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Spiral Erowid Zip Hoodie
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Low Cost Dome Terrarium
by DB

Here's a description of a terrarium setup which achieves the same results as the expensive "Richmans Terrarium" at fanaticus.com, which can now run you about $200 dollars + .

This terrarium can/will acheive all the same humidification power of the Richman's Terrarium at 10% the cost: $30 - $35. I have used and tested it with success and continue to use it for my own experiements with entheogenic mushrooms. As most of us who have experimented with growing fungus knows, terrarium setup is very important, and requires a few key parameters that must be followed. #1 is humidity, and the terrarium's ability to sustain itelf for prolongued periods w/o human intervention. #2 is to give the mushrooms the water they need by keeping it humid, WITHOUT letting condensed water droplets which will form on the walls and roof of the terrarium, drop on, or come in contact with shrooms. With the popular Double chambered Terrarium which uses a 10-20 gallon fishtank, a clear peice of acrylic plastic or plexi-glass is inserted into the top, over the cakes and set at an angle. This is so any drops forming on that surface from the high humidity, drip down the slant in the roof toward the walls and prevent direct water contact.

The Richman's Terrarium at www.fanaticus.com utilizes a domelike clear plastic dessert cover and deep tray. When put together, they form the perfect terrarium. I looked everywhere for the same setup, and could not find it at retail price, only in packs of 4 at 48 dollars each. Finaly, i got thrifty and put all those years of watching Mr. Wizard to work. First off, a plastic dome will need to be procured. The best dome for this job is a large clear acrylic punch bowl. The perfect bowl can be found here: http://shop.store.yahoo.com/ecomplastics/punbowsetwei.html

This bowl is 6-8 inches deep, and roughly 12 inches in diameter. This bowl, when turned up-side-down makes the perfect clear plastic dome for the top of a terrarium. Next, a base is needed, preferable deep, due to the punchbowl top - with richmans, the cover is very tall, but punchbowl is not as tall, so a deeper base or dish is needed. The perfect base for this punchbowl is a 13" Rubbermaid tupperware cake cover. This cover comes on a white tray like dish, and a clear tupperware cover about 8 inches tall. It is prefectly round and flat on the top. Take the cover, and turn it up side down. There will be a ledge on the inside of the cake cover. This is the ledge used to secure the cake cover when it is in it's normal position. This ledge makes the perfect place to set the upsidedown punchbowl, because, while the outside edge of the cover is 13", that little inside ledge is 12". Just sit the up-side d own cake cover on your flat surface, and then, flip your punch bowl up-side-down and place it on top of the cover. BINGO. the richmans terrarium at 10% the price! Squeeze silicone sealant around the ledge inside the up-side-down cake cover, lick your index finger, and smooth it out, to make a shaped, smooth seal. Now, when you set your punch bowl over the cover, it has a seal.