Digital Social Hour — Episode #1750

Guest: Dustin Aquatics (“Alternate Aquatics”)

Host: Sean Kelly

Episode Title: He Built a Volcano Terrarium With Fog and “Lava” Lights
Date: January 13, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode of Digital Social Hour, Sean Kelly welcomes Dustin, known for his “Alternate Aquatics” brand, who has become a viral sensation building elaborate, self-sustaining terrariums, paludariums, and vivariums—most famously his “volcano terrarium” with fog and LED “lava” effects. The conversation explores Dustin’s journey into the terrarium world, his personal story of using the hobby as a tool for sobriety, the science and artistry behind these miniature ecosystems, tips for beginners, and the explosive growth of his online community.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. From Barstool to Biodome: Dustin’s Sobriety Journey

• Turning Point: Dustin realized he was spending too much time and money at bars. Instead, he decided to invest about $500—the amount he would have blown at the bar—on terrarium supplies.
  • “Instead of, you know, waking up hungover, I woke up and worked on my terrarium each morning for 30, 40 minutes. And that kind of got me on like the right path for the day.” (A, 00:00)
• Accountability & Motivation: The physical evidence of day-to-day progress helped keep him engaged and motivated to continue on a healthier path.
  • “I had a physical piece of evidence that I spent another day not getting hammered... and had an incentive to make sure I was at my sharpest the next morning to do another round of work.” (A, 00:30; 10:34)

2. What is Alternate Aquatics?

• Dustin explains that Alternate Aquatics started as a personal hobby, now focused on building mini-ecosystems—some completely self-sustaining and low maintenance, others more complex with animal inhabitants.
  • “The main goal is to try to build it as realistic and natural looking as possible with as little maintenance as possible.” (A, 01:17)

3. Inside the Ecosystem: Animals, Plants, and ‘Cleanup Crews’

• Cleanup Crews: Terrariums contain “springtails”—tiny bugs that eat decaying organic matter, keeping the system clean and fertile.
  • “Springtails... eat decaying plant and animal matter. And that in turn will create new fertilizer for the plants.” (A, 01:54)
• Poison Dart Frogs: Included in some builds. In captivity (when bred properly), they're safe to touch, as their toxicity comes from their wild diet.
  • “As long as you’re getting them captive bred, they’re totally safe to touch. But… we have toxins on our skin that are toxic to them.” (A, 03:16)
• Other Critters: Talk about feeding requirements (flightless fruit flies), risks of accidental infestations, and sourcing (shout-out to frogdaddy.net as sponsor and supplier).

4. Childhood Influences & Escapist Nature

• Dustin grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota, benefitting from close proximity to nature (Black Hills, hiking, catching frogs and crawdads).
  • “I think I’ve always kind of loved it… I used to have fish tanks and even would bring a fish tank around with me when I chased hail as a roofing contractor.” (A, 05:34)
• Importance of nature as a therapeutic escape, especially after moving to less inspiring locations like Cleveland.

5. Viral Growth & Content Strategy

• Explosive Following: Dustin grew from 2–3k Facebook followers to 175k in months, leveraging short-form vertical videos—especially those that pique curiosity and reveal complex builds.
  • “Instagram first… Short form content worked really well when I would showcase something where you didn’t really know it was happening at first.” (A, 11:35)
• Online Community: Engaged fans, occasional pushback from “aquarium purists” after his video “5 Reasons Why Terrariums Are Better Than Aquariums.”
  • “I ruffled some feathers with the aquarium purists… there is now, apparently, some beef.” (A, 12:04)

6. Types of Builds: Terrariums, Paludariums, Vivariums

• Key Definitions:
  • Terrarium: Only land, has a drainage layer.
  • Paludarium: Terrarium with a significant water section (can house aquatic animals).
  • Aquarium: Fully aquatic, underwater.
  • Riparium: Aquarium with plants rooted in water, mimicking riverbanks.
  • Vivarium: Umbrella term encompassing all.
  • “A polydarium is a terrarium with a designated water section… opens a huge option of different types of animals to put in.” (A, 15:04)
• Volcano Island Build:
  • Dustin’s signature build, a “polydarium” with a “volcanic” centerpiece using red LEDs and fog effects.
  • “I built, like, an acrylic tower... put red LEDs behind it so it shines through... looks like a volcano... and then I put a fog machine at the top so it spills out smoke.” (A, 16:10–16:32)
  • Video documentation available on Dustin’s YouTube channel.

