My Cousin's Rock Collection- 5.5 Gallon Thrive Terrarium Journal

[Death by Fish Tanks]

Started October 21st, 2024
My cousin Ana stayed with us for a short time and started a rock collection. I convinced her to let me move her findings to a deep substrate terrarium and watch what happens.

 

[Death by Fish Tanks]

4 Month Update:
Most of the plants died because I accidentally overwatered the terrarium. Twice. But, I added some Pennywort to it so it should look a lot like the Starry Highlands terrarium. I'm going to add more gems to it before the plants take over.

 

[Death by Fish Tanks]

6 Month Update:
•The plant life exploded into a lush forest.
•Added 3 Angel Aura Quartz rocks
•Fruit flies returned. Will add more insects soon

 

[Uberhoust]

Pretty cool project to do with your cousin. Just one word of caution is that there are a lot of arsenic containing rocks in North Carolina, in particular arsenopyrite, unlikely you or your cousin are in any risk but, I would make sure to wash your hands well after handling the substrate or the natural rocks.

 

[Death by Fish Tanks]

Just one word of caution is that there are a lot of arsenic containing rocks in North Carolina, in particular arsenopyrite,

I didn't know that! Thanks for the heads up

 

[Uberhoust]

I didn't know that! Thanks for the heads up

I didn't either until I visited a sawmill in NC and the mill owner took me to his home. He gave me a chunk of arsenopyrite when he saw that I was interested in his local rock collection. He had a boulder he pulled from a field with his tractor at the entrance of his yard and he just knocked a piece off from it to give to me. Not much to go on but I have since checked it out and there are a large number of mineralized areas in North Carolina.

Mindat.org

Mindat.org is the world's leading website about minerals and where they come from.

www.mindat.org

Mindat.org

Mindat.org is the world's leading website about minerals and where they come from.

www.mindat.org

Affects the water as well (not a pun):

https://www.ncwater.org/Reports_and_Publications/GWMS_Reports/Quality/Distribution_of_Total_Arsenic_in_Groundwater_in_the_North_Carolina_Piedmont.pdf

Again, I don't think there is any real danger just don't drink the water and wash your hands.