Building a False Bottom and Waterfall  
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Before making the final decision about major stone placement, it is important to run the pump to see exactly where the water will run and pool so that last minute changes can be made before the substrate is added. The pump is placed in the reservoir below the egg crate.

Before making the final decision about major stone placement, it is important to run the pump to see exactly where the water will run and pool so that last minute changes can be made before the substrate is added. The pump is placed in the reservoir below the egg crate.


  Here is the bottom of my terrarium with the spacers for the egg-crate to sit on top of. This is only one means of creating a reservoir underneath the tank to allow for a waterfall or other recirculating water feature. However, it's quite simple and effective, and can be done with nearly any setup--I've done so with even a 1.5 gallon critter keeper.  Here you can see the egg crate (available in the lighting section of your local hardware store) cut to size and sitting on top of the spacers. This will be the "floor" of the terrarium, and provides good drainage to prevent waterloggin. The hardscape is now arranged in any fashion that suits you, and you will see that I arrange and rearrange as the setup goes together. The 4" PVC in the back was going to be a reservoir for a fogger on a timer, but I decided to forego the idea. It turns out that the terrarium remains 80% humidity without it, and gets near daily hand misting from a water bottle.  Here, I have made another platform out of PVC spacers and egg crate. I am intending to make levels here without using volumes of media, and an armature for a waterfall. you can see the fiberglass screen laid over the egg crate to prevent the media from falling through the holes  Here, I have added an 18" x 18" piece of pond liner as the base of the waterfall, preventing the water from falling through. I also added enough to make a very shallow pool at the base, where I planned on adding bog plants such as Cryptocorynes that I had raised immersed in aquarium setups. Hint: soak the liner in hot water before forming--it makes the job much easier.   Before making the final decision about major stone placement, it is important to run the pump to see exactly where the water will run and pool so that last minute changes can be made before the substrate is added. The pump is placed in the reservoir below the egg crate.   Here you can see the terrarium starting to take shape. The substrate is continually built up around the hardscape, with forethought as to where the plants will be placed. I chose to use coco husk chips mixed with activated charcoal, as this mixture allows good drainage, breaks down much more slowly than peat, and provides for good aeration of roots while retaining moisture well. For me it is the ideal substrate, allowing planting of epiphytes an bog plants alike in the same media.  Here is a 3/4 view of the terrarium. You can see that the exterior is still quite rough. It was later clad with oak trim and oak veneer plywood to give a furniture grade feel. However, the fiberglass and epoxy paint seal on the inside make it absolutely water tight (for over a year now).  After adding some pebbles and plants, the terrarium really comes to life. Now to wait for the plants to fill in.  The majority of the plants here were from Custom Ecos. A few plants were from the clearance aisles of Lowes and Franks Nursery. Altogether, the plants in the terrarium cost about $50.  Apr2403  
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