Water substrate

[tlro]

Goin over the care sheet for WTF's. Really like the idea of a shallow water bottom for substrate. Curious though how would you clean it? Syphon it all out and replace it once a week? Just try and scoop out the poop or siphon it out as you see it? If I had deeper water it mentions supplying filtration would that be something like a simple sponge filter? Is the inch or so deep water bottom easier to maintain? Anyone run a water bottom with some advice?
Something like this work in a few inches of water?

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[Mentat]

If unfiltered; would drill enclosure bottom (if not tempered) and install a bulkhead with associated valve and tubing into a pail for doing full water changes daily.

If deeper and filtered (2-3 in. depth depending on filter type) you can forego the bulkhead and do weekly 25-50% water changes with siphon hose; although the bulkhead makes the job easier.

A foam filter (get one of the flat ones) will work fine for a smaller set-up holding one frog with spot cleaning (think turkey baster). Other than that, can use a turtle tank filter (works in low depth) or if larger water volume (i.e. a 36x18 in. ExoTerra) a smaller size canister filter (Eheim, API-Rena, or Fluval) are appropriate. What you showed in link are not the best unit, they can be finicky and use a very small unit inside the huge decorative outer box.

The big concern is food items drowning in the deeper water. You can avoid that, by feeding all insect and food items in small glass bowls, (around two inches deep lip) mounted strategically in a branch, flat rock, or decorative ledge. As long as you clean daily, the feeders won't be able to climb out of bowl and escape into the water below, where they will commit "sepuku." Hope this helps and good luck !

[Louis Charles Bruckner]

I have contemplated on this a lot.

You could run at least 4 inches of water and drill your enclosure to allow the use of a canister filter to handle the waste products.
You could also keep cleaner fish in the water like emerald cory's and similar fish. They normally stay on the bottom so the frogs
wouldn't have much of a chance of catching them.
With a good canister filter like a fluval 405 you can use it to make a water fall also.

Also you need to have places to haul out if the frog lands in the water.
these guys are clumsy some times.
I wouldn't use a plecostomus since they have very sharp fins and they can lock them and really do dome damage to a frog.
You can get some guppies and the frogs might get lucky with those and they are not bad for the frog.
I would setup the enclosure first and then add the fish and let the water cycle and get stable for at least a month before adding
frogs.

[tlro]

What you showed in link are not the best unit, they can be finicky and use a very small unit inside the huge decorative outer box.

dang the reviews were pretty good! I'll look at the other ones.. excited about this.

[Tongue Flicker]

I actually do this shallow water setup with a different tree frog during summer time here

[Louis Charles Bruckner]

Got pictures?

[tlro]

I actually do this shallow water setup with a different tree frog during summer time here

What kind of filtration do you use??

[Bnagy]

I am purchasing a fluval 105 canister filter and drilling for a bulkhead on mine. Will work great. I am also going to do a sloping pebble side to the Exo terra for the frogs to enter and exit easily. The bulkheads will be on opposing sides of the exo terra to insure proper filtering. The pebbles or small rock will allow water to flow and filter easily.

[Tongue Flicker]

What kind of filtration do you use??

I have it unfiltered. 3 months of summer is easy to bear plus i only have a single frog that isn't even poopy. I normally do a full change every 2-3 days. I'm thinking of using a wide tray for a water substrate this year for easier changing

[Louis Charles Bruckner]

Be careful of using pebbles that are small enough to be swallowed by the frogs.

What I would do is to use a pice of plexiglass and put a thick layer of aquarium grade silicone and embed the pebbles in the silicone so the frogs can't
swallow it.

I am purchasing a fluval 105 canister filter and drilling for a bulkhead on mine. Will work great. I am also going to do a sloping pebble side to the Exo terra for the frogs to enter and exit easily. The bulkheads will be on opposing sides of the exo terra to insure proper filtering. The pebbles or small rock will allow water to flow and filter easily.