Low-Maintenance Setup For Idiots with Regular Frogs?

[flybyferns]

Most of what I've been reading on here seems to be geared toward making a miniature functioning ecosystem for exotic frogs, which is great, but not practical for everyone. I've been contemplating the feasibility of a low-maintenance setup that would still provide a suitable environment for my Green Frogs.

Right now I have a horribly ugly, yet somewhat functional setup: a 30g (thanks Deranged Chipmunk for correcting) 36x18x12 tank with a plastic tub for a pond, coco fiber with some river rocks under/mixed in for the land, Tetra i10 filter, piece of driftwood sticking into water, reptile bridge partially in water, some plastic plants, a couple of rock/caves (1 in water). The frogs keep tracking the coco fiber into the water which keeps clogging up the filter, the poop is a pain to find and clean up on the substrate, cleaning the coco fiber and poop out of the pond is difficult (gravel vacuums are a joke for this).

I'm planning on going to a half and half tank but also looking to make things work a bit better and/or easier. I believe a water area with a rocky bottom and a filter with a protected intake, possibly along with a different substrate would take care of a lot of my issue.

Some thoughts on reduced maintenance/care:
- Substrate configuration that doesn't need to be replaced every month or so
- Substrate the frogs can eat off of
- Filter setup that prevents clogging (type or location in tank)
- Water system to minimize partial changes
- Artificial plants (I have a brown thumb)
- Some kind of poop sucker to simplify cleanup

It would be great if the "frog masters" here could put a thread together on this.

Honestly, the whole thing is aggravating me... even though I love frogs, I can't help thinking that maybe they are just not for me. Then again, I could just be making a mountain out of a molehill.

For Plettschner
What species of green frogs do you have?

I had to ponder a bit before I started typing a reply.

I'll use Fire Belly Toads and those "hard to care for Dart Frogs " as examples.

This is a good discussion topic.
An interesting spin on whats difficult; and does that = exotic?
Does exotic = "frog master"
Does "regular" = cheap $$
Does exotic = expensive

Hate to break the news.....
- some of the "regular frogs" are actually difficult to keep and/or quite high maintenance
( ie Fire Belly Toads high maintenance ( IMO) -- thought to be "easy" because they are not expensive )
( ie Red Eye Tree Frogs - high maintenance AND difficult to keep )
- some the exotics ( ie dart frogs ) are easy to keep

It's all upside-down

Sounds to me you are describing dart frog care
-substrate lasts for an indefinite amount of time
-frogs have to eat off the substrate
-there's NO filter to get clogged
-there are no water changes -- ever
- there are lots of plants that are very easy to grow --- even for a "brown thumb"
-and to poop fertilizes the plants --- so you just leave it ( except for taking it off the glass because it looks ugly)

A 5.00 fire belly toad is just as difficult and just as big a responsibility to keep as a 100.00 dart frog.
Just because we see 30 FBT ( all mushed together ) at a big box pet joint doesn't make them easy to keep --- means they are simply readily available.

It's all about what set of care needs one might find more or less..........well annoying
A "miniature functioning ecosystem" is exactly that ~~~ functioning~~~ pretty much... on its own

I have simplified it a bit , hopefully you get the idea

Keep it coming

One more BIG thing:
If you are replacing substrate when it is suppose to be replaced, being careful to use a safe substrate for the frog species you keep,
cleaning the filter, doing your water changes, cleaning your plastic plant because you have a "Brown Thumb", and trying to invent a new frog pooper scooper ......Well congratulations ....you are taking GOOD care of your frog And, Welcome to Frog Forum