my girlfriend and i have just started a big, showy 30 gallon setup for our semi-arboreal mystery lizard, Daisy (we think a brown tree skink, Dasia sp.?)
our substrate is a mix of cheap, nonfertilized potting soil (.97 cents a bag at wal-mart) mixed with expandable coconut substrate (bed a beast i think, or something like it. there is a combination of live plants in the soil (bromeliads and palms, i believe) and in pots(ivy). we use a small undertank on one side, as well as a 60 watt bulb and a flourescent reptisun 2.0 for uv.
my question is that i want to make it like a bioactive soil, but im not entirely sure how. the palm plants are starting to brown at the tips so im going to add another flourescent bulb, maybe they dont get enouph light. im thinking like an 18 inch plant bulb, the reptisuns a 24 inch. is this a good idea?
i dont want to add artificial fertilizer, but i want to be sure that the plants are getting enouph nutrients. occasionally when i find dead crickets in the cage i cover them in a few inches of soil near the plants. is this bad for the lizard because of bacteria or just more or less harmless and beneficial to the plants? would adding earthworms to the soil help out at all? im interested in learning more about the oxygen cycle of soil, it would be fascinating to have a little thriving ecosystem in my bedroom. if anyone could explain it to me or just let me know any hints or experiences, it would be muchly appreciated. habitat design for me is one of the best parts of keeping herps, making use of space, etc. and i would like to learn as much as i can. thanks alot for your time.
kxi