Cleaning my Vivarium

[timmonsjr]

I have a pair of standings in my life planted vivarium. Wondering about replacing the mulch - how often should it be done and how do I do it? The cage is a bit smelly so I think it is time. Do I have to remove the geckos, remove the plants, remove a layer of the mulch (is about 3.5 inches deep with turtle gravel on the bottom covered in nylon screen) and start over? What is advised? I do regular cleaning and poop removal but it is hard to keep up with when often it is in locations which aren't accessible without disturbing my standings, who tend to freak out and experience trauma when I do this....Thanks for advice.

[EvilLost]

if your substrate is properly formed and you have good microfauna, it should last practically forever...

you should not need to clean poop...the only thing really necessary is to trim plants that are growing too much.

what microfauna do you haev in there? springtails? isos?

also what mix did you use for your substrate, and what type of viv? is it a tropical viv, temperate viv, desert viv....that all affects what type of soil mixture you should be using

i'm not familiar with the particular animals you have

[watergirl]

I am looking into making a vivarium for a crested gecko, i am curious about the upkeep of the substrate also, hoping to make it as maintenance free as possible. EvilLost, what do you mean by substrate being "properly formed?" What are good microfauna? Where do you purchase these organisms and would they hurt or be eaten by the other animals in the tank?

[timmonsjr]

I have springtails galore in the tank, live plants (snake plant, pothos, some purple jew, some ground cover, natural driftwood. Back of the cage is a created "wall" with greatfoam, silicone and a mixture much like my soil mixture embedded in the wall. Several pots in the wall. Substrate is turtle rock (about 1 inch) covered with nylon black screen, covered with my substrate mix:
Seachem Flourite Plant Substrate
1 Brick Coco Husk (exoterra)
1 Brick Plantation Soil (exoterra)
Fine Charcoal
1 brick sphagnum moss (exoterra)

[OctoberLust]

as long as you have a slightly acidic pH level and some springtails, your system should be self sustaining. its often refereed to as a bio-active substrate. phillip devosjoli (i think thats how its spelled) did extensive writing on it in some of his viv books.