Suggest best media for terrarium?

[buffalo]

I've been making terrarium for years and use potting soil, as we know all soils not made the same . As a result some terrarium with soil struggle while other do exceptionally well. I've heard of terrarium using just pea gravel, some with sphagnum moss etc ( I've tried sphagum moss i usually get mold issues. Let me know what you find most successful in vivarium and terrarium for soil media.

[801229001]

terrariums for orchids?

[Ray]

My current setup has a 3" layer of PrimeAgra LECA, covered by 3" of premium sphagnum, covered by 1/2" of very fine, #8 Orchiata bark.

Most of the orchids are mounted on the cork bark tank background, and when the pump comes on, the water is trickled down that, watering them, the accumulates in the LECA, saturating that, which wicks up to keep the moss moist, but not soppy, which seems to be fine for the paphs and phals (and ferns and broms).

[Paul]

That all depends upon what plants one intends on growing as well as whether one has a water feature or the type of watering system used.

If your intent is to grow bog plants, then a denser, water retentive mix is fine.

If you intend on having some sort of water feature or watering system with which you want the water to circulate -- passing through the media then being drawn back up to run through again or to empty out, then a false bottom set up is required and a more free draining media is best.

Then there is a whole spectrum of "in between."

In two of my tanks, I have a 2-3 inch layer of sphag over a layer of lava rock. In my other terr, straight sphag only. Most of the plants in the setups have been doing fine. "Terrestrial" plants include some orchids (pleuros, a max or two), African violets, Streptocarpus saxorum, Cryptanthus, Selaginella, some ferns, some bromeliads, Drosera adelae, Epipremnum 'Pincushion', and some vagabond mosses that showed up. Did try a paph once but it didn't make it. There are also a number of orchids and broms mounted in the terrs.

As far as your mold issue, what do you do for air circulation?

[buffalo]

Open top terrarium ;so no air circulation by fans. Obviously i would of needed an air circulating device to keep the mold from forming.

[OfLeafandLimb]

Have you ever heard of ABG mix? It was specifically designed by the Atlanta Botanical Gardens for use in terrariums/vivariums. You can find recipes online, though many people prefer to buy it pre-mixed so that the ratios are precise. It's a combination of tree fern fiber, long fiber sphagnum, milled sphagnum, charcoal, and a couple other things.

[Tindomul]

Hi,

These are great suggestions. I have been using the ABG mix just as Ofleafandlimb suggested with a false bottom as Paul suggested. Its a great combo as the substrate stays moist all the time and never wet, no mold, no rot. Just remember that with the false bottom you need a way to drain the water out or else it nullifies the purpose of the false bottom. I've been growing tropical rhododendrons in it along with A Paph and Phrags out of the compot.