My "build"

[deranged chipmunk]

Oh, nutrients and broms. Think Spanish moss. No roots, but a brom nonetheless


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[awelcome]

sure, here it is. It's not the intended direction, but it's the direction I am going with. I will be trimming it from the right side with the notches about 5 inches. And remember the back used to have grooves for cords, but it is now flat.

[DigitalPunk]

very creative! I don't think you will have any issues with insects congregating behind it. Crickets and fruit flies find the craziest places to hid from the frogs. I keep a wad of Sphagnum near the top of the tank. After a few hours all the uneaten fruit flies have climbed up to it. I then shake it into a bowl and re-dust the flies and drop them back in the bottom of the tank. The circle of life? lol The not so smart flies jump into the water section and the army of springtails that hang out in the water pounce on them

[awelcome]

I can't wait to get the leaf litter in there... I feel like the flies hide so quickly in the moss and she sometimes struggles to see them right in front of her. And with that they rub the powder off so quickly. Some days she eats them so fast it doesn't matter, but like today she was in different spot of tank waiting for her food so I gave it to her there and she struggled more to find them once they dispersed.... and since I only counted her eating maybe 13-15 I gave her a few more in her usual spot she went to looking for more. Btw... is it ok I have seen her eating the larvae too? So springtails will eat the flies? Good to know... maybe that will help clean up lol. Oh and I have heard some people put a piece of food in there occasionally to gather the flies... is that harmful?

though I guess it would be easy to hide on undersides of leaves too... darn it. I contemplated trying dish feeding even though I know it's a lost cause with FF's able to climb out, but maybe it will give her a head start.

[DigitalPunk]

Nah bowl feeding darts won't work. As you stated the FF will run for their lives and climb out. Keep feeding her in the same spot. She will catch on and even if she is across the tank she will come a running when she sees them bouncing off the ground.

Springtails will eat anything that dies in the tank. FF, crickets, poop, decaying leaves, decaying plants. Anything

One thing i do (i doubt it helps much) is a couple hours after feeding I will mist the tank and any flies hiding with come out and run from the water. This might get the attention of your froggy. She doesn't have anything better todo than hunt for food. She will enjoy flushing out surprise flies as the day goes on. Just don't want so many in the tank they are everywhere. that could/will stress her out

[awelcome]

good to know.. about them stressing her out with so many. I am glad when I change it tomorrow I can start clean now that she's got the hang of things and get rid of some of the extras. She spends most of the day out hunting, so I am sure she'll find some of them at least. She's literally out from about 9-9:30 when I feed her to around 4ish or so just hunting, and then later in the evening she might hide or might still hunt for a bit before retiring behind her log for the night. It will be interesting to see how that might change with the new setup.

Oh, and I noticed that misting the tank makes the flies squirm too lol. I do it once in a while as well if she seems particularly stumped at finding them once the powder has worn off anyway.

[awelcome]

I am still a bit confused at how to attach a brom, with a big base like these especially, to the background with wire? I just can't envision it. and what height is high enough for them? Can they be fairly low, just not actually touching the substrate?

Thanks again.

[DigitalPunk]

They can be as low as you like. With the foam background you could attach it to the background outside the tank then stick the wire through the foam and bend the end flat on the backside to hold it in better. I'll see if I have a picture to post to show you


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[awelcome]

I was thinking that might be an option... I am just unsure yet how high my ground will end up being. I was considering having it come up higher in the back.

[deranged chipmunk]

If you want, you can just lay the brom on the soil. As long as the soil drains well, the brom will be fine. Don't plant it, just set it on the soil.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[awelcome]

so like, I could put it kind of in a corner and prop it there with something and let it just take root there?

[deranged chipmunk]

You could do that if you so choose. There are actually terrestrial broms that can be planted. Puya and aechmaea genuses come to mind. But a true epiphyte, like the neoregalia genus can actually just be placed on the ground and thrive. And yes, neoregalia is what you have


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[awelcome]

Ok here's another thought/question...... I have some very small terra cotta pots, if I wanted to put a brom in one of those (has hole in bottom) and hide it in a corner or something would that suffice/thrive? Would I need to put anything with it in the pot like moss? This wouldn't be my first choice just because I want it naturalistic in there, but if I run out of ideas and it's not working out I might go with it as long as it is safe and will work. Would I/Could I boil the pots then?

[DigitalPunk]

Unless your brim is terrestrial I wouldn't pot it. They rot rather quickly. I'll try to get you some pics of floral wire like I mentioned earlier. I'm at work right now


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[awelcome]

wouldn't an open pot with nothing else in it allow for air flow? Just trying to understand these things lol. Is that different than when people drill a hole in something like a log and stick it in?

[DigitalPunk]

You just don't want it to sit in water. If it is well drained it might be ok


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[awelcome]

I think that may be out anyway.... after boiling them they feel kind of greasy or something. I picked up another piece of mopani wood tonight and am currently trying to drill through it where there was already a hole started, but it's proving to be quite difficult as there is a knot there. If I CAN get through, do I want to make it big enough for the stolon or whatever it's called or should the base be sitting into it? And how is best to attach that one? If I go all the way through is it ok for the stolon to be touching the substrate?

[DigitalPunk]

Should be fine with it touching the substrate. You can really attach them anyway you want. I am home, but the lights are off in the frog room. I will take some pics of broms I have mounted to the wall and post them. I also have a couple tied to sticks I can post as well.

[awelcome]

I broke through! Here are pics of how it will sit... please let me know if I should do anything for it. The part it's on will likely be slightly elevated either from the substrate or leaning on substrate piled up there. Does the base look like it sits in the cavity well enough? How do the pups grow if you have it in something like this? And excuse the crappy lighting... didn't feel like bothering to move it from the kitchen where the light stinks. And the wood is wet because I was soaking it.

[DigitalPunk]

That looks great! The pups will find a way. I have one pup now that grew straight out from the parent plant and around a stick before it started heading towards the light. Nature always finds a way

Use your finger on the tips of the leafs and put some pressure towards the ground. If it has a lot of movement you may want to wrap some floral wire around the bas and the wood to hold it in place for a few months while the anchor roots grow and secure the plant.