Keeping the humidity at an optimal level is crucial for a healthy terrarium environment. While high humidity is beneficial for most terrarium plants, excessive moisture can lead to issues like fungal growth, rot, and even plant death. Luckily, there are several effective ways to lower high humidity in both open and closed terrariums.
Why Lowering Humidity is Important
The main reason you may need to reduce humidity in a terrarium is to prevent problems caused by overly damp conditions. Some key issues include:
- Mold and fungal growth on plants, terrarium walls, and soil
- Bacterial and fungal infections in plants
- Rotting of plant stems and roots
- Poor air circulation
- Excessive condensation on the glass
- An environment unsuitable for plants that require lower moisture
Keeping humidity within the 40 – 60% range is ideal for most tropical terrarium plants. Lowering high humidity helps maintain air flow, reduces condensation, and prevents moisture-related plant diseases.
How to Lower Humidity in a Closed Terrarium
For closed glass terrariums, the main method to reduce humidity is increasing ventilation and air flow. Here are some tips:
- Open the lid for 30 minutes to an hour every few days to allow moist air to escape. The frequency depends on the size of the terrarium.
- Use a small battery-operated fan inside the terrarium to improve air circulation. This helps moisture dissipate faster.
- Add more plants as they release moisture through transpiration. However, don’t overcrowd.
- Use shallower substrates like sand that retain less moisture. Avoid fine potting mixes.
- Add a moisture-absorbing layer like charcoal under the substrate.
- Introduce drought-tolerant plants like cacti and succulents that absorb moisture.
- Wipe excess condensation from the glass walls frequently.
How to Lower Humidity in an Open Terrarium
For open terrariums managing humidity is easier as they already have good airflow. Here are some tips
- Water less frequently and mist less often. This directly reduces moisture.
- Move the terrarium to a cooler spot in the room. Cooler air holds less moisture.
- Remove any water reservoirs if being used to increase humidity.
- Prune back large, fast-growing plants. Less foliage means less transpiration.
- Use shallower substrates that dry out faster. Add a drainage layer.
- Introduce a small battery-powered fan to improve airflow if needed.
- Temporarily place a drying agent like silica gel packets inside to absorb moisture.
Tips to Prevent High Humidity
Prevention is always better than dealing with excessive humidity later. Here are some handy tips:
- Choose plants suited to the terrarium conditions. Avoid pairing high-humidity loving plants like ferns and mosses with low-humidity succulents.
- Use an appropriate substrate depth and material. Shallow, fast-drying substrates work best.
- Allow space between plants for air to circulate. Don’t overcrowd.
- Avoid terrariums with narrow openings as they have poor ventilation.
- Water only when the top layer of soil has dried out. Use a spray bottle instead of pouring water.
- Don’t place terrariums near humidifiers, AC vents, or other moisture sources.
- Wipe condensation from terrarium glass daily to prevent excess moisture buildup.
- Open lids regularly in closed terrariums to allow air exchange.
Following these tips will help maintain optimal humidity for a healthy terrarium environment. Observe the plants and condensation levels, and adjust the moisture as needed. With good ventilation and regulated watering, controlling humidity is quite straightforward.
Humidity Measurement And Control
One of those measurements that lots of people talk about but very few understand it. Just what is humidity and how does it affect our pet reptiles?
According to the dictionary:
humidity
- the state or quality of being humid.
- a quantity representing the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere or in a gas.plural noun: humidities“the temperature is seventy-seven, the humidity in the low thirties”
- atmospheric moisture.“the humidity should be supplied by regularly spraying the leaves”
Humidity is the amount of water vapour in the air. Water vapour is continuously generated by evaporation from seas, rivers and the ground and removed by condensation. When the temperature is higher, the air can hold more water vapour, meaning that the warmer the climate, the higher the humidity level can be.
For example, a densely saturated amount of air may contain 28 grams of water per cubic meter at 30°C, but only 8 grams of water per cubic metre of air at 8 °C. Don’t worry about the figures – all you need to remember is that cold air tends to be drier than warm air!
