Smell?

[Jerl77]

I am just starting to get into the hobby and going to do tree frogs I think my wife is telling me that the cage smells and it a lot of work
i told her it did and my other hobby is a salt water reef tank so it can't be that hard
what you your feeling what are your weekly cleaning?
do they smell?
thanks jeremy

[DonLisk]

If you build a vivarium with using live plants and have a drainage layer, then the system becomes pretty self sufficient. Many of us add tank cleaners such as springtails to help with removal of waste and remember that the waste/dropping from the frogs is what fertilizes the plants.

None of my tanks smell and most are over a year old. Actually they smell pretty nice. As for maintenance, cleaning the viewing glass and picking up visual droppings once a week is the biggest things besides daily water changes in the water dish. You can check out my photo albums for what these tanks look like.
Oh, and you will have to trim and cut back over grown plants of you have good lighting and proper temps and humidity.

[Jerl77]

What layers of soil etc etc should I use and thanks for the answer

If you build a vivarium with using live plants and have a drainage layer, then the system becomes pretty self sufficient. Many of us add tank cleaners such as springtails to help with removal of waste and remember that the waste/dropping from the frogs is what fertilizes the plants.

None of my tanks smell and most are over a year old. Actually they smell pretty nice. As for maintenance, cleaning the viewing glass and picking up visual droppings once a week is the biggest things besides daily water changes in the water dish. You can check out my photo albums for what these tanks look like.
Oh, and you will have to trim and cut back over grown plants of you have good lighting and proper temps and humidity.

[DonLisk]

I'll give you a few links to look through for getting ideas. Basically you have a drainage layer on the bottom made of Hydroballs (clay balls) or a false bottom madke from eggcrate. Then some screen material (window screen or substrate screen from the pet stores). Then a layer of Eco Earth or Plantation Soil (available thru pet stores). Some members use a layer of sphagnum moss below the top soil layer to retain more moisture but I haven't used or needed it in my dart vivs.

Here are those links:
http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...pic-heavy.html

http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...se-bottom.html

http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...d-journal.html

http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...cal-build.html


Hope this helps

[S13]

If you build a vivarium with using live plants and have a drainage layer, then the system becomes pretty self sufficient. Many of us add tank cleaners such as springtails to help with removal of waste and remember that the waste/dropping from the frogs is what fertilizes the plants.

None of my tanks smell and most are over a year old. Actually they smell pretty nice. As for maintenance, cleaning the viewing glass and picking up visual droppings once a week is the biggest things besides daily water changes in the water dish. You can check out my photo albums for what these tanks look like.
Oh, and you will have to trim and cut back over grown plants of you have good lighting and proper temps and humidity.

Yeah I love the way my tanks smell. Smells all earthy. I'm jealous I can't live in there with them. lol

[DonLisk]

Exactly... thats the best description for it.

[J Teezy]

yep my tank smells earthy

[DonLisk]

You know things are going great when little mushrooms begin to sprout up out of nowhere :-)