Results 1 to 12 of 12

Thread: Humidity and tank cleaning questions

  1. #1
    nlopez
    Guest

    Default Humidity and tank cleaning questions

    Hello again, everyone. I have tons of questions since I new to the pacman world, so thanks again for all your help and thanks in advance for your help with these issues too!

    I am looking to have more steady humidity levels in my pacman's tank. I mist him frequently to keep it up, usually every couple hours if I can. However, during the week when I'm at work, his humidity has time to drop as I am not here to mist him and have been leaving his daylight lamp on to keep him warm.

    Would adding some plants help hold some humidity in? It has been better since I put saran wrap on his tank's lid, but I am not super comfortable with the humidity falling to 30% or so while I am gone, even though I am able to get it right back up as soon as I get home. I saw some fake plants at the pet store today, but I didn't know what was better than something else, or if particular materials were safer for my froggie, or easier to clean. I was looking into humidifiers, but they are quite expensive and I'd like to see if there are more steps I can take before jumping to the humidifier level, though I have no issue investing in this sometime in the near future if it is a worthwhile enough option.

    Oh, and what do you use to clean your tanks? Again, not sure what is safest or what is better than something else. Thanks in advance!

  2. # ADS
    Circuit advertisement
     

  3. #2
    Moderator Mentat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Virginia Beach, VA USA
    Posts
    5,939
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: Humidity and tank cleaning questions

    Guess there are a few way's to keep humidity up; this has worked well for me and my Pacman. I currently keep mine in an Exo-terra 12x12x12 enclosure with plastic wrap covering 1/2 the top opening and a fixture with warming 25 watt bulb and added dimmer on other half.

    My set-up includes a false bottom of ZooMed hydroballs balls (around 2 balls deep) with a piece of plastic aquarium tank divider material (had laying around) on top to separate from shredded coco husk (EcoEarth, Plantation Soil, etc.). Plastic screening, etc. can be used for same purpose as well. Also, made hole on plastic divider and inserted a 1 in. diameter plastic tube (from undergravel filter lift tube) to provide access to water table in clay substrate (hidden by plant).

    Have conditioned water in hydroball section to cover 1st ball layer. Access tube allows me to add water to that section without disturbing the soil layer or set-up. If ever there is too much water there or to rinse and clean; can also siphon water out through that tube by inserting a long flexible 1/2 in. tube into access tube.

    Humidity is pretty steady through day and night (around 80%) and only need to add a bit of conditioned water to hydroball layer once a week. Hope this helps you and good luck!
    Remember to take care of the enclosure and it will take care of your frog !​

  4. This member thanks Mentat for this post:


  5. #3
    Moderator GrifTheGreat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Posts
    9,697
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: Humidity and tank cleaning questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Mentat View Post
    Guess there are a few way's to keep humidity up; this has worked well for me and my Pacman. I currently keep mine in an Exo-terra 12x12x12 enclosure with plastic wrap covering 1/2 the top opening and a fixture with warming 25 watt bulb and added dimmer on other half.

    My set-up includes a false bottom of ZooMed hydroballs balls (around 2 balls deep) with a piece of plastic aquarium tank divider material (had laying around) on top to separate from shredded coco husk (EcoEarth, Plantation Soil, etc.). Plastic screening, etc. can be used for same purpose as well. Also, made hole on plastic divider and inserted a 1 in. diameter plastic tube (from undergravel filter lift tube) to provide access to water table in clay substrate (hidden by plant).

    Have conditioned water in hydroball section to cover 1st ball layer. Access tube allows me to add water to that section without disturbing the soil layer or set-up. If ever there is too much water there or to rinse and clean; can also siphon water out through that tube by inserting a long flexible 1/2 in. tube into access tube.

    Humidity is pretty steady through day and night (around 80%) and only need to add a bit of conditioned water to hydroball layer once a week. Hope this helps you and good luck!
    Hmm. Most people frown on the idea of standing water that can become stagnant within their frogs enclosure, but they way you have yours setup completely seperates the water from the upper layer of substrate for which the frog lives in. I really like this idea because it allows the soil to stay moist and produce humidity without being water logged. Is the plant hiding the tube a live one or fake one? If it were live it would absorb water that sinks into the hydroballs, but as you said there is a layer of clay which is dificult for plants to drive roots through. Impressive idea.


  6. This member thanks GrifTheGreat for this post:


  7. #4
    frognerd101
    Guest

    Default Re: Humidity and tank cleaning questions

    Humidity is usually the biggest problem people have with keeping frogs. Pacmans are from a part of South America where the soil can get dry at times.

