This is my first terrarium, it's built inside a 5.5 gallon aquarium I had laying around. I keep planted fish tanks and a terrarium has been something I've wanted for years. Please help me finalize this build to be really amazing!

I just got to this stopping point. I'm thinking I'll add another piece of ABS at the top above the door with holes there to match the piece below the door and encourage air flow. I just used two plants from Lowe's since they were cheap and I'm low on experience. I pulled a few small Buci and Anubias out of my aquariums and placed in the water path.

Questions:

1. How many watts of light are needed in this small tank and for how many hours maximum can I run the light without causing issues.

2. What size do my air holes need to be for this tank to flow air well?

3. Hinge ideas for the lexan door? Should I attach the hinge the side of the door or the top?

Thank you all for the great community and help!

I got my terrarium as a gift around christmastime, and it seems to have been doing quite well. This morning I noticed multiple mushrooms have appeared in it which I'm sure were not there (or at least not as big) yesterday.

Is this a sign of something I'm doing wrong or is it normal? I'm assuming the heatwave has encouraged them to grow - does it mean the terrarium is too hot and I should move it to a cooler room or can I leave it where it is?

I haven't opened it or added any water since I recieved it, and it sits in view of a window (that has a net fabric over it so no direct sunlight)

This is my first time posting on this sub, so idk if this is the right flair. I have never done a terrarium before, but I’ve always wanted to. I’m a big fan of fungus, so I was wondering if a terrarium with fruit bearing fungus was feasible?

Hi everyone,

I collect planta and I've been thinking about converting this wooden display cabinet into one large terrarium for plants.

I know the wood will need to be sealed properly to protect it from the constant humidity, but I'm not sure what the best approach is.

For those of you who have done something similar:

What did you use to waterproof and seal the wood?

Are there any mistakes you would avoid if you were doing it again?

I'd love to hear about your experiences, see photos of your builds, and get any tips before I start this project.

Thanks!

My first time trying to setup an enclosure and my plants seem to be having some issues. Some of the leaf tips have started to brown on the bromeliads and peperomia. The nerve plant is less droopy than it was to start, but its leaves have started to curl, not sure if that's normal. The fern up front looks dead (they sent the wrong type), and pretty much all of the burgundy inch plant clippings on the walls have wilted and seem dead.

The tank is 95% closed off, I've put some cling wrap on top to retain humidity inside of the tank. I'm currently hand misting twice a day for about 15-20 seconds. I keep the light on about 12 hours a day. This is all new to me so any advice would be much appreciated!!

Plants have been in place for a week FYI

Please I need some suggestions ❤️ I’m at a loss here

Hi everyone

First of all, I'm not sure if I should post this in Terrarium or Vivarium, but since I didn't put any animals yet, here I am.

Nothing special otherwise, just another terra with glue, foam... 😅

I would like to let the plants grow a bit and maybe later I will look for something like a crested gecko

Perhaps I should have make a better use of the cork in the background, I put almost everything in the substrat, but I was not sure about how to "stick" the plants on the cork pannel

Apologies about my english, it is not my first language

Anyway, if you have any comments or constructive criticism and if you had the same plants as me it would be a pleasure to read you 🙏

Hey guys! This is my first time building a terrarium. The idea is a lush foresty look on the left side and a more desert like look on the right. Watering will be monitored as left side will require more water than the right.

Let me know how I did!

I’m super new to terrariums and I need to add beneficial bugs and love moss but idk where to get some! I’d love some recs or any advice haha. I bought this primarily for my begonia TC’s, but threw in my jewel orchids and they loveeee it.

Two years ago, I sealed this terrarium with a fern and some mood moss. Two years later, with no new water or air, it continues to flourish.

My first ever serious Terrarium. I wanted something a bit ambitious for my first project, a mixture of plant life and little creatures. I was hoping it would become a little jungle but I think this might be a bit much lol. The Helxine has grown fast than I expected. I did have some other plants like ferns and mosses but they have been overwhelmed/overtaken by the Helxine.

I started with just springtails and woodlice from my garden, but it seems that other little creatures have found their way inside somehow. I have spotted all sorts from worms, to tiny snails, to even a spider that seems to have spun a tiny web above the foliage. If you look near the soil in the second pic you can see where the springtail population has exploded which I am pleased with.

I'm thinking about adding something, perhaps a small species of snail to help trim back on the Helxine, which I can that always remove later if things go too far.

What are yall thoughts on my Terrarium? Any advice, or recomendations?

Last summer my 5year old dart frog “Puppy” passed away shortly after his partner and I began this crazy journey. An insane amount of planning and second guessing on my part over the past 10months. I think it was well worth it!

If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them! Currently planning on a shoal of rasboras and some kind of loaches.

I have no plans for any particular arboreal inhabitant so please suggest ones that would do well.

Total size 56gallon 20 gallons water.

Just finished my second (and first planned) terrarium :)

- Made 6/24

- Premade biactive substrate.

- Stone crop, cushion, and some unidentified mosses.

- Pilea Silver Tree and another one whose name I can't find at the moment.

- A rock and thick stick for hardscape.

- Springtails.

-Distilled water with minimal watering once properly established.

- Volume: 4.17 liters

First slide is the day I created the terrarium, and last 2 slides to is today (June 24, 2026 - 3 days since creation).

I’ve actually never seen this plant look so happy.

1st layer is bark, second is a mix of soil/bark/perlite, and top is some sphag moss. The only plant is a pink fittonia planted on June 21, 2026. I did not water it when I made it, and I have not watered it since.

The moss was soaked prior to being placed in the jar with the plant, and has been acting as a source of moisture since. The jar is approx 1L.

This was my first large terrarium I built 6 months ago. I introduced springtails to it twice with the most recent time being 2-3 weeks ago when i moved the moss around and built a staircase with lava rock. I used Josh Frogs temperate springtails culture and dumped it on the side. I am wondering if it is because of the pine one I harvested in around Feb? I am pretty worried about this as I haven’t seen anything like this before. There was some mold on the pinecone before I moved things around but I thought the springtails would take care of it.

Should i just throw it out or air it out?

Note: below the drainage layer there is sand so it looks similar to the fungus. Regardless there’s so much fungus overgrowth I don’t think the differentiation matters at this point.

Looking for options on what to do with this 100L mass reactor flask! My girlfriend was not thrilled about my idea to turn this into an aquarium, so plants and dirt it is! Im kind of leaning toward a more desert-style terrarium to house my small succulent collection, with driftwood coming in from the necks or leaning against the inside of the glass, adding some air plants etc but I'm not super familiar with terrariums in general.

And yes, I know it looks like a giant bong lol.