Mantellas

[John]

Actually, one more question for you - what is the grey layer above the LECA in your planted vivarium photo?

[Mike]

Actually, one more question for you - what is the grey layer above the LECA in your planted vivarium photo?

sodium bentonite

[birdsflybackwards]

Actually, one more question for you - what is the grey layer above the LECA in your planted vivarium photo?

The substrate is a mix of flourite, leaf litter, peat, coco husk, and sphagnum. I think the grey you are seeing is the condensation from the drainage layer that I couldn't reach when I wiped the glass down to take the photo.

The background is sodium bentonite, but it doesn't really look grey because its mixed in with peat, flourite,and LECA dust.

[John]

Thanks for answering that. Have you sculpted the sodium bentonite? How did you do that and what kind of paint did you use?

[birdsflybackwards]

Thanks for answering that. Have you sculpted the sodium bentonite? How did you do that and what kind of paint did you use?

Sodium bentonite is the clay used in kitty litter, it is also used to line koi ponds and legally fill oil wells...it also makes your skin better...

I got mine from a koi store and its the brand Benseal (Baroid Benseal). You can mix in just about any natural medium you want and and as long as there is still 1/3 bentonite (this is as low a ratio as I have gone, very possible you could go lower) it will still stick to the glass. There was no paint involved, my goal was to have as natural a vivarium as possible so I didn't use any GS, silicone, paint ect. The background of this tank was about 1/3 sodium bentonite, 1/3 peat, and 1/3 flourite, with a small amount of leca dust added for color.

[John]

Thanks for that walk through. I have learned so much from you already - thank you for being so open and helpful .

[Tom Highum]

Is it easy to shape?

[Stemcellular]

Nice pics Em.

[birdsflybackwards]

Is it easy to shape?

Yes, it's clay and it's wet so you can mold it into just about any shape you want.

and thanks Ray and Nick!