# Arid Bioactive Substrate Mix?



## rainmonitors (May 31, 2019)

Hey guys. I've been researching bioactive enclosures for months and months and months, and I've got most of my details down, like a list of plant species to use, design of the custom walls, what bulbs, what heat sources, size of the enclosure, ect.
However I'm not too sure what substrate to use. It will be an arid bioactive setup with plants like aloes, grasses, echeveria, crassula, maybe other succulents and small spider plants. It will be used to house a Stimson python once it outgrows its hatchling tub. This will be in a few months time, so not much is set in stone, if needs to be changed.
Was considering using coir block as the bottom substrate, where it'll be thicker and the plants will root themselves. It would be where the humidity is. And then coarse Kritter's Crumble as the top substrate, where it'll be loose and dry, and where the air humidity won't be high (somewhere between 20%-40%).
I'm not sure if I want this substrate still, was thinking something closer to TheBioDude's Terra Sahara substrate, but not sure what his substrate is made from to replicate it. So something more soil/dirt-like than just coconut fibres.
What's your advice guys? What mixes/substrates would you suggest for a semi-arid bioactive setup?


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## Eyjay (Mar 13, 2020)

I'm in a very similar boat! I'm wanting to upgrade my black-headed python into a semi-arid bioactive setup. So any advice would be greatly appreciated!


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## rainmonitors (Apr 1, 2020)

Eyjay said:


> I'm in a very similar boat! I'm wanting to upgrade my black-headed python into a semi-arid bioactive setup. So any advice would be greatly appreciated!


psst this is an old thread, however I have had success with my own semi-arid mix! I use coco peat, organic soil no fertilisers etc, cypress mulch, sand, and eucalyptus leaf litter. For a true arid mix I would ditch the coco peat and have a large percentage of sand in the mixture


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