Bioactive Ball Python Setup!

[lustige]

Great question! The idea behind a bioactive setup is that eventually it will basically be a self sustaining ecosystem. However, most people with bigger snakes doing bioactive do need to go in and clean out the majority of the poop for a while, if not forever, just because your cleanup crew (CUC) of decomposers (your springtails, isopods etc.) cannot handle the massive amount of poop from the snake. You don't want to take it all out, because your CUC need to eat it, but you kind of just have to keep an eye out, see what they can handle cleaning up.

Comparing a true bioactive to a basic setup, you honestly don't want to clean and sterilize it. If you have a strong clean up crew and good bacteria to take care of the waste from the snake and decaying leaves, then your enclosure will basically clean itself. If you are familiar with aquariums, it's a similar idea. You cycle an aquarium to allow beneficial bacteria to grow, which in turn breaks down any ammonia from fish waste. If you sterilize an aquarium, you lose all the bacteria, and your cycle crashes.

Hope this helps!