Appreciation post: I stopped using charcoal in my closed terrarium layers

For a long time, I followed the common advice to put a thick charcoal layer under the soil to keep things fresh. My setup in a big glass jar from a local shop in Columbus would get cloudy and smell off after about six months. I switched to just using a deeper drainage layer of small stones and skipping the charcoal completely. The plants look healthier now and I haven't had any mold issues. Has anyone else ditched the charcoal and seen better results?

3 comments

3 Comments

reese_bell1mo ago

Drop the charcoal and just use a deeper layer of small stones instead. That's what fixed my setup when it kept getting cloudy. The stones give enough drainage without any of the weird offgassing that charcoal can cause.

the_fiona3mo ago

You skipped the charcoal and it actually worked better?

juliaa253mo ago

Honestly, how much charcoal are people even using? A thin sprinkle for drainage seems fine, but a whole layer sounds like overkill. Cloudy water after six months might just mean you needed more rocks, not less charcoal.