looking for feedback

[waster]

I've read several forums an i think im ready for a winter project

I'd like to keep mantellas or pdf. I'm in no rush and more than willing to spend a couple of months getting their home ready.

I'll be aiming to use a 36g-40g tank (waiting till something comes up on craigslist/kijiji)

Please let me know if i am on the right track and make suggestions as needed

Background - not sure yet, but the clay background (with peat) looks to be the best option, but i think i will use some GS on PVC pipes and silcone with coconut fibre/peat to create some vines and tree trunks. GS pieces can be caked on to the background with more clay

Lid - all glass with small no see um vents to keep front of the tank condensation free and the vents can later be modified if i want to create misting system maybe? not sure if small vents will drop humidity too low

substrate - i dont want a false bottom so looking to use clay balls (1.5 inches?). screen mesh on on top of it. a layer of gravel, sand, or charcoal (0.5-1 inch). and then the soil mix (coco, bark, peat mix etc). i imagine 3 inches of the soil mix would be minimum.

access to the drainage layer will be done using a PVC pipe fitted into the substrate. notches will be in place to let water through but keep clay balls out. turkey baster for cleaning. pipe will be disguised and covered up with a fitted piece of GS.

i have several plants on hand that i can plant immediately.

collect and add springtails and pillbugs
not sure on red wigglers --- these guys eat a lot and i dont want them eating all my substrate

for leaf litter - im under the impression i can just collect outside, boil them, dry them and add as needed

for pieces of wood - i am also under the impression that wood is pretty safe if i soak it and bake it and there are no smells. ill collect in areas that do not have evergreens.

set up the tank, wait weeks/months and let it stabilize... add frogs

let me know. appreciate all the help in advance

[beckdg]

thread moved to dart section for better feedback.

[WannabeVivMaster]

I used GreatStuff for the background. It seemed much easier than clay (and more permanent) for me. I black siliconed coco fiber mixed with sphagnum moss for a very realistic look. Set in small plastic plant baskets and wood.
My lid is all glass. I do have condensation problems. I'm currently working on installing a small 12volt computer fan to hopefully help w/ condensation. I have a small window squeege I bought form Walmart to wipe the glass whenever I want to see the frogs.
I used a false bottom. I've never used clay balls. I like the false bottom because it is very easy to remove the excess water from the bottom. When doing the background, I put 1 inch pvc pipes to the bottom of the tank (hid in the greatstuff background), touching the bottom glass. I cut half the the pvc pipe at the bottom to allow water to get inside the pvc pipe. I stick a plastic tube down the pvc pipe to siphon water out of the bottom of the tank. I used about 1/8 potting soil (I know alot of people say potting soil is a no-no, it didn't contain any ferts or added chemicals(it was organic)) and the rest, coco fiber and reptile bark a small amount of shredded oak leaves. I grow a prayer plant, java moss and some kind of fern thing and philodendrom in it.
I added spring tails to the tank about 3 weeks before adding frogs. They grew a large population, until the frogs were added! I didn't do pill bugs or red wrigglers. I thought about it tho. I've had it set up for about a year. I haven't seen the need for pill bugs or wrigglers (might not hurt tho).
Sounds like you have done your homework in my opinion. I'm no expert. I will say my tank has performed perfectly (other than condensation). I've had my frogs for about 9 months. I've had 4 clutches of eggs. I only have 5 tadpoles. They are living and appear to be doing well.
Hope this helps...

[WannabeVivMaster]

I should probably say I have dart frogs.