Closed terrarium’s

[TopCat]

Any experience anyone? I have a 40 pint bottle and I’m thinking about starting one off

 

[Leafster]

Never tried to do one myself but check out SerpaDesign on YT. He does lots of stuff on terrariums etc.

https://www.youtube.com/@SerpaDesign/videos

 

[kalmatthew]

I really want one, but I think I want someone else to build it for me. All the ones I see and like look amazing and I have 0 artistic inclination and less hand eye coordination so am worried if I made it, it would look like a bottle, a heap of soil and some plants.

 

[A380]

Back in the 80's my dad used to make stained glass ones. How the plants grew seemed quite a bit of chance. Some established closed system that would run nicely and others just didn't. I think there was a fair bit of luck to it. Sorry.

 

[cesare]

I had a large green glass one from the late 70s until approx 1993. It went the way of my giant swiss cheese plant - a fond farewell as a result of a house move. I enjoyed looking after them but it was time for me to move on.

 

[TopCat]

It’s going to be a challenge getting everything in the big bottle according to plan.
I will post a pic or two when I commence.

 

[Leafster]

Good luck!

How big is the bottleneck you need to get everything through?

 

[StoneRoad]

good luck TopCat

I've not had much luck with them, either DIY or bought in.
I'm sure you've considered the options.
I understand that the choice of plants is very important ... and if the system is truly "closed" you will get condensation at various times.

 

[TopCat]

Good luck!

How big is the bottleneck you need to get everything through?

Inch.

 

[TopCat]

Inch.

I can bind up the plants with dissolving thread and push them down a pipe.

I’m thinking of a decent amount of garden compost too. Loads of bugs and stuff.

ordered some stuff to start.

 

[TopCat]

Scrape moss off pavement cracks and shove it in.

 

[Epona]

Every time I see the thread title it conjures up the sensory memory of that damp green smell that some terraria seem to have.

 

[TopCat]

Every time I see the thread title it conjures up the sensory memory of that damp green smell that some terraria seem to have.

Terraria. Hehehe

 

[Leafster]

I can bind up the plants with dissolving thread and push them down a pipe.

I’m thinking of a decent amount of garden compost too. Loads of bugs and stuff.

ordered some stuff to start.

I guess the plants will grow so you don't need to be trying to force huge stuff down the pipe.

Have you worked out a theme? I've recently got into aquascaping so I now have nano-cubes with rock 'monoliths', a jungle scape and a 'bonsai hillside'!

 

[TopCat]

I guess the plants will grow so you don't need to be trying to force huge stuff down the pipe.

Have you worked out a theme?

Escape from New York but for bugs, flora and fauna. Urban wasteland. Plants growing in cracked concrete.

 

[WouldBe]

Escape from New York but for bugs, flora and fauna. Urban wasteland. Plants growing in cracked concrete.

Mini giraffe.

 

[TopCat]

I guess the plants will grow so you don't need to be trying to force huge stuff down the pipe.

Have you worked out a theme? I've recently got into aquascaping so I now have nano-cubes with rock 'monoliths', a jungle scape and a 'bonsai hillside'!

I am in awe. Pics I beg you

 

[Leafster]

Mini giraffe.

Cows, perhaps?



A Dairy Cow Isopod

 

[TopCat]

Mini giraffe.

Rusty razor wire. A crushed balloon canister

 

[Leafster]

I am in awe. Pics I beg you

Monoliths and Jungle-scape.

They're 25cm cubes.

When I took the photos there were just Bloody Mary neocaridina shrimp in them.



There's now Chili Rasboras in the jungle-scape.

The bonsai cube is only just growing in and it's reached its algal bloom stage. I'll see if I can find a photo (that doesn't look too crap)

 

[Leafster]

Chili Rasboras



They are very small! (sorry about the reflections!)

The bonsai one just after I planted it up

 

[Epona]

I'm enjoying this thread far more than I expected - those are beautiful Leafster

 

[Leafster]

I'm enjoying this thread far more than I expected - those are beautiful Leafster

Thank you! I'm still learning how to create and maintain them. It's much harder than I thought!

I'm also struggling to take decent photos - I don't know how aquascapers do it. Well, I do but it involves lots of photographic equipment that I don't have.

 

[geminisnake]

Have you thought about some of that water retaining gel you can get? and why the apostrophe?

 

[TopCat]

Have you thought about some of that water retaining gel you can get? and why the apostrophe?

Won’t need the gel. Completely sealed, no water loss.

Terraria, apostrophe errors. I’m learning today.

 

[JimW]

Kids have got mini ones in little bottles that the bloke who does the stall next to my wife's sells. Mostly mosses.

 

[blossie33]

No personal experience but I remember my cousin made a couple using big round jars he got from the chemistry department at the college where he worked.

 

[TopCat]

I have started it. A layer of clean gravel, one of activated charcoal, another with new compost, next manure full of bugs and a final layer of compost.

Plants and “landscaping” next.

 

[TopCat]

I’m adding water that has stood for days to evaporate the chlorine and has had cold pressed seaweed extract added then adjusted the PH to seven with lemon Juice

 

[TopCat]

Don’t really know how much water to add. Currently it’s to half way up the gravel layer.