Q about false bottom and filtration

[ColleenT]

I am not quite grasping the way a terrarium or vivarium works. sorry i'm a ditz. if you have a false bottom, does that mean you need a filtration system to keep that water from getting stagnant? or does that water evaporate upward into the soil? and also if the water feature is still water, does that need a filtration system? What do you generally use?

[mpmistr]

I am not quite grasping the way a terrarium or vivarium works. sorry i'm a ditz. if you have a false bottom, does that mean you need a filtration system to keep that water from getting stagnant? or does that water evaporate upward into the soil? and also if the water feature is still water, does that need a filtration system? What do you generally use?

I am using a water heater and an internal filter in my false bottom, one of those internal filters they sell at Petsmart under the National Geographic brand. IPS30 I think was the model, it moves a LOT of water and when it lays on its side it takes up very little room. It's fairly quiet, if noise is a concern.

Water is going to evaporate eventually... especially with a heater, but probably pretty slowly. I would add some kind of feature, like an area where the water is exposed to form a pool, that way you can take some water out and add fresh water in. I think some people use internal pumps for that, I didn't get that fancy, I plan to just get a siphon to drain water from the pool area and add more back in as needed.

[Mentat]

A false bottom area allows excess water from vivarium's misting to drain and collect below soil level. You only need to provide a way to remove this water before the level reaches your substrate height. This can be a drilled bottom or side pane with an installed bulkhead (waterproof plastic connection with outlet you can attach tubing and valve). Or you can use an aquarium siphon and get water out that way (need a tube or some other kind of access. And that's it... you are done!

If enclosure needs heating you could keep a submersible water heater there; but must maintain a level that keeps the heater submerged at all times (to prevent it from overheating and breaking).

As Michael mentioned, you could also design an opening into the false bottom and add a water feature to your vivarium. If doing so; then a filter, pump, or both make sense full additions .