    The idea of saran wrap covering the lid is a good idea, but make sure it is not covering the whole lid, because these frogs need lots of fresh air as well. Make sure you are keeping a shallow water dish in the tank. Also, I have found that adding in moss in certain parts of the tank can work to keeping humidity levels up. Also, having some fake plants may help a little, but not all that much.

    If you see that your pacman frog is fully submerged in his soil all the time or that he forms a small layer of skin around his body (this is what they do in the wild to help retain water), then the tank is too dry and you need to increase the humidity level somehow. To get rid of the layer of skin, a lot of people put the pacmans in a clean water dish. The layer of skin should disappear.

    Good luck with your frog.

  8. This member thanks frognerd101 for this post:


  9. #5
    Moderator GrifTheGreat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Posts
    9,697
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: Humidity and tank cleaning questions

    Quote Originally Posted by nlopez View Post
    Hello again, everyone. I have tons of questions since I new to the pacman world, so thanks again for all your help and thanks in advance for your help with these issues too!

    I am looking to have more steady humidity levels in my pacman's tank. I mist him frequently to keep it up, usually every couple hours if I can. However, during the week when I'm at work, his humidity has time to drop as I am not here to mist him and have been leaving his daylight lamp on to keep him warm.

    Would adding some plants help hold some humidity in? It has been better since I put saran wrap on his tank's lid, but I am not super comfortable with the humidity falling to 30% or so while I am gone, even though I am able to get it right back up as soon as I get home. I saw some fake plants at the pet store today, but I didn't know what was better than something else, or if particular materials were safer for my froggie, or easier to clean. I was looking into humidifiers, but they are quite expensive and I'd like to see if there are more steps I can take before jumping to the humidifier level, though I have no issue investing in this sometime in the near future if it is a worthwhile enough option.

    Oh, and what do you use to clean your tanks? Again, not sure what is safest or what is better than something else. Thanks in advance!
    I use Wipe Out 1 terrarium cleaner/disinfectant. You can find it at most Petsmarts. I remove all items and old soil. Wash the remaining soil off the walls of the inclosure with de-chlorinated water then dump that water out of the tank. I then dry the tank by wiping down with paper towels. Then I spray the tank down with the Wipe Out 1. It has to sit for 5 minutes or more then you just as the name says wipe it out til dry and no more of the disinfectant is in the tank. As a precaution since amphibians are so sensitive to chemicals I wash down the tank again with de-chlorinated water and wipe dry again.

    You can't use Wipe Out 1 on water dishes and tank items like fake plants. You have to use Wipe Out 2 which I can never seem to find so I buy Jurassi-Wipes which are also used to wipe down stains and strong odor spots in the tank. Since my tanks never smell horrible or bad at all I just use them to wipe down my water dishes and fake plants. The wipes contain lime and citrus oils to attack smells and staines. You must let your tank and terrarium furniture air out before returning them to the tank.

    Underneath the coco fiber on the bottome of the tank I use the Zilla Terrarium Liner. This liner is made like outdoor carpet so water and moisture pass throuh it easily. Its only purpose is the act as a small drainage layer and to keep my frogs off the glass where their urine will settle with the excess water. This way the frogs don't absorb any of the urine/amonia. You can wash these liners but I recomend disposing of them after 2 tank changes. Mainly because you can't use harsh cleaners on the carpet for fear of them staying in it and possibly killing the frog. I soak them in scalding de-chlorinated water to kill germs and remove urine and amonia. I also rinse them in scalding de-chlorinated water.

    As for humidity I have my screen tops covered with plastic wrap on 3/4 of the lid to hold in heat and humidity. Unlike most her though my humidity and light setup is almost automated. My frogs 12 hour day night cycle is controlled by a Zilla Power center which is a large serge protector with a tmer built in that turns my frogs light on and off at the set times I've saved into it. The humidity is controled by a Zoo Med Hygrotherm temp and humidity control unit. It has a sensor that you place in the desired area of the tank and set the temp and humidity levels where you want them and save them in the unit. If it gets too hot the unit will turn off heat units for your inclosure or turn on cooling units like fans to cool the enclosure down. If the humidity drops below your settings it will automatically turn on a fogger(humidifier) or misting unit to raise the humidity back to optimal levels.

    I have 2 Zoo Med Repti-Foggers hooked up to the Hygrotherm to keep humidity up and they turn on to raise the levels in the tank when it drops. Now these Hygrotherm unites have some tolerance levels. It won't kick on everytime the humidity drops 1 or 3% below set level of humidity. You can set the amount of % points it can drop before kicking the foggers on so its still in the correct range and not running everytime it drops to 79% which is good because it keeps the humidity within the correct 70% to 80% range all day.

