Biotope Biologist Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 (edited) Originally I wasn't going to upload this journal, but I added some cute critters to take care of mold and fungus and now I have to share. Sensitive plant is one of my all time favorite terrestrial plants. The pink polka dot plant is just an easy grower with a pop of color. I also love growing java moss in humid terrariums it just offers iconic jungle aesthetic. 5 gallon terrarium: Invertebrates: Larval earthworms Dwarf tangerine isopod (Porcellio laevis) Springtails I'd guess collembola Plants Mimosa pudica (sensitive plant) Hypoestes phyllostachya 'pink' (polka dot plant) Taxiphyllum barieri (Java moss) Substrate mix of peat moss, coco fiber, organic potting soil, and fir bark. Some leaf litter too for the isopods to hide. Lica for the false bottom drain. I just needed a distraction from work and getting ready to move so I couldnt setup a heavy aquarium, but this terrarium weighs in at 5lbs and is very easy to move. The light is a halo LED grow light. It puts off a fair amount of heat so even though we keep our house at 60 the terrarium clocks in at 75. Edited August 31, 2021 by Biotope Biologist 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Expectorating_Aubergine Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 Have you ever tried the aquatic sensitive plant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted August 31, 2021 Author Share Posted August 31, 2021 On 8/31/2021 at 1:11 PM, Expectorating_Aubergine said: Have you ever tried the aquatic sensitive plant? I haven't but it is absolutely on my radar for an indoor pond setup! Something about that leaf shape 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Expectorating_Aubergine Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 Compound pinnate leaves are dope... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted October 10, 2021 Author Share Posted October 10, 2021 My java moss has produced 2 sporophytes! Happy and healthy so the transfer from fully aquatic to terrestrial was a success. Bought from our lovely co-op. The humidity in here rarely dips below 70% and it gets a heavy mist 1x a week. I am still on the lookout for fire moss, but there appears to be a shortage of it locally. The polka dot plant is growing like a weed but has actually made more room for the sensitive plant which suffered an early fungal infection and is recovering slowly. There are now 7 full grown adult tangerine isopods which are elusive to take pics of as they appear to still be nocturnal. Every once in awhile the springtails and juvenile earthworms will climb out of the soil and make their presence known. They are fed old bearded dragon pellets, that Zeke used to turn his nose up at. Very picky beardie. 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted October 11, 2021 Share Posted October 11, 2021 I adore the tea dispenser. Polka dot plants are my favorite. I have the darker magenta and several pink. I tried to grow clippings aquatic twice to no success. I’m thinking I may try in my frogs terrarium after seeing this. You may already know this…they stay shorter and bushier with less direct light more direct they get tall and leggy. My niece fell in love with my friendly sensitive plant..I cannot say no so she adopted it 🥰 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atitagain Posted October 11, 2021 Share Posted October 11, 2021 You say vintage, do you happen to know how old it is? 50s maybe 60s? That dispenser is so cool and what you have going on inside, makes it even more interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted October 11, 2021 Author Share Posted October 11, 2021 On 10/10/2021 at 7:31 PM, Atitagain said: You say vintage, do you happen to know how old it is? 50s maybe 60s? That dispenser is so cool and what you have going on inside, makes it even more interesting. I have no idea given the brass nozzle and the glass having imperfections I'd definitely say this was handmade and old. Edmonds, WA has alot of old wealth so I wouldn't be surprised if this came out of the 50's/60's On 10/10/2021 at 6:33 PM, Guppysnail said: I adore the tea dispenser. Polka dot plants are my favorite. I have the darker magenta and several pink. I tried to grow clippings aquatic twice to no success. I’m thinking I may try in my frogs terrarium after seeing this. You may already know this…they stay shorter and bushier with less direct light more direct they get tall and leggy. My niece fell in love with my friendly sensitive plant..I cannot say no so she adopted it 🥰 I actually had no idea! I may remove the grow light then once the sensitive plant joins the realm of the thriving again... I'd actually prefer the polka dot to stay bushy. And sensitive plants are the best! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted October 11, 2021 Share Posted October 11, 2021 Sensitive plants also prefer more indirect light. The windowsill I keep the polka dot and sensitive plants on i used a roll of static cling clear patterned light and heat diffuser window cling. So they got bright light but it was softer. They both thrived best doing this. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted November 11, 2021 Author Share Posted November 11, 2021 (edited) Well sad news the sensitive plant suffered a career ending fungal infection. They had some healthier ones at Sky, but I opted to buy one later and instead bought a, I believe, dragontail fern. To be honest I saw it I instantly fell in love and bought it without looking at price or name. The isopods love it and call it their new home and it has taken over quite nicely. I was worried because it had a dense and long root structure that the top might melt from shock. That orange dot is indeed an isopod butt. Best part is it came with some hornwort! I wish this camera took better macros. An adult being adventurous this morning I pruned back the polka dot plant and took out the light now it only receives indirect sun light and now that it is fall maybe an hour of direct sunlight. I am not sure if I triggered roots to grow or if this is a colony plant attempting to establish a new colony. Edited November 11, 2021 by Biotope Biologist 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted November 11, 2021 Share Posted November 11, 2021 I’ve been playing with the idea of a wabi kusa and this is really giving me ideas! Thanks @Biotope Biologistfor posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atitagain Posted November 11, 2021 Share Posted November 11, 2021 Everything looks great, thanks for the update. I seen a container the other day that reminded me of this and made me wonder what was going on with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted November 11, 2021 Author Share Posted November 11, 2021 I've always loved the idea of wabi kusa just lack finesse, this is helping me figure out how to operate in tight spaces... The imperfections in the glass make it hard to take pictures but is also what gives it it's charm 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted November 11, 2021 Share Posted November 11, 2021 The line between a modern wabi kusa and a terrarium is blurry. 