In Situ Ecosystems

Dan Jacobs

2023-05

I purchased an Alto, it's amazing! I'm somewhat new to the terrarium game so I had a lot of questions about what product was best for my Cuban tree frog, etc. the In Situ site was extremely helpful and answered most of my questions and the customer service team answered the rest when I called.I'm a big fan of this product design, everything is all built in clean and tight looking, well thought out and looks great!

Morgan Hansen

2023-05

From the get go I have been thrilled with the quick and efficient service. From the day I ordered (Saturday, over the weekend), the vivarium was in my hands in 4 days (Wed). The viv arrived in perfect condition, sturdy and working perfectly. It's basically ready out of the box. I needed to call for some help, and spoke to Mr. Bill himself. Very pleasant and eager to help.

Bill Eldridge

2023-05

Bill has helped me from the start. I am new to Vivarium building, and needed help.I purchased an Alto with full composite sides and back as I planned to hardscape them. The very light weight amazed me. One other thing I can mention at this time is the quality of the construction and the packaging, I could not be more happy with. Now I need to get busy and put it all to use.

Taryn Ziegler

2022-05

Ordered two "Alto" rock-background kits online for my own terrarium. Two stars for quick shipping, but misleading dimensions on the website meant I spent way too much for way too small of rocks, and In Situ seems to have no interest in resolving or even acknowledging their false advertising.Apparently my kits were packaged in two separate boxes, one of which FedEx is still fumbling. I reached out to In Situ to see where my missing box was, since FedEx tracking indicated there was only one box, and the box that arrived had just one kit's worth of rocks.When I reached out about the missing kit, I also noted that the rocks were a lot smaller than I expected, and I was concerned about being able to do what I wanted to do with them.Having such small rocks arrive was confusing to me, as I stated in the email, because the Alto was measured at 36.75" by 22.25" per the product page. The rock kits are supposed to fully cover the back panel of the Alto. I honestly thought two kits would easily be too many for what I was trying to do based on those measurements, but now I'm concerned two kits are still too few.In Situ replied to say that they "don’t sell kits that will cover 36” x 22” because the back panel is not that big."I responded with a screenshot of their own product page showing the size they claim, and then I asked what the real size was for the back panel.They responded: "It is 20 x 32"When asked why the website says otherwise, they said: "Those are the exterior dimensions of the terrarium"This is a substantial difference between interior and exterior sizing, and while that wouldn't normally be too frustrating, it's ultimately false advertising when it comes to their rock-background kits. Each kit was $75 plus shipping and taxes, which is nothing to sneeze at, and I'm sure that I could've gotten a better deal elsewhere if I had shopped around more.But I didn't, because I trusted that the dimensions they had listed online were the correct ones and that I would be receiving plenty of big enough rocks to do what I wanted to do.Had In Situ immediately recognized the issue and sought to resolve it or at least acknowledge it, I wouldn't be writing this review. Instead, it was like pulling teeth to even figure out why I received such small rocks in comparison to what I expected, and now it seems they're fully done communicating with me, since they sent the rocks and they've got my money.This company doesn't seem to care much about its online customers, so despite it being local, I absolutely won't be back. They can't be the only suppliers of terrarium pumice in the area, so I'll be shopping elsewhere.Hopefully In Situ, at the very least, makes the correct measurements clear on their product pages for the rock kits moving forward.

Luna Snowe

2023-05

My partner and I recently purchased an Alto terrarium from In Situ for our business as a display piece for uncommon tropical plants. Bill made the entire process easy, quickly answering any questions we had throughout our purchase. Bill had great input as he helped us design the schedule for our Apex controller too so we can have a plug-and-play device, setting us up for long-term success with our terrarium and its components.Once we placed our order, the terrarium and the rock back wall kit shipped out super quickly and arrived within a few days. You can really tell the folks behind In Situ put a lot of thought and care into not only designing the terrariums, but also the packaging. Opening the shipping crate was just as exciting as laying eyes on the beautifully crafted terrarium. Packaging was minimal, so there wasn’t much waste, and the company will even reuse the shipping isolators (they provide a return box with a prepaid label).Setting up the terrarium was a little intimidating at first, since it was our first time doing something this large, but got easier as we progressed. Most of the pieces easily snap in and out of place (making replacement and maintenance a breeze). Before we installed the rock back wall, we watched In Situ’s videos on YouTube. We found them to be easy to follow, with helpful tips from Bill to ensure the rocks properly adhere to the composite back and that any water feature works as intended.When we needed help with our Apex schedule, Bill made time for us to walk us through the programming and software. He even did a video call with us!Overall, I’m happy with our purchase and will be back for any future terrarium builds I have. If you’re wondering if In Situ is worth it, the answer is a resounding YES!

Amp

2023-05

I own several sizes of the Insitu tanks. From small to medium and the largest. They are hands down the best tanks in this hobby. Bill has done an outstanding job thinking of every aspect. The lighting can be dimmed or programmed, and the plant growth is fantastic. The sloped false bottom with the drain line is genius. You’ll never have to siphon the tank. The built in fans work as designed. The tanks have everything you’ll need for great success. The customer service is excellent. They respond fast and are very helpful.10/105 Star company!

Sean de Boer

2023-05

Great product with great service. I ordered an Amazonia and have been loving it. I did unfortunately have a small piece of broken glass (one of the vent covers) during shipping, but they sent out a replacement the very next day.

Cory Lambert

2021-05

I give it a two. I ordered the Amazonia and the reason It even gets a two is because of how amazing the tank is capable of being. The reason it’s only getting a two is the terrible customer service I experienced. For a month I tried to get this thing in without the glass being broke or frames being warped to no avail. When I asked for a refund was told I’d have to pay for shipping myself and a 150 dollar restocking fee. Waste of time. Waste of money.

Doug Lehman

2023-05

Bill has been a huge help in designing my system. He's is very attentive to my needs. I will shop here again.

Ken Heckeroth

2023-05

I ordered an alto vivarium, it's wonderfully made. Bill is a warm person who is very responsive!

Chase C.

2023-05

I've originally ordered four InSitu 24" Selva units; needless to say I've enjoyed them to the point of picking up a fifth. I've wrapped up my thoughts below:•One unit had the additional came with the composite back and fans; this viv is noticeably lighter thus I feel more lenient with using heavier building materials/woodwork.•The fans literally click into place and are quiet.•Even without fan usage, the tanks have a fair amount of passive ventilation; albeit I find the additional airflow to be helpful.•The vivariums overcome the troubles associated with heavily modified brand name tanks (fruit flies escaping, bulkhead drilling, ventilation, and drainage.•The slope design is excellent as it prevents water pooling and expedites water passage water into the front trough / drain.In summation, you get what you pay for, and the InSitu vivs are a premium product. Planning on more in the future.

Shella Swain

2022-05

The alto is perfect for my darts and experienced nothing but stellar customer service.

NATHAN INMAN

2021-05

It's a really cool startup business in port angeles. Check it out man. Poison frogs

Dustin P

2021-05

Great company, great products.