Hey guys just wondering what the pros/cons are of having hydroton or something similar in the drainage layer vs. Leaving it empty and not using anything. The question is for any tank in general but more specifically this tank
Hello, personally I can think only about pros. Beneficial bacteria will occupy hydroton or any other clay. They will reduce biological waste into mineral fertilizer for your plants and keep water drink-safe for your frogs.
0.0.15 Epipedobates tricolor frogsies
0.0.2 Dendrobates leucomelas
If the vivarium is going to have a water feature that share with water in dead space it will benefit from having an ammonia/nitrites reducing bacteria population in dead space area. My first choice in such a case would be to use Seachem's Pond Matrix since it's lighter than LECA.
If no such water feature is planned there is no benefit to having anything in dead space since it's there to prevent substrate being water logged until water is drained out and that water should not contact your soil. Good luck !
Remember to take care of the enclosure and it will take care of your frog !
Awesome thanks for the great info! That totally makes sense to me. Would you recommend wrapping the weed blocker around the eggcrate that will be housing the pump in the drainage layer also? I can easily do it, im just not sure if the pump I have will be strong enough to pull water through the weedblocker mesh. its a reptiflo 200
you would best be served wrapping the pump housing to prevent debris from clogging the pump. i have used that pump, and i will say this, they clog VERY easily.
IRT beneficial bacteria: would it surprise you folk to know that vivaria house a layer of both nitrifying AND denitrifying bactering in it, just as an aquarium does. well it is true. they are a slightly different bacteria, but do the exact same job. in fact, ALL soils, whether it be in your vivaria or your garden, contain these beneficial bacteria. the nitrogen cycle surrounds us everywhere my friends!!!
1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
0.2.0 Canines
1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
0.1.0 Bed Bully
Perfect I i just got it covered so hopefully it will do the trick. Is the reptiflo 200 a bad pump? I can get another one but figured it will probably be ok since I will probably only have a gallon or two of water in my tank tops. I did built it in a way that I can take the pump out even after the tank is completed if I have to
the pump is adequate, they just clog very easily.
1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
0.2.0 Canines
1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
0.1.0 Bed Bully
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