Let's talk substrates

[DartEd]

Being a dart frog hobbyist, I use ABG or similar derivative under a solid layer of sand oak and magnolia leaf litter. It's a precise mix of orchid bark, peat moss, charcoal, sphagnum moss and tree fern fiber. The reasons are ABG is excellent at supporting microfauna and excellent drainage with enough water retention to support tropical plants. The variation in leaves is due to magnolia leaves breaking down faster than sand oak providing both long and short term food for the 4 different isopods and 3 different populations of springtails in my tanks.

heres the recipe for it but it can be bought premade. It's only cost effective to mix yourself if you're going to fill a lot of tanks. Otherwise, Josh's, ne herp and lots of other retailers sell it in one gallon premade bags.

2 parts Ground Tree Fern Root
2 parts milled Sphagnum Moss
2 part orchid bark
1 part sphagnum peat moss
1 part charcoal

[Jerah Teoh Yong Qiang]

Being a dart frog hobbyist, I use ABG or similar derivative under a solid layer of sand oak and magnolia leaf litter. It's a precise mix of orchid bark, peat moss, charcoal, sphagnum moss and tree fern fiber. The reasons are ABG is excellent at supporting microfauna and excellent drainage with enough water retention to support tropical plants. The variation in leaves is due to magnolia leaves breaking down faster than sand oak providing both long and short term food for the 4 different isopods and 3 different populations of springtails in my tanks.

heres the recipe for it but it can be bought premade. It's only cost effective to mix yourself if you're going to fill a lot of tanks. Otherwise, Josh's, ne herp and lots of other retailers sell it in one gallon premade bags.

2 parts Ground Tree Fern Root
2 parts milled Sphagnum Moss
2 part orchid bark
1 part sphagnum peat moss
1 part charcoal

Thanks for the leaf litter mix tip. I made my own ABG as well but I don't have tree fern fiber, so I replace that with tree fern root chips.

[Jerah Teoh Yong Qiang]

I just discovered that a keeper here uses ADA soil as substrate for his vampire crabs in a semi-aquatic viv setup. Does anyone here know if ADA is frog-safe?

[nirotorin]

That ABG substrate sounds pretty interesting. I may have to make my own version using materials I can find locally.

[deranged chipmunk]

ADA soils are in fact safe to use in a frog tank, BUT, they release a ridiculous amount of ammonia while the tank cycles. You should cycle it in an aquarium, monitoring levels and doing constant water changes until the tank cycles then i would transfer it to a viv.

For what it is worth, i use a soiless soil mix used for hydroponics growing and a layer of cocofiber in all my tanks and my plants love me for it. Also, all soil becomes "bio-active" over time.Like an aquarium denitrifying bacteria are present in soil. It's how soil breaks down nitrogen so plants can use it. Bio-active soils are just seeded with bacteria, nothing more.

[never quit]

ADA soils are in fact safe to use in a frog tank, BUT, they release a ridiculous amount of ammonia while the tank cycles. You should cycle it in an aquarium, monitoring levels and doing constant water changes until the tank cycles then i would transfer it to a viv.

For what it is worth, i use a soiless soil mix used for hydroponics growing and a layer of cocofiber in all my tanks and my plants love me for it. Also, all soil becomes "bio-active" over time.Like an aquarium denitrifying bacteria are present in soil. It's how soil breaks down nitrogen so plants can use it. Bio-active soils are just seeded with bacteria, nothing more.

That bioactive soil sounds interesting......Currently I use Eco Earth....My take on reading the replies is it's more natural, and will decompose the frog feces, thus you have a stable environment?.....Much like a fish tank with all live plants compared to all plastic plants....I have ONLY live plants in my tanks. But anyway, you say you have to cycle this?....The same way as cycling a fish tank?
If someone will tell me how to set this up, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks
Lloyd

[deranged chipmunk]

no, you need to cycle ADA Aquasoil prior to using it in a vivarium due to the amount of ammonia it releases.

Eco-earth is nothing more than ground up and processed coconut fibers. It in no way will just decompose feces. Bacteria needs to build up in a vivarium in order for that to happen. And it's not like it will magically disappear overnight. That is why we recommend microfauna (isopods and springtails) that actually feed on feces and decaying plant matter.

[poison]

ADA soils are in fact safe to use in a frog tank, BUT, they release a ridiculous amount of ammonia while the tank cycles. You should cycle it in an aquarium, monitoring levels and doing constant water changes until the tank cycles then i would transfer it to a viv.

For what it is worth, i use a soiless soil mix used for hydroponics growing and a layer of cocofiber in all my tanks and my plants love me for it. Also, all soil becomes "bio-active" over time.Like an aquarium denitrifying bacteria are present in soil. It's how soil breaks down nitrogen so plants can use it. Bio-active soils are just seeded with bacteria, nothing more.

Though bacteria is the main part of bioactive substrate they're are also other critters crawling around in it. Microbes, substrate mites and if you choose too add them in then earth worms, isopods and spring tail (though there is a species thast usually makes its way into my enclosures withot me adding them).

My cornsnake enclosure has been up and running for over a year, never once cleaned (other then spot cleaning obvious waste matter). It smells nice and fresh to this day. Heres a nice read http://www.geckotime.com/bio-active-reptile-substrate/ You can also read more about in "The art of keeping snakes" book.

[poison]

A great way of building up helpful bacteria in your enclosure is to go out and get leaf litter from the woods.