planted/ no water feature vivarium cleanup frequency

[elly]

Can anyone estimate how often a planted vivarium holding one White's with ABG soil and a drainage layer would need to be cleaned? Hopefully the ABG stuff would not need to be replaced for a long time unless the frog became sick.

[jarteta97]

If you use microfauna, such as dwarf isopods or springtails, you will never have to clean the tank, besides wiping down the glass with distilled water occasionally.

[deranged chipmunk]

Well, even with microfauna, you'll still need to spot clean poo. White's take some pretty big dumps, even springtails and Isopods have trouble keeping up sometimes lol otherwise, the tank can run for years before a thorough cleaning is required.


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

[DigitalPunk]

Spot clean poop as needed (you can even dig a little hole and drop some poop down in there to add nutrients deeper in the soil). Wipe glass down with dechlorinated water as needed. The ABG mix can last for a couple years before it needs to be replaced if properly cared for.

Watch the drainage layer and siphon off excess water as needed. You don't want that water to swamp out the soil or you will be replacing the soil much much sooner. You will know if this happens because your tank will smell like rotten eggs.

[elly]

Great! Now I just need to get the springtails and find a syphon hose.

[jarteta97]

Lol, I don't even know how to siphon, I just use a giant pipette we had laying around.

[deranged chipmunk]

Lol, I don't even know how to siphon, I just use a giant pipette we had laying around.

Smh have you learned nothing from us, my boy? Lol


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

[DigitalPunk]

Siphoning is super easy and if you use Bills trick he shared with us a while ago you only have to do it once. Put your tube in, with a sponge on the bottom so it filters out the junk, put a valve on the end of the tube. Suck on tube until water is flowing. Close valve before air gets sucked into the line and the siphon will patiently wait for your return.

[Mentat]

Great! Now I just need to get the springtails and find a syphon hose.

Go to your local pat shop and get one of the thinner gravel vacuums with a self starter squeeze bulb .