First False Bottom Vivarium

[Andry]

Okay, please tell me if I did everything correct in my Red Eye Tree Frog tank. About a week ago I bought several new plants for the tank and was decided to plant it but chickened out because I felt I didn't have enough info. So, I just placed the pots in the tank without planting the plants. I had just a layer of Coco liner for hanging baskets as my substrate, but as I video taped my frogs eating I realized they were ingesting the long stems from this liner and it scared me very much. I knew I had to change it right away.

So, here's what I did from reading different vivarium instructions:

1 - I put about an inch layer of clay pellets on the bottom of the tank.
2 - Then I put egg crate on top (not sure if this was necessary)
3 - Then I put a sheet of bug screen on top
4 - a few more clay pellets on top and a little bit of moss (it was wet when I added it)
5 - I mixed the brick of Exo Terra Plantation Soil (wet it first to expand it) then added and mixed Orchid Potting Mix. I added about a 2 inch layer. It was still really damp when I added it to the tank. Is this okay? Will it dry eventually?
6 - Then I planted all the plants in the 2 inch layer soil. Is that deep enough? I think the instructions where to make it 4 inches but I just felt there was not enough room for 4 inches of soil.
The plants were Pothos of two different kinds, Philondendron of two different kinds, a small orchid, and one other monkey type grass I'm not sure what it's called. And I added a few rocks and two patches of dried moss.
7- Added the water bowl and bamboo in the water and two fake plants to each side glass so that it's not too open on the sides.

I did all this without taking the frogs out. They were sleeping. One on the glass and two on a vine that was pinned to the backboard so they weren't disturbed too much.

Here's the bottom of the tank:


Before fake side plants:


After false plants, one on each side:


And here's a close up of the bottom planted:

[RecycledAgain]

Every thing looks good to me.. Just one note on the plantation soil. I have used it in my first few builds just as you did, I found it had a tendency to hold a lot of water and began to pack down till it seemed to literally became a mat. Plants that seemed to thrive initially started looking limp and began to die. I started mixing in tree fern bark and or Orchid bark which helped keep it from compacting. The same plants under the same conditions did fine after the amendments.

On that note,, I used the soil for dart tanks which in general receive more misting and trampling than your tree frogs will subject to your substrate. Just keep an eye on it, catch it early and it can save you a lot of grief.

Dan

[Andry]

Thanks Dan, I did see the Orchid Bark and wondered if I should have bought it because I had heard of others using it. And I can see what you mean about it getting too wet and packing down. That's what I was afraid of. I think I will go ahead and do what you say and put it in before I let it pack down. Even if my frogs don't trample it, which I doubt they will, I still feel like it will pack down. So, do you think it's safe for me to just put in the bark carefully with my hands digging here and there to mix it? I don't have to take it all out and put it back in, do I?

[RecycledAgain]

I don't see why not, kneading it in would be better than not having it.The frogs didn't seem to mind from your first experience, Just be careful about pulling away the screen that covers the egg crate.

Dan

[Andry]

I don't understand what you mean about pulling away the screen? I wouldn't have to move it would I? If I am just kneading it then I wouldn't hardly touch the screen at all would I?

[RecycledAgain]

I was thinking of aggressively mixing in the soil amendments and snagging or pulling at the screen. I'll be the first to tell you I'm not a plant guy, but I mix the hell out of my substrate in a big sterilite container when I make a batch. My thought is that its really gotta be mixed up evenly to to its job.

Dan

[Andry]

I see. In that case, I don't think I did too much work mixing the original mix of soil. I just used my hands in the bucket to mix, but I didn't do it thoroughly. I didn't think it was necessary. :-( I hope my plants don't die.

[RecycledAgain]

You will be fine , It seems I have scared you .. that wasn't my intention. Its all a matter what works for each person, generally every bit of advice you get on care or procedures can be and is tweaked a number of different ways by different folks.

Dan

[Andry]

This is my very first time planting anything in my life, so I don't know what works for me yet. I'm just going by what people say on these forums. So, yes, I get scared easily. I want everything to come out perfect the first time, but I have to learn by error too unfortunately. Thanks for your help and input. I appreciate it.

[beckdg]

sounds good to me.