But why are we worried about humidity at all? Well, it’s all to do with where our various reptile pets come from in the wild; they evolved to thrive in different environments, and to keep them happy and healthy we need to replicate the conditions as closely as we can. The advantage is that most of our commonly kept pet reptiles have been bred in captivity for many generations now, and on the whole are less sensitive to environmental fluctuations than their wild counterparts.
Humidity for Bearded Dragons
The central bearded dragon that we all know and love is a desert-loving creature. Originating from the hot dry plains of central Australia, they can be found in dry, rocky scrub, open woodland and even scorching roadsides! As you might imagine, humidity in these arid areas tends to be very low. Annual average relative humidity in the mid-afternoon (3pm) is below 30% over most of the area and falls as low as 20% in parts of inland Western Australia. Days with humidity falling below 10% are not unusual, especially in late winter and spring.
As the humidity in the UK averages between 60% to 80%, it is necessary to take steps to reduce this humidity for our pet dragons – thankfully, the very equipment we use to keep them warm does the job for us! By using heat lamps for their daily basking spot the humidity is lowered to a comfortable level for your dragon. This also means that the humidity goes up slightly at night, which mimics conditions in the wild and is good for your pet dragon.
How To Lower Humidity In A BEARDED DRAGON Enclosure
FAQ
How do you decrease the humidity in a terrarium?
Ventilation is the fastest way to decrease humidity. Closed terrariums need to be aired periodically. For open terrariums, stop misting. The less water is in the enclosure, the lower the humidity will be.
How to get moisture out of a terrarium?
… see your plants all of the time then it just means there is a bit too much moisture collecting inside so just remove your lid for a couple of hours or so …
What can I use to reduce humidity?
To decrease humidity in a room, you may 1) Use rock salt, 2) Improve air circulation with fans or air conditioning,3) Run a space heater,4) Run a dehumidifier, use exhaust fans, open a window (if the air outside is dry), keep doors closed.
How do I get rid of humidity in my tank?
Get yourself a dehumidifier our tank is in our bedroom open top no lid our dehumidifier is set to 50% humidity. Keeps the damp away. Also opening windows will help but that’s dependant on outside humidity.
How do you keep a terrarium humid?
Open the terrarium lid regularly to promote fresh air exchange, especially when humidity levels are consistently high. Temperature Control: Temperature plays a crucial role in humidity regulation. Avoid placing your terrarium near heat sources or drafty areas, as they can disrupt the humidity balance.
How do you increase humidity in a terrarium?
The easiest way to boost humidity is to raise the temperature at the base. A heat mat does that. Placing your terrarium on top of a heat mat warms the water at the base layer, and raises the temperature inside the terrarium, boosting humidity as it does. All houseplants increase humidity in the home. It is cause and effect in action.
How does humidity affect a terrarium?
Humidity over 70% generally creates finer water particles that can be absorbed by plants. It is dependent on the temperature. The hotter it is, the more water vapor the air can hold. For that to happen inside a terrarium, you need to monitor two variants. Temperature and humidity. Higher temperatures mean more water vapor can be stored in the air.
Do terrariums need humidity control?
Terrariums are closed self-sustaining environments that require basic care and attention. Proper humidity control is essential for the long and healthy life of a terrarium. Here are some key points to keep in mind: The right humidity is crucial for terrarium plants to thrive.
How to monitor terrarium humidity?
The first step in monitoring terrarium humidity is to invest in a reliable hygrometer. This device measures the humidity levels inside your terrarium and helps you determine if adjustments are needed. Place the hygrometer in an area where it can accurately capture the overall humidity of the terrarium. Add moisture to the terrarium.
What if my terrarium has too much condensation?
However, excessive condensation can indicate an imbalance in humidity levels. If you notice too much condensation, it is advisable to remove the lid for a few hours to allow excess moisture to dissipate. This simple step can help maintain the ideal humidity level for your terrarium.