Skip to main content
Calcimator

Bioactive Cleanup Crew Calculator

Isopod and springtail count for bioactive terrarium.

Inputs

Results

Starter isopods

202

Starter springtails589
Isopod packs (of 15)14
Springtail cultures2
Estimated cost ($)$304.00
Seed weeks before animal4
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter Floor length (in), Floor width (in), and Substrate depth (in).
  2. Set Waste load (0-2).
  3. Review the Starter isopods result.
  4. Use Starter springtails and Isopod packs (of 15) to inform your decision.

How the result changes with Floor length (in)

Floor length (in)Starter isopods
1795
46258
80449
109612

What each input means

Floor length (in)
Interior floor length of your enclosure in inches.
Floor width (in)
Interior floor width (front-to-back) in inches.
Substrate depth (in)
Depth of the substrate layer where the cleanup crew will live.
Waste load (0-2)
0 = low (dart frogs, small geckos), 1 = medium (corn snakes, mid-size lizards), 2 = high (large reptiles).

What each result means

Starter isopods
Recommended number of isopods to seed the enclosure.
Starter springtails
Recommended number of springtails to seed.
Isopod packs (of 15)
Number of standard isopod packs to purchase.
Springtail cultures
Number of 8 oz springtail cultures to purchase (~500 per culture).
Estimated cost ($)
Estimated total cost for cleanup crew starter colonies.
Seed weeks before animal
Weeks to seed the CUC before introducing your animal.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Floor length (in) = 36, Floor width (in) = 18, Substrate depth (in) = 4, Waste load (0-2) = 1 = 4 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Starter isopods
    Starter isopods
    202 = 202
  3. Calculate Starter springtails
    Starter springtails
    589 = 589
  4. Calculate Isopod packs
    Isopod packs
    14 = 14

The questions that sit next to this one — chosen by subject, including calculators filed under a different category.

More in Family, Parenting & Pets.