base and substrate questions

[beingteri]

I'm new to this forum, but have gotten a lot of great information here so far. I'm one of those crazy, over ambitious people that have a tendency to make even seemingly simple things more difficult than it needs to be.

My latest project is a ginormous viv with a 50/50 + water feature of a waterfall and stream. This all started when I bought 3 polywogs from the local pet store...I thought it would be fun for my two and four year old to watch them develop into frogs. I don't have any idea what kind they are...the label said Rana, but that narrows it down to 250 or so. One died shortly after morphing...I think he may have drown. I had a small land area that suspended from the side of a 2 gal tank...but I don't think he got it. This prompted me to set up our 10 gal. with a better land mass...I felt so bad about the other little guy.

So I had access to a 200 gal. tank that I'm currently renovating into the ginormous vivarium. (Yes, taking pictures as I go...and yes, assembled and torn apart about 5 times already-less dirt and water) Oh, did I mention that I went and bought a handful of guppies and some dwarf platties so I could have a whole biosphere going on??

So, for the planted portion of the tank...I will have 2 elevated platform sections (one on each side) over the water level that will be open in the middle but also go under the planted sections. I read the Perlite shouldn't be used if animals will be in the structure...so I took that back. One other site mentioned using Hydroton or Terra-Lite as a base then laying screen down and over that the peat moss for planting. This is sold on some pet sites but also on hydroponic sites.

My question: The hydroponic sites also have several other growing media that would work as the base layer, but be much lighter than 20 gal. of Terr-Lite...has anyone used these products in your vivs or terrariums? They are said to be organic and inert...like Rockwool, Coco Fiber Bricks and Oasis Media?? I know how sensitive froggies can be and don't want anything to upset the balance...but I'm also trying to create a natural environment that has little demands from me. I really do want a little biosphere going on...and I'd like to sit back and watch nature happen. Well, at least as natural as it can be, considering I don't know what kind of from they are!!

BTW, one has that "large puppy" look...like he she has to still grow into her feet and legs (probably a bullfrog) morphed last, the second one to morph is smaller...was lighter green in color until recently...both have off white under bellies and brighter green around the mouths...NEITHER uses a tongue to eat. So far as I can tell, none of the fish have been eaten by either. But the Vivarium I'm building will be more on the tropical/subtropic side...right now I don't have a heater in their habitat, but do shine a sun lamp on them during the day. Sorry for the long post...I guess I ramble too!

Anyway, want to finish it up this week, fill it and let it start growing and purifying...and add my little buddies. Hopefully someone reads posts on a regular basis and gets back soon. Look forward to hearing from you.

[Rainfrog]

I would say you need to identify the species. it is hard to provide proper care without that. I dont know anything about any of those products except the coco fiber and Hydroton/terra lite. hydroton is good as a base because it allows drainage and does not decompose I would use this under your substrate Coco fiber makes good substrate. it comes in dried bricks and when you soak them they exspand and break apart. if your frogs are not about the same size one will get eaten. frogs will eat anything that will fit in their mouth

[beingteri]

You have no idea how many hours (days) I spent browsing thru the frog database pictures trying to identify these little boogers. I was even listening to some of the frog calls they have on them...not because mine sit around croaking...but maybe they would respond instinctualy if they heard one of their own kind communicating.

That's what has taken me so long to "start" this Vivarium, I wanted to know what they were so they will thrive in it. I did email the HQ of the Petstore chain, but haven't heard back. I'll post some pics in the frog id section and see if anyone recognizes them. I'm afraid they might be of the small bullfrog variety...which eat everything!! But I haven't lost any of the fish yet.

If so, they are supposed to be semi-terrestrial...so I want to provide them with a nice land mass to hang out on. The products I mentioned in the earlier post are widely used products in the hydroponics and soil-less gardening communities...and are raved about. How does the Terra-lite stand up to long term submersion? Does it decompose or does it remain a "pottery" ball? How does it stand up to an under gravel/false bottom filtration system?

I wanted to put a 4-5 inch layer of the Terra-Lite, then a 2 inch layer of the Rockwool or Oasis Media, then a screen separator with the peat moss and coco fiber on top to plant in. I'll use a retaining wall to hold all this in, but the water level will be up to the Oasis Media...OR...actually use an elevated Plexiglass partition, like I did on the opposite side, just not as high...and a retainer wall on the front of it...with water underneath it. So there will be roughly 100 gal. of water in the tank with 2 - 2" x 2" planted sections on both sides...Let me try to draw a pic and post it.

[beingteri]

This a diagram of how I'd like the tank to turn out...but exactly how to lay out the left side in order to provide more land to roam...as well as space for the taller plants to live and grow...without building a secondary enclosure above this . Believe it or not...we have a very small house...and this tank is probably bigger than our living room, Just kidding. But it is big and we do have a smaller home...so I'm trying to integrate a little outside inside, but still leave the inside livable and comfortable.

My hubby wanted to make this an all fish-fresh or salt tank, but I refused! He's now trying to talk me into placing a 300 gal. tank in our bedroom for all fish...still a NO. But we have the tank sitting in our driveway! I was thinking of setting it up on it's side (which would be about 8'tall) and making a tall Vivarium, and maybe try some of those really bright colored pretty frogs everyone likes!

But, one project at a time.