You may find lush, green, growing moss more attractive than a layer of charcoal. Moss must be trimmed from time to time as some types can grow several inches tall. Moss also needs plenty of fresh air, so you'll need to open your terrarium for a few hours each day or for a whole day once or twice per week.
A Jill-of-all-trades, Lillian Downey is a certified Responsible Sexuality Educator, certified clinical phlebotomist and a certified non-profit administrator. She's also written extensively on gardening and cooking. She also authors blogs on nail art blog and women's self esteem. Home Guides Garden Soil Care. So, there is already plenty of air space… unless you overwater read above. Too much water will indeed fill in spaces between particles, yes, even particles of charcoal, and that can certainly lead to rot.
I suspect researchers just think the whole idea is silly and look for some more reasonable project. However, they say the proof is in the pudding, and thousands of terrariums are made without using activated charcoal, yet suffer no ill effect. I used to make terrariums for a living and did add this fairly expensive ingredient to my first arrangements. But then I joined an association of terrarium-lovers and the consensus was that adding activated charcoal was a waste of time and money.
So I experimented, creating identical terrariums with and without activated charcoal and was unable to see any difference in results, even after a full year, so I stopped using it. I kept certain charcoal-free terrariums for over 5 years and they did just fine … until I got bored and redid them. Some of these recommendations are so ridiculous. I grew many houseplants just because they were species that I brought back from the Los Angeles region that did not like even the mild frost here.
If I needed to provide them with grow lights, special fertilizer, weird growing medium or grow them in big jars, heck! Moss naturally filters water anyway, and can even remove things like arsenic.
Bought this item for my moss terrarium and works great! Prevents any odors and helps with the overall system of the terrarium The charcoal does have a very strong distinct smell at first, but it clears up in a few days. The size is just right for what I need. Not tiny dusty chips, but just the right size. Activated charcoal is a better, cleaner, more expensive alternative.
Lump wood charcoal is fine if untreated, natural, etc. Never use charcoal briquets, period. Thanks so much for your insightful comment.
Some of the isopods are in already, along with two plants waiting for more to arrive. Or should I add moss instead? Or both?? Hi Michelle, I think mixing in the charcoal is absolutely fine — a lot of people like to do it that way anyway.
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Activated Charcoal An essential element for keeping your terrarium in tip-top condition. Supplied in eco-friendly packaging.
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