    You still have to mist the soil so it stays moist. The fogger units to help with the moisture levels slightly due to them keeping the humidity up and some of the water vapor condensing on the substrate. You must use Distilled water with fog machines(humidifiers) otherwise mineral and calcium deposites form on the condenser of the unit and cause its life to drastically be short.

    Please note that distilled water is only for misting and foggers. You can't use it for your frogs water because the distilled water is the cleanest form of water and contains no minerals or salts and will actually steal your frogs vitamines and minerals from them if they were to soak in it. Thus killing your frog over time.


  10. This member thanks GrifTheGreat for this post:


  11. #6
    nlopez
    Guest

    Default Re: Humidity and tank cleaning questions

    Wow, Mentat, that is REALLY a clever idea. I have to admit, I am very impressed by this setup!

    My main concern was the humidity dropping so much while I am away from the house. It is pretty well kept up when I am around, but it seems that the 8-9 hours that I am at work is just long enough for it to drop too low for my comfort, especially when I leave on his daylight lamp. I had considered getting a timer for the light, but they hadn't had any at the pet store last time I went. I think a timer might be the best option since I leave for work just before 6am (when it is still dark here), so I'd be able to have his daylight lamp go on later and keep his infrared light (which doesn't suck up humidity as fast) a bit longer.

    I think I will ultimately end up getting a humidifier if this keeps up. It would just make me feel more comfortable knowing that when I am out of the house, my baby is staying comfy in his tank. I literally could think of nothing else today except that he might be drying out, and even though I needed to run errands after work, I ran home to mist him and make sure he was humid enough.

    The cleaning products I have read the most about was the Wipe Out 1 (I have never seen Wipe Out 2 either, despite claims that it exists), and am glad to hear this is a good option. I also leave a terrarium liner underneath the substrate now, in efforts to keep my froggie from sitting in his urine. Looks like Wipe Out and Jurrasi-Wipes will be the way to go!

    Where do you guys put froggies while you clean? Last time I put him into a container lined with paper towels that were semi wet with dechlorinated water, but it was just a quick cleaning of the tank when I changed him from the too wet substrate to the new layer, so he was sitting right next to me where I could watch him. Do you guys use an additional tank? Have someone else watch the little nuggets for you? Thanks in advance!

  12. This member thanks nlopez for this post:


  13. #7
    Moderator Mentat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Virginia Beach, VA USA
    Posts
    5,939
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: Humidity and tank cleaning questions

    Quote Originally Posted by GrifTheGreat View Post
    Hmm. Most people frown on the idea of standing water that can become stagnant within their frogs enclosure, but they way you have yours setup completely seperates the water from the upper layer of substrate for which the frog lives in. I really like this idea because it allows the soil to stay moist and produce humidity without being water logged. Is the plant hiding the tube a live one or fake one? If it were live it would absorb water that sinks into the hydroballs, but as you said there is a layer of clay which is dificult for plants to drive roots through. Impressive idea.
    Thank you! The plant hiding the access tube is a plastic hanging one made by Exo-Terra. Think live plant roots would be better confined in a pot in this set-up since they would get tangled into the plastic divider holes between upper and lower levels and clog them. As soon as I get another camera or a quality phone with camera will post some pics.

    My habitats are kind of simple and mostly geared toward functionality. Another benefit of this type of set-up is that eventually beneficial bacteria will colonize the wet hydroball section and as long as you don't let it dry up; will reduce ammonia from urine into nitrites and then further into nitrates. Plan to siphon out that water once every week once system is stable in around a month and test for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Then can make a water change schedule. Currently the water is not rising into soil section and making it mud. I do spray whole enclosure once a day when changing bath water.
    Remember to take care of the enclosure and it will take care of your frog !​

  14. #8
    Moderator Mentat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Virginia Beach, VA USA
    Posts
    5,939
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: Humidity and tank cleaning questions

    Quote Originally Posted by nlopez View Post
    Wow, Mentat, that is REALLY a clever idea. I have to admit, I am very impressed by this setup!

    My main concern was the humidity dropping so much while I am away from the house. It is pretty well kept up when I am around, but it seems that the 8-9 hours that I am at work is just long enough for it to drop too low for my comfort, especially when I leave on his daylight lamp. I had considered getting a timer for the light, but they hadn't had any at the pet store last time I went. I think a timer might be the best option since I leave for work just before 6am (when it is still dark here), so I'd be able to have his daylight lamp go on later and keep his infrared light (which doesn't suck up humidity as fast) a bit longer.

