fiberglass screen vs fabric type barrier

[flybyferns]

I thought I would revive this tread, and share a recent experience.
I am officially done building 3 dart enclosures simultaneously.
I babied ,wonderful, plant cuttings John Clare generously shared at the Hamburg show!

I completed the enclosures( finished about two weeks) using hydro, substrate fabric ( if you are interested in where I purchased this--- please PM me) and pounds and pounds of ABG. I seeded them w/ the spring tails and isopods that I started weeks ago. I held off on extending my Mist King so I could pay close attention to the needs of each newly planted little treasure I have collected for months.

I drove my self crazy during the time I was deciding as to which substrate barrier to use.
My final decision was fabric.

BUT- trouble started immediately.
For 2 weeks I watched the obvious problem of very poor drainage occurring( because of the fabric ? ) , despite the added expense of having a drain hole drilled in each of my newly purchased exo enclosures.

I ripped ALL 3 enclosures apart yesterday. Carefully pulling every plant! Only to find my suspicion to be correct.
The water was sitting on top of the fabric- yet the hydro layer had only a little water, despite lots and lots of hand misting to care for the plants?

I re-build all three yesterday. I changed to the following : (from the bottom up)
1-hydro
2-filter media ( 100% polyester) 3/4 " thick
3-fiberglass screen
4-ABG

Overnight, ( I hand misted twice yesterday ) the hydro layer is completely full!!! In, fact 2 of the 3 tanks have drained some.
Yikes ! This could have been a real disaster !


Lynn

I am reviving this thread - yet again. I want to share this up-date

I've been planning to update this because the polyester substrate layer is not typically used.
It was not my idea. I saw it used at a herp shop here on Long Island. But, they were mean and would not share any information w/ me. They were selling small pcs 18 x18” for around 15$. Ha ! I have sewn for a zillion years. I knew exactly what it was.

It is 100 % polyester batting (not cotton ) used by quilters. It’s the stuff used between the layers of fabric to make a quilt ‘puffy’. It is purchased by bed size. I purchased a ---roll ¾” thick ---single bed size--- for about 20$. I have a lot left over if anyone would like to try it; I’m happy to share. It is very similar to the filter medium in an aquarium filter. ( not the foam stuff)

The layers are as follows—from the bottom up:
1-hydro
2-filter media ( 100% polyester quilting batting- 3/4 " thick)
3-fiberglass screen
4-ABG



I'm quite pleased with it. I put these three dart enclosures together in the very beginning of Nov 2012. The plants are flourishing, it smells great (clean and sweet), and it drains down through the batting beautifully. As you can see by these photos taken today—it’s still white. No ABG has gotten through it at all.

These three tanks are drilled---just below the hydro layer and fitted with 5/8" tubing that drains into a bucket when the water reaches that point.




I use a mist king that sprays every three hours for 12 seconds. Therefore, there is a consistent flow of clean water. Even the water in the bucket smells fine. The 36" tank has 2 single mist heads and the two 18 " have one single each. The bucket collects ( from all three tanks ) much less then one might expect. I dump out 2 " of water a week. Obviously, the drainage speed is dependent on several things......... but maybe, just maybe I struck a nice balance.

even the moss is happy !

say hello !


I think what I might do differently next time is NOT use the hydro. I would consider using gravel instead. I have kept fish tanks for many years . I think the gravel would be more effective in maintaining a better biological filter area because of all of the little edges.

A Happy and Healthy New Year.....to all ! Lynn