12 Gallon Terrarium

I thought I would share my most recent endeavor, a 12 gallon terrarium. It's an acrylic enclosure, designed by Lorex Plastics, which is based out of my hometown of Norwalk, CT. It is a clean, simple design that incorporates four small, circular screen vents-- two on top and one on each side. It has a hinged top with a latch that reminds me of a jewelry box. The tank sits up off its surface about 1/2 inch because the side panels are slightly longer, which gives a nice effect.

This tank was an impulse buy at my recent visit to the New York Reptile Expo in White Plains, NY. I couldn't pass up the $45 dollar price for such a good looking piece. Not knowing what to do with it, I took it home. Here are some photos of the project as it progressed.

First, I created a background out of cork bark tiles that I had left over from a previous project. I also had some manzanita branches lying around that I decided to use as a focal point and to add structure and definition to the layout.

 It's fun and easy to work with a smaller container like this. The acrylic is very light, so it's easy to move the tank around as you work. 

Here I have added some plants that are still in pots, in order to give myself an idea what the finished product will end up looking like. Most of these plants were purchased from Black Jungle at the reptile expo.

This is version one of the terrarium, freshly planted. The top substrate is a mixture of chopped long fiber sphagnum and tree fern fiber. On the bottom there is fine grade feather-lite, an ultra lightweight drainage material made from recycled glass. I did not separate the layers with mesh as some would suggest, and I hope I don't regret that in the future!

Here is the most current state of the terrarium. I have added some tropical moss to the front of the scape, in the lowest parts. It's not as green as it was at first, which I attribute to transplantation as well as being a little too wet (I overwatered a bit). I also added another piece of manzanita wood. This is particularly good for terrariums as it is a very hard wood that can stay wet without breaking down or rotting.

I'm thinking about using this terrarium to house some type of small reptile or amphibian. Doesn't it look like a perfect home? Other future plans include the possibility of adding an automated mister system as well as dried leaves to give the scape a more natural "rainforest floor" look. I'm definitely not going to add plants; instead, I will let the ones that I already have in place "grow in." Any more plants and the layout would start to look busy.

Plant list and layout (pictured in photo above):

The plant with the strappy leaves on the top left is Seemania sylvatica. Below it are three jewel orchids: Ludisia discolor "alba," Goodyera pusilla, and Anoectichilus albolineatus, which is barely seen. The clump of smaller leaves to the right, below the wood are cuttings of Alsobia dianthflora, taken from a larger plant that I have in my grow area. To the right of that is Ludisia discolor "nigrescens." The bromeliad is a neorigelia sp. The light green plant in the middle is Nautilocalyx gotenburg. I believe the moss is "java moss," Black Jungle tells me its brought in from Hawaii. There is also a tillandsia (air plant) at the very top left. Lest I forget the tiny leaves to the far left that aren't looking great yet; cuttings of a plant that was labeled "dwarf baby tears." Oh, and right in the middle, the pointy, silvery leaves are on a cutting of Cissus amazonicus, which is like, totally my favorite vine.

Here is a close up of the right side of the scape, with the three jewel orchids being featured. I was after that one with the orange veins in the middle for a long time! Here you can see the moss looks a little greener. On the right is the clipping of the cutest little vine, Cissus amazonica, which I will try to grow around the wood.

Please stay tuned for further updates as this terrarium grows!