7. Technical Insights & Tips

• Self-Sustaining Systems: Closed-jar moss terrariums can go decades untouched.
  • “I’ve seen some out there that are 70, 80 years, never been opened, just cycling through.” (A, 07:35)
• Materials & Techniques:
  • Use of “great stuff” expanding foam (pond and stone safe), silicone, coco peat, sphagnum moss for backdrops.
  • Prefers “wet moss mix” from frogdaddy.net—adaptable to the terrarium’s microclimates.
  • “My favorite way is to spray foam, carve it, layer that with aquarium-safe silicone and coco peat/sphagnum moss.” (A, 17:50)
• Springtails Visible!
  • During demo, a springtail can be seen traversing the glass (B, 26:21)

8. Ambitions & The Future of Alternate Aquatics

• Business Model:
  • Potential for custom builds—shipping is complicated, likely would need to start local.
  • Long-term dream: “Tanked” for terrariums, filming and constructing giant bespoke builds.
• Biodome Vision:
  • Aspirations to create large-scale biodomes and even house exotic species like dwarf caimans.
  • “If I can get some property… I want to have like dwarf caimans… like mini crocodiles.” (A, 21:46; 21:55)
• Online Community:
  • DJH WhatsApp group—potential client network. Encouraged to share photos, connect with other guests. (B, 25:56)

9. Personal Philosophy: Terrariums for Well-being

• Dustin’s journey resonated with many trying to get sober. He became an advocate for the therapeutic power of mindful hobbies.
  • “I made a video about that… now people are trying to use terrarium building as a way to get sober.” (A, 09:22)

10. Culture & Humor

• Lively rapport between Sean and Dustin, swapping jokes and pop culture references (e.g., “Tiger King,” Mike Tyson's pets, Jersey “pork, egg, and cheese”).
• Memorable Moment:
  • The Volcano terrarium’s construction saga—moving 300+lb build in a U-Haul to Florida for a roofing job. (A, 16:59–17:09)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Sobriety & Meaningful Hobbies
  • “I had a physical piece of evidence that I spent another day not going getting hammered.” — Dustin (A, 10:34)
  • “It’s kind of therapeutic to take care of them, trim the plants, mist them down in the mornings.” — Dustin (A, 05:59)
• On Terrarium Community
  • “Are there terrarium meetups?”
    “Yeah, there’s like a national frog fest type thing that happens in Ann Arbor every year.” — Sean & Dustin (B/A, 08:11)
• On Crafting the Volcano Terrarium
  • “I thought it would be cool to take some different rocks... then I put red LEDs... looks like a volcano... and then I put a fog machine at the top so it spills out smoke.” — Dustin (A, 16:09–16:32)
• On Starting Viral Content
  • “I went from like 2–3,000 followers on Facebook to like 175,000 in a couple months. Insane.” — Dustin (A, 11:21)
• On Ambition
  • “Maybe down the road, if it really gets popular, I’d love to do something kind of like that show Tanked... but for terrariums.” — Dustin (A, 13:01)
• On Closed Terrariums’ Longevity
  • “I’ve seen some out there that are 70, 80 years, never been opened, just cycling through.” — Dustin (A, 07:47)

Highlighted Timestamps

• 00:00–01:17: Dustin shares the origins of his hobby and its therapeutic role in sobriety.
• 03:05–04:07: Explains intricacies of poison dart frogs and sourcing animals.
• 07:31–08:28: How self-sustaining terrariums work; stories about long-lived, closed builds.
• 11:18–12:24: Viral growth on social, “aquarium vs terrarium” online drama.
• 15:01–16:56: Definitions of paludariums; deep dive into the “Volcano Island” centerpiece.
• 17:29–18:39: Technical build techniques and material recommendations.
• 21:46–22:03: Long-term ambitions: biodomes and keeping exotic animals.
• 25:56–26:42: Real-time demo of a closed jar terrarium and care instructions.

Connect with Dustin

• Handles: @Alternate Aquatics on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter)
  • “I just made an X. I got like, 52 followers. So follow me there. I need some numbers, and that’s going to be alternate aquatics for all of them.” (A, 26:49)
• Business Inquiry: Building custom terrariums locally for now; ambitions to expand.

Closing Thoughts

Dustin’s story is an inspirational testament to the transformative power of creative hobbies. Alternate Aquatics blends science, artistry, and personal growth—making terrarium building both visually stunning and emotionally meaningful. Whether for well-being, curiosity, or community, the world of vivariums is thriving—and Dustin is at the heart of its modern renaissance.