Yeah my LFS uses the drainage layer I believe. Looks like marble sized balls all under the soil across the whole tank. My water level is touching the bottom of my false bottom so essentially I only have MAYBE 1/4" between the water and the substrate. But I had to put it that high to get the filter to work. It's a weak air driven filter and it only pushes so high above the water level. Even now it's a trickle and sometimes it just stops working. Earlier the frog jumped onto it and it tilted back and stopped flowing I was like dammit! Lol

How often should I mist? I must the soil as well as the walls. I do t want to drown the plants out (which already appear to be dying) but don't want humidity to fall too low either...