😁 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted November 11, 2021 Share Posted November 11, 2021 I was so inspired I went on Etsy and grabbed this. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted November 12, 2021 Share Posted November 12, 2021 That possible root structure is interesting. I mine flower but never produce these. Can’t wait to see where it goes. I love the new fern! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted November 16, 2021 Author Share Posted November 16, 2021 (edited) All the isopods were out and about this morning. They probably love the gloomy rainy Seattle vibes going on. I apologize for the video quality this phone is on it's way out the door. Captured dew on a sporophyte is one of my favorites. Here the photo quality makes it look like a painting. Edited November 16, 2021 by Biotope Biologist 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 On 11/16/2021 at 9:10 AM, Biotope Biologist said: Here the photo quality makes it look like a painting. You have a Van Gogh tank as well! Beautiful and dreamy! 😍 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted December 19, 2021 Author Share Posted December 19, 2021 It's been a month so another update. The isopod population has exploded. I have about 11 full grown adults and 20 sub-adults as well as a handful of babies. Interestingly I have noticed the babies start white and with each molt get a patchwork of orange until as adults they are bright orange. A few of those worms ended up being juvenile slugs and were removed. I recognized them as natives so they were moved to the compost bin unharmed. Where they can eat my dead plants to their heart's contents. The isopods LOVE the stale beardie pellets and swarm it as soon as I drop them in. Many immediately try to pull them into their burrows under the leaf litter. Plants update: I waited a day too long to take pics. The dragontail fern had 7 new frond furls, but by time I took the pic only 2 were still furled. Some die off on the outer fronds, but its to be expected, the isopods have been moving these around the terrarium. Something ate most of my hornwort back, I only have 4 whorls left so I hope that comes back. I have some healthy bladderwort outside in my toad lily planter that I might try to cultivate if the hornwort completely dies off. The polka dot plant did not like our shorter days and was starting to look lean, so I moved the LED back in for 4 hours a day. It's since started growing new leaves at an alarming rate. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted December 19, 2021 Author Share Posted December 19, 2021 Guest appearances by a mite! Some tug-o-war going on among the ranks To the victor goes the spoils: a half-eaten pellet 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted March 3, 2022 Author Share Posted March 3, 2022 It’s been a couple months! The population is huge at least 60 adults. They cleaned up the dead fronds under my dragontail fern and the fern has a bunch of new growth. It stays short and dense which is great because the polka dot plant want’s to take over. I am having thoughts of upgrading these guys to an exo-terra nano at some point and converting this to a macroalgae aquarium. I love the glass but it’s really hard to see in here to do maintenance and I hoping if it’s fully aquatic it’ll be easier to see in here. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted March 3, 2022 Share Posted March 3, 2022 What a fun jar-o-centric world! I love pods and their very entertaining antics! 😍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted March 29, 2022 Author Share Posted March 29, 2022 I have been looking around at terrariums for a while now and craigslist is selling them for the cost of new- not sure aquariums and terrariums are hot items and I am far far too cheap to shell out $200 for a small glass box. Especially one that I have to scrape frog poo out of… But old man gripes aside I got an email from Amazon and low and behold a zilla 11 gallon terrarium kit went on sale and I snapped it up. Look for the new setup on Wednesday! For the vintage glass dispenser, I am going to fill it with water once I’ve made absolutely sure all my critters are out and start testing around to see if I can’t make a nano setup. It will likely be very heavily planted. I’m thinking either micro crabs, a predatory beetle, or some itty bitty fish friends. Let me know which y’all would prefer to see! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted March 29, 2022 Share Posted March 29, 2022 My vote for beetle first micro crab second. I can’t wait to see your new upgrade. I love your pods and polka dot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted March 29, 2022 Share Posted March 29, 2022 On 3/28/2022 at 7:37 PM, Biotope Biologist said: I have been looking around at terrariums for a while now and craigslist is selling them for the cost of new- not sure aquariums and terrariums are hot items and I am far far too cheap to shell out $200 for a small glass box. Especially one that I have to scrape frog poo out of… But old man gripes aside I got an email from Amazon and low and behold a zilla 11 gallon terrarium kit went on sale and I snapped it up. Look for the new setup on Wednesday! For the vintage glass dispenser, I am going to fill it with water once I’ve made absolutely sure all my critters are out and start testing around to see if I can’t make a nano setup. It will likely be very heavily planted. I’m thinking either micro crabs, a predatory beetle, or some itty bitty fish friends. Let me know which y’all would prefer to see! Micro crabs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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