    I think I will ultimately end up getting a humidifier if this keeps up. It would just make me feel more comfortable knowing that when I am out of the house, my baby is staying comfy in his tank. I literally could think of nothing else today except that he might be drying out, and even though I needed to run errands after work, I ran home to mist him and make sure he was humid enough.

    The cleaning products I have read the most about was the Wipe Out 1 (I have never seen Wipe Out 2 either, despite claims that it exists), and am glad to hear this is a good option. I also leave a terrarium liner underneath the substrate now, in efforts to keep my froggie from sitting in his urine. Looks like Wipe Out and Jurrasi-Wipes will be the way to go!

    Where do you guys put froggies while you clean? Last time I put him into a container lined with paper towels that were semi wet with dechlorinated water, but it was just a quick cleaning of the tank when I changed him from the too wet substrate to the new layer, so he was sitting right next to me where I could watch him. Do you guys use an additional tank? Have someone else watch the little nuggets for you? Thanks in advance!
    Thank you! Humidity is very stable on this tank; more so than in my African Bullfrog set-up and that one is in water right now.

    Since I use red light; it's on 24 hours a day. Just use dimmer to lower temp at night.

    Humidifiers work but it's another piece of equipment to buy and maintain.

    As long as tank or aquarium is healthy I do not clean them with disinfectants or sterilize them. A water change or soil change is all I do to tank/enclosure and wiping glass, etc. when required. Also, if using water filters; can clean media in old tanks water during water change.

    Just place frog in a safe plastic container with high walls it can't jump out or use one of those plastic critter keepers they sell in pet shops. A wet paper towel is nice and all you need to add. Hope this helps; it's just some info on stuff that works for me right now.
    Remember to take care of the enclosure and it will take care of your frog !​

  15. #9
    Moderator GrifTheGreat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Posts
    9,697
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: Humidity and tank cleaning questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Mentat View Post
    Thank you! The plant hiding the access tube is a plastic hanging one made by Exo-Terra. Think live plant roots would be better confined in a pot in this set-up since they would get tangled into the plastic divider holes between upper and lower levels and clog them. As soon as I get another camera or a quality phone with camera will post some pics.

    My habitats are kind of simple and mostly geared toward functionality. Another benefit of this type of set-up is that eventually beneficial bacteria will colonize the wet hydroball section and as long as you don't let it dry up; will reduce ammonia from urine into nitrites and then further into nitrates. Plan to siphon out that water once every week once system is stable in around a month and test for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Then can make a water change schedule. Currently the water is not rising into soil section and making it mud. I do spray whole enclosure once a day when changing bath water.
    I like it. Its one of the best ideas I heard that isn't a live viv.


  16. #10
    KAWiggy
    Guest

    Default Re: Humidity and tank cleaning questions

    I love your idea Carlos. I'm getting the materials today to create a false bottom using hydroballs. I hope this will help with my humidity issues. I have the same problem. My Humidity DROID While I'm at work. I leave for work early in the morning around 4:00 and although my husband doesn't get up for work until 6:00, he forgets to mist. How often do you replace the hydroballs?

  17. #11
    KAWiggy
    Guest

    Default Re: Humidity and tank cleaning questions

    Woops...drops* not DROID.

  18. #12
    Moderator Mentat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Virginia Beach, VA USA
    Posts
    5,939
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: Humidity and tank cleaning questions

    Quote Originally Posted by KAWiggy View Post
    ... How often do you replace the hydroballs?
    You don't replace them. When monthly cleaning enclosure can rinse them in 80F dechlorinated tap bath and reuse as needed .
    Remember to take care of the enclosure and it will take care of your frog !​

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Tank Humidity
    By Sidius in forum Pacman Frogs
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: October 7th, 2011, 02:23 PM
  2. Cleaning the tank
    By mateosbaby in forum Aquatic Clawed Frogs
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: July 5th, 2011, 12:54 PM
  3. Cleaning Fire Belly toad tank.
    By gazingm42 in forum Fire Belly Toads (Bombina)
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: September 10th, 2010, 12:16 AM
  4. Humidity/ Light questions
    By AlbinoFroggy in forum Pacman Frogs
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: August 30th, 2010, 09:25 AM
  5. Tank Cleaning
    By BigBruiserAl in forum Vivarium, Terrarium & Enclosure Discussion
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: July 5th, 2010, 04:58 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •