or anything that can harm them? This a way cheaper way then abg besides the charcoal which I know charcoal has no beneficial benefits at least from what I've been told.
If anyone is wondering what she meant be TLC was "tender loving care"
is the light safe for a crested gecko??
Thinking of doing a bioactive setup for a rainbow boa I will be getting and was wondering how often you would have to change the soil
you don't change the soil on a bioactive setup.
Just subscribed good video!!!
Thank you so much and welcome to the channel! 😊
Would this be safe for a corn snake? I love this!
No way to little
@@Taigonn she meant bioactive I think. Not how big the tank is
Do you think I can put half a container of spring tails in one enclosure and the other half in the other?
Maybe, it just depends on how much you have 😊 But you can also make an endless supply of springtails by putting them in a large container with charcoal, filled about 1/3 of the way with water. Then you can put a few pieces of dry rice in it and seal it up - you'll have so many springtails in no time 😊
Did the lights workout? I am trying to find some and those look cool.
They did, and they're still working. I actually bought another set for a new bioactive I set up, and those plants are growing great as well. 😊
Wow! Great ideas for me because I will be converting my crested gecko to bioactive with the help of my son. (His pets). I will be getting springtails and want to start a culture. Do you have tips about keeping springtails?
That's awesome! Yes, if you go to this video: ua-cam.com/video/QzjJxdQk3Bg/v-deo.html (timestamp 10:39) I talk about them, and about how to keep and expand cultures of them 😊
We're thinking about transitioning our crested gecko to bioactive. We were told by a guy that has various reptiles to add lump charcoal. Is the charcoal really necessary in the enclosure? I don't recall you adding it to this setup.
You can! I've added it to tanks previously. It just helps to keep it smelling fresh, and the springtails like it. You don't need it, but it does help 😊
Great video! New sub :)
Thank you and welcome to the channel! 😁
I have free springtails from my worm bin, they appear like magic
I want to do bioactive but how do you clean it? Does it need cleaned? Do the bugs do all the work?
The bugs do most of the work! You'll have to spot clean urates, and clean the glass, but that's about it for regular maintenance.
If the tank starts to smell weird, you change out the soil, but that isn't something that will happen often at all. 😊
Thank you Elle I am going to attempt a bio for my cresties, using your tips!!
I also got springtails from glassboxtropicals for 10 bucks and isopods for 10 bucks too
I would prefer if you excluded that kind of Top soil Since it has peat Moss in it. Peat Moss is harvested in a very destructive way, that totally destroys the environment. And the grow back time for peat Moss is very extensive, that means that the next harvest can't be made until after a very very long time.
Away from that your video was very instructive and well made, Thank you for this video!
it is hard to find a product that has no ecological damage :/
@@stephsexoticpets shitty excuse and you know it! There’s plenty of ways to be eco friendly, you just have to put in the actual work of researching and finding sources.
@@zacharywood9416 LOL my dude, I have a degree in environment & sustainability. i've probably spent more hours 'putting in the actual work of researching' environmental issues than you can imagine, so you're barking up the wrong tree. Literally no business can have no ecological damage, considering the negative externalities. How bout you do some research on that?
Do you have an update on the terrarium?
My birthday/Christmas list is going to be... odd 👀
As a person who is allergic to cockroaches. What is something similar to dubia roaches you’d recommend. I’ve got a leopard gecko and I’m heading to get supplies to set up a crested gecko today
Fox farm.. great video
Can this mixture be used for Beard Dragon terrarium?
Can you do a bioactive set up in a PVC enclosure??
What is the point of a drainage layer? And why is it a problem if some of the soil gets into the drainage layer. Thinking about doing a bio active setup but don’t know what the point of the drainage layer is for.
It has a couple different purposes. 😊 It keeps the wet soil off of your plants' roots, by allowing excess water to drain into the drainage layer. This is important, because a plant's roots sitting in wet soil all of the time causes root rot, which kills the plants.
It also allows air flow under the soil layer, allowing the soil to dry out a bit quicker, this is again important for the plants, but also very helpful in preventing mold in the tank.
It's ok if a little soil gets into the drainage layer, but it needs to mostly be soil-free, because if the soil is mixed in with the drainage layer, the soil is no longer elevated off the tank floor. It not being elevated = consistantly wet soil = mold and root rot.
Hopefully that helps 😊
@@ellesreptiles thanks for responding. What do you suggest I use for a drainage layer.
Does this setup for substrate still work?
What does quarantining your plants entail? I feel like just rinsing and moving them to the side somewhere is too simple😅 lol am I missing something? Thanks!
That's basically all I do - rinse, change the soil, and set aside for a little while to make sure there's no webs or little bugs.
Thanks so much for the quick reply! Started buying/ordering everything this weekend -- I'm pretty excited! My crested gecko will be my first pet ever as a gift to myself for my birthday in a couple weeks🥰 Your videos have been super helpful!
Do you have a video for 4x2x2 bioactive??
Hey Elle! Did those lights ever work out for growing plants well?
They do! And I actually just ordered another set for a new bioactive I'm setting up. 😊
@@ellesreptiles Awesome!! Thank you :- )
Do you think they'd work for a 18 x 18 x 30 ?
Can you make a video on how to make a DIY 18 x 18 x 24 terrarium for crested geckos?
How did the night crawlers do?
Is peat moss and the sand ok for my crested gecko will it cause impaction
Please don’t buy anything with peat moss the way it’s collected is so bad for the environment and it takes years to grow again it is a very good moss but they have to excavate rivers and destroy them to get it
Are you sure that that plan topsoil is good ???
I dont know its luck or what, but i liv in that area where isopods naturaly live, so when i need some for my bioactives, i just lift a rock, and get a 10-20
i live in europe and springtails usually cost less than 5 dollars
side tip: you probably shouldn't use bamboo because that will grow ridiculously quick. awesome video though!!
I'm pretty sure it will only grow to fit it's environment
Ik I’m late but would this work for leopard geckos?
can you put a crested gecko into a tank like that with those plants
What type of mesh do I use? I really hope someone see this
I just got some cheap mesh from Amazon lol
I’ve been afraid to add dubia roaches to my live planted vocations because they eat the plants. I use a lot of plants that can be toxic if ingested so I don’t want my geckos eating the roaches that ate the toxic plants.
Try Me why would u use toxic plants???
Ruby Black because the geckos don’t eat the plants. I’m talking about plants like Pothos which can make you sick if you eat them and sanseveria that give you a reaction if ingested.
@@rubyblack6682 because most plants are. Pothos, sanservia, philodendrons, all of these are super popular plants for bioactive tanks but they are toxic if ingested.
Is a 12x12x18 okay for the crestie for its entire life?
No, they'll need at least an 18x18x24 as an adult
@@ellesreptiles Do you think an 18x18x18 will work if its really enriching? where i am located i dont have access to many things and this really all i have access to.
Is top soil safe??? It contains perlite
Not all top soils contain perlite. The one I always use (and linked in the description) doesn't. 😊
@@ellesreptiles thanks for the speedy reply!!!
My crested gecko hearing this video in his tank 👁👄👁
Also I work at a petsmart And for that exact tank I think it’s 69.99 in the store
You have the cutest accent sorry if that’s creepy 😂
Haha thanks!
I always see people remove the background but I actually think they look really nice for something that comes with the enclosure.
Agreed! It looks nice and it's easy for animals to climb. I do think that the homemade bioactive backgrounds look better, but I also like this one. 😊
I want to get a crested gecko but I have fear of bugs which are gonna be the clean of crew. And my parents won’t let me get a gecko but I work at get my money so big possibly I’m still getting one. Mom threatened to kill the gecko.... so... And I’m on tight budget so 200$ or less I’ll go for the setup
Any one else see that bug on the blue blanket at 6:00
gwowd mogriwing everyone
Nice I’m broke so this will be perfect btw notification and sub squad where u at
Haha glad you enjoyed it!
Perfect and cheap
Thanks! I was hoping to somehow get it cheaper, but I couldn’t figure out how.
@@ellesreptiles still real cheap mine costs 350 euro
I’m looking into getting a bearded dragon soon . I’ll be using a 75 gallon tank. Is everything you used okay for a Beardie? I’d of course just add more of the substrate and rocks. I’ve been watching the bio dude. His substrate looked a little more dry I believe . He’s just way expensive. I also don’t get why buy the leaf litter and cleanup crew? Can’t those things just be found outside ?
It’s better to buy the leaf litter & clean up crew, that way you don’t risk bringing any outside parasites in. With things like rocks & sticks, you can get them from outside since you can sterilize them! You can’t really sterilize bugs & leaf litter though 😅 But I believe you can get them off amazon for not too much! Id say everything she used would be okay substrate wise, but I don’t think the moss would be necessary since you don’t want high humidity with beardies :)
Can this home dart Frogs????
i dig the accent lol
#2 comment! Still watching:)
Hey weird to ask but if you got any extra tanks I can take them off your hands (please)
Early?
You are haha
Elle's Reptiles ok 😂 great video!!
😂 thank you!!!
So why set up a tank that an animal won’t be living in? Seems a little like a cop out, not having to show that something can happily live in the setup you present. 🤔 Looks nice but when even you yourself admit it’s just for show it’s hard to imagine this actually works.
bioactive set ups were never expensive :p thats just silly
Lol, u can buy premade ABG substrate for 10 bucks instead of mixing together a questionable 13 dollar substrate
Do a giveaway
Let's go everyone get the shitty products as she states. Let's go cheap the cheapest... We don't want nothing special. Let's just go cheap. just get it over with a be done. Several months later the realization kicks in u just wasted your entire time and money on a wet moldy, rotten project that failed cause u went cheap, and prolly get alot of bugs LMFAO
There was so much wrong in this
Im really late but isnt this enclosure too small