I think you should find out exactly what types of plants you want, find out the exact needs of each one, then supply each plant with the environment it needs, trial and error, its not easy but if you want a viv/terrarium/aquarium its the way it is, Ive set up a couple in my days, four to be exact, but I only had one survive and that one just bit the dust! I have to redo the substrate, my fault all the way but that doesnt make it any easier to redo, others on this site have had tremendous luck/skill and have set ups older than me! LOL!sometimes it turns out great, and sometimes it goes to.... HELLo there! =)

yea I think it will work for awhile anyway. eventually it will break down but in the meantime it will give really good drainage. I would just skip the screen or instead use something organic like a layer of sphag. moss. My tank that has been doing well for around ten years is layered thusly: gravel/moss/potting soil/charcoal/peat & sand mix so in my case the gravel won't break down but serves the same purpose that your bark would. another consideration is the types of plants you want to use. I say go for it.

Hey! =) First of thanks for the welcome! =) Seperating the bottom sheet of glass took good old fashion hard work, I actually had to break the bottom sheet of glass to get it off, then it was just a matter of stripping the silicone off with a razor, just spayed the glass with water (used a mister) slid the razor accross and the silicone came right off, did the same with the top of the second tank, removed the black frame and stripped the silicone of the same way described above, as for the seam, 90% of the people that have seen the tank dont even notice it, it looks much like the corner seams, I just glued the tanks together and stipped the silicone after it cured, its just like art, usually the only person to notice the imperfection is the artist! LOL! (but we sure do worry about it! LOL!) I havnt posted any pics yet, but will soon, I think your idea on using a 150 is fantastic! I had/have one available to me but dont have the room for it, I live in what was called a "doll house" at the time they were built, so you can imagine how small it is, but if I could! oh yeah! Good luck with your idea, Im not the best, but if you have any questions, or get stuck somewhere while putting your tank together....two heads are better than one!

It depends on the plants you intend to use. For bog plants a mix of peat moss and perlite is often a good choice. For cacti, the cacti mixes sold in stores works well. For most house plants, standard potting mix may be used. Vermiculite, bark chips, coconut husk chips, and some orchid mixes are also suitable. Do your research and feel free to experiment. Of course please let us all know what you've found worked for you! : )