Need all the help and advice for a terrarium i want to build.?

Question

I need to use 2 foot lights. So i heard power compact (straight pin) is the best for 2 feet, since its just a t5 bent in half. (PC can handle 65 watts, versus 24 of the t5 24")

and do they smell?? im worried its going to make the room smell...

also what do u do with runoff water?? and watering

Answer 1

I don't know anything about the lights, but I can help with the rest.

Put a layer of fine charcoal on the bottom, then make your landscape from potting soil.  Make some hills and valleys to make it interesting.  Might want to run a tiny creek bed through it for extra interest.  Don't put water in it, just some tiny pebbles like in the dry bottom of a creek.  

Choose plants that stay small.  There are some tiny ferns that'll last a long time without getting too big for the container.  Plant a combination of small-leafed plants and ferns.  If you can find a small stick on your lawn, you could lay that in among the plants as though it's a fallen tree trunk.  I can't tell you specific plants to buy.  The only thing you definitely shouldn't put in there is a cactus.  Don't plant too many things in there.  As they grow, they'd look cramped and messy.  

Water sparingly when you have all of your plants in place.  The glass sides will probably bead up with condensation.  Slide the cover over to expose a bit of the plants, and leave it that way until the condensation is gone.  If there's no condensation at first, add a little more water.  It's a trial-and-error thing to get it regulated at first.  Once you have it right, leave the cover on, and you won't have to water it often at all.  

A terrarium won't smell bad unless your plants are rotting from being overwatered.