How much money/upkeep does a bioactive tank take?
Hey! College student who is dying to get a leopard gecko. Of course, I want to do things right and ensure the little guy has a high quality of life. Regardless of the plants and substrate, I want to incorporate natural materials like driftwood and slate into the habitat. I am also planning on splurging on a larger tank (30-40 gallons) and a deep heat projector, UV-D light, the whole works. These are somewhat hurting my budget, but I don't want to cut corner in places it actually matters. I've seen a lot of people making bioactive enclosures, and I guess I'm wondering how much that actually benefits the reptile proportionate to the amount of time and money it takes to maintain. Can I get away with fake plants? Or is it really a substantial enough boost to the QoL that I should plan on investing in real ones? Thanks!