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

[Pandora3d]

so petco is having their $1/gallon sale and i am going to go grab a 20 long tonite for my 3 american toads...this is being done without spouse approval, teehee, so i may not get it set up right away, BUT i figure i will at least get a start on a new home for them. what type of lid would be best for this type of set up, just a screen with a light on top??

Right now with just a 10 gallon, it isn't that difficult (or too expensive) to just dump out the used substrate (eco-earth) and refill with new stuff every 3-4 weeks. My question(s) are more or less in regards to the cleaning of the new tank. generally speaking, how often should substrate be changed out? i try and pick out any poo i can visibly see of course, and water is changed daily.... humidity and temps have been around 70, give or take a few degrees. i do plan on adding a drainage layer of gravel to the bottom as well, and will have a UTH on the bottom left side of the tank.

ANY and ALL advice is welcome for my set up!! thanks in advance

[DonLisk]

A screen top should be fine since you can cover part of the top with glass or plexi-glass to retain humidity.
If you want plexi cut to fit over some sections of the screen top to help retain humidity, hit a Lowes and they will cut some inexpensive plexi for you. I think the least expensive is about 7 or 8 bucks and no charge to cut it to the sizes you need.

If you are doing a drainage layer, then usually you don't have to change ot the substrate at all. Just spot clean routinely.

If you have live plants in the tank then any missed droppings only fertilize the plants anyway.

[Pandora3d]

I will hit up a lowes and get some plexi, i like that idea.

i meant to ask, what type of lighting is best for toads? i haven't seen anything about them needing the UV/special reptile type lights or anything, and right now i am just using the one that i had used for my fish. i'll eventually get one to fit a 20long, just not sure what kind of bulb i should stick in it once i have it. i will definitely be getting more live plants, i love the ones i have right now and now i'll have room more now...probably more bromeliads, they're pretty....so yea, just want to make sure i don't end up cooking the crew!

[Mentat]

Would go with solid screen top (no bars or door) and a large Fluker's Light Dome with built in dimmer. If you need to increase humidity later it's easy to cover sections of it with plastic food wrapping. If room is bright; an infrared 100-150W emitter should be fine.

Would not set heat pad on bottom; better off on a side. Frogs burrow to cool off and they are going to get the opposite effect if matt is under tank. IRT location, maybe try experimenting placing the pad opposite side to light dome, then adjust the light dimmer as required to provide a cooler and warmer side close to toads preferred temps. Guess if room is warm, you might be able to place both the mat and light on same side and dim the light as required to get a temp gradient across tank.

IRT drainage layer; would use clay spheres (about 2 layer's depth) and plastic window screening between it and eco-earth. If you are diligent with removing feces would fork over substrate once a week and examine at 4 week mark to see how it looks like. Still, frogs pee and that pee contains ammonia that will saturate and contaminate the substrate. I change mine every 4 weeks and use the loose 8 liter bag because it's a lot easier than dealing with the surprise bricks (always find some plastic or other cap on them).

[Pandora3d]

good call Carlos - i will check out the light with the dimmer option. i really really do not like the look of the UTH being on the side, its just so tacky looking...BUT in the interest of the toads, i might just have to suck it up - honestly though, the little one i have really doesn't seem to give off much heat at all, i mean, not even really hot to the touch - but it seems to help keep the tank at decent levels. what if i got a light that gave off heat instead of the UTH altogether?! they could have a day/night warm/cool side....yes no??

[Mentat]

good call Carlos - i will check out the light with the dimmer option. i really really do not like the look of the UTH being on the side, its just so tacky looking...BUT in the interest of the toads, i might just have to suck it up - honestly though, the little one i have really doesn't seem to give off much heat at all, i mean, not even really hot to the touch - but it seems to help keep the tank at decent levels. what if i got a light that gave off heat instead of the UTH altogether?! they could have a day/night warm/cool side....yes no??

I have the dome mentioned (around 8 in. diameter rated to 250W) with a 100W ceramic emitter in a 20 gal. high set-up. Think ZooMed also makes a similar unit; but Fluker was cheaper locally.

Room's temp. is around 70F and tank gets to 83F day and 78F night below element with no pads or other heating source. I'm close to max power during colder days but usually around 75-80% max. during Winter. If you want to try this combo; would recommend going with a 150W ceramic IR emitter if your room is kept at 70F or lower during Winter. Can always dim it down as required. I do paint a little white indication mark on dimmer arrow on knob; it's very hard to see in my room since it's all black against black background.

[Pandora3d]

I have the dome mentioned (around 8 in. diameter rated to 250W) with a 100W ceramic emitter in a 20 gal. high set-up. Think ZooMed also makes a similar unit; but Fluker was cheaper locally.

Room's temp. is around 70F and tank gets to 83F day and 78F night below element with no pads or other heating source. I'm close to max power during colder days but usually around 75-80% max. during Winter. If you want to try this combo; would recommend going with a 150W ceramic IR emitter if your room is kept at 70F or lower during Winter. Can always dim it down as required. I do paint a little white indication mark on dimmer arrow on knob; it's very hard to see in my room since it's all black against black background.

OH EXCELLENT - i really don't care for the UTH anyway...i will definitely try this method and see how it works out - thanks a bunch!

i love frog forum!!

[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.