new setup! seeking 20gal long aquarium advice....

[Pandora3d]

not all that exciting of an update, but we're making progress:

so i got the 20L, yay....and a stand, yay. now i need to get the cover. i have decided to go with just a plain hood and screen top, and will be ordering these either today or tomorrow ... Four Paws Screen Cover (Center Hinged-F/B) - 20L/29 gallon Tank Top & Zilla Zilla Reptile Strip Light Tropical Fixture - 30" - bulb included!

then i'll go to home depot and pick up a bag of gravel for the drainage layer, will this do the trick (rinsed well of course)? 0.5 cu. ft. Decorative Stone Pea Pebbles-40206018 at The Home Depot

and then a bag or two of eco-earth and various tropical plants from petco (rinsed as well).

i'll probably try and let it sit for at least a week, get some photos up, and then add the Gang.....ack i hate waiting, i want it all right now! lol.

and, on a good note, all toads have been shedding and seem to be growing steadily - Big Red came out completely last nite at feeding, sooo exciting to see him!!

[Wormwood]

You don't need anywhere near 70% humidity for American toads, 35-55% is just fine. Mine often sit atop logs to advoid soggy and wet substrate (they don't seem to mind dry). If anything a less humid tank gets them out and moving about to the water dish and back to their log. Sitting in one spot is not healthy for them. Wet substrate doesn't breath as much either so they won't be able to dig as deep into it as they normally would. Again as an example I'll find mine buried down 4-5 inches under coco-fiber.

You also don't need constant temps of 70-88 degrees so a heat pad on the side of the tank is uneeded unless they are in a basement with no sunlight or heat. Mine do just fine in 65-70 with tempatures dropping at night. The breed can be found all the way up in Canada and can deal with a little chill during the night hours.

[Pandora3d]

You don't need anywhere near 70% humidity for American toads, 35-55% is just fine. Mine often sit atop logs to advoid soggy and wet substrate (they don't seem to mind dry). If anything a less humid tank gets them out and moving about to the water dish and back to their log. Sitting in one spot is not healthy for them. Wet substrate doesn't breath as much either so they won't be able to dig as deep into it as they normally would. Again as an example I'll find my buried down 4-5 inches under coco-fiber.

You also don't need constant temps of 70-88 degrees so a heat pad on the side of the tank is uneeded unless they are in a basement with no sunlight or heat. Mine do just fine in 65-70 with tempatures dropping at night. The breed can be found all the way up in Canada and can deal with a little chill during the night hours.

rock on Wormwood!! thank you! i will try a lower humidity to get them moving around more, makes sense! i do love to see them when they soak, and i am planning on getting a neat little area in the new tank to maximize that so more than just one at time could get in if they wanted to have a pool party, lol.