Vivarium question

Wapiti_i · #1 (**permalink**) 09-14-2007, 10:56 AM

I made a Huge vivarium for my CWD with is 8' x8' x4' and it have a pond of 4' x4' x18" and I am having a fun time keeping the water clean and a more interesting time keeping my pump clean. Anyone else having this same problem. There is two huge section with about 18 inches of soil and eveytime they run after each other they track it into the water.

HELP please.

rxrgneiss · #2 (**permalink**) 09-15-2007, 12:50 PM

Hey W,

I'm new here, and by no means an expert, but do you have any photos you could post? It might be useful for others making observations of the problem you're having.

One thought is, do you have any kind of dam or barrier around the pond area?

-rx

Wapiti_i · #3 (**permalink**) 09-17-2007, 01:28 PM

I have a 19"m wall all the way around my viv I will try to post pics tonight so you can have a better Idea.

Rainfrog · #4 (**permalink**) 09-24-2007, 06:48 AM

I would raise the wall between the pond and land a few inches and that may deter them just running in. also do you use a filter or just a pump? a canister filter would help your water quality and not be as affected by messes in the water. I would reccomend a small one like a Fluval 101.

froggsong · #5 (**permalink**) 06-08-2008, 03:40 AM

I know this is an older post, but has anyone considered planting grass in their vives? I planted grass in mine, and not only does he love how cushiony it is, it helps with the humidity too. The grass also helps break down any waste that may end up on land rather than in the water. The grass also grows pretty quickly with the UV. If you do try it, mix the seed in with some peat moss and spread it over the area you want the grass (you could even just plant it around the water). All you have to do is mist it a couple of times a day (I'm sure you are already doing that now) and watch it grow. It may tend to get beaten down to death in the places they run the most often, but you can just add fresh seed there every few weeks. It has really worked great in my enclosure, and he occasionally gets a little bit of greens when catching a cricket!

whybother? · #6 (**permalink**) 10-14-2008, 08:32 PM

My environmental science t it also had a lot of dollar weed and teacher Mr. Harrison had grass in his vivarium but it also had a lot of dollar weed and and othernuisances he had to take care of.

froggsong · #7 (**permalink**) 10-18-2008, 10:04 PM

ummm. did you accidentally delete part of that? It is hard to understand...

I think what you were saying is that you have experience with vives with grass and they grow alot of weeds? I didn't have any weeds in my tank. I was using high quality kentucky blue grass. There shouldn't be any weed seeds in a good quality bag of grass seeds. You don't have to worry quite as much about the cost of the better stuff because you are only using a handful or two in a vive at a time.

Dyel_03 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-19-2008, 06:38 AM

You could, perhaps, consider planting Helxine. it grows like a mad thing and will form a mat over the surface of the substrate and stabilise it.

froggsong · #9 (**permalink**) 10-19-2008, 10:24 PM

Hmmmm, I don't think I've heard of that, I'll have to look it up...

Dyel_03 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-20-2008, 02:04 PM

Sorry I could not remember it's current name. It's sometimes known as 'Mind Your Own Business'

In the garden it's a pernicious weed.

But, please hear me out, it's really easy to control in the viv and forms a nice flat green lawn. Perfect.

By the way the scientific name is Soleirolia soleirolii