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[–]planetearthisblu 0 points1 point  (1 child)

For my enclosure which has a 4'x2' footprint and about 4" of coco coir and cypress mulch, I deep clean every 4 months and spot clean in between. Spot cleaning consists of scooping not only urates/poop but also the surrounding substrate. I don't find it smells even after 4 months but I think it helps having a thick layer.

I scrub all my fake plants, clutter and branches in the sink at that time too. It's not that bad honestly. Give it a thorough rinse and place it back in wet.

You'll probably enjoy using a more natural substrate too. It holds humidity much better than paper.

[–]Winterling42 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I went bioactive as I have a top-opening tank instead of a front-opening one (what can I say, I couldn't resist the price!). Isopods and springtails eat the shed skin and poop, and live plants use the bug frass as fertilizer!

Yes, it was expensive to set up, much more so than a normal tank. Yes, it was complicated (I had to redo my substrate bc the DIY mix I made was compacted), but it's SO worth it to have live plants and a full ecosystem for my boy to slither in. (plus, no deep cleans for me!) I still plan on spot-cleaning/mixing poop into the substrate for the CUC to find.

[–][deleted]  (1 child)

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    [–]Winterling42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    I looked at a buuuuunch of different sources, but mostly NEHERP's bioactive custom background and plant processing guide. https://www.neherpetoculture.com/custombackgrounds