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Thread: Questions about setting up a false bottom

  1. #1
    Kmoonleaf
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    Default Questions about setting up a false bottom

    Hi, I've had my Whites tree frog for almost a year now, and I have his tank set up with just plain Eco Earth sitting on the tank floor ( I replace it every 2 months or so ). I want to improve my setup, so I'm researching how to make a false bottom. There seems to be a lot of conflicting information out there though, and a lot of the how-to links on the forum here are giving me 404 errors.
    From what I understand, a false bottom is set up like this:
    PVC pipe with notches cut in it to support the eggcrate, the notches are to let water flow through
    eggcrate on top of the PVC
    a screen or mesh on top of the eggcrate, to let water in but stop substrate from falling through
    substrate like eco-earth on top

    my question is about draining the water, and the setup of a pond (or a half-aquatic tank) using the false bottom.
    it is my understanding that, to create a pond, you can cut away a section of your eggcrate, and lay the mesh over top, and then put rocks (large & smooth so they won't hurt the frog) over that instead of substrate, to create a dip in the tank that gets filled with the water from the drainage layer that is underneath the eggcrate. then, once the drainage layer gets full enough that it's soaking into the substrate which is bad, you can get a pump and drain out the extra water.

    1: the frog needs dechlorinated tap water to soak in. So, if the pond is filled with the water from the drainage layer, which comes from the misting water, which is distilled how does that work? how will the water in the pond be acceptable for the frog? wouldn't it get gross from sitting in the drainage layer?

    2: if there are rocks there, will the water even flow in-between the drainage layer and the pond? Should it?

    3: how will there be enough water for the frog if the water can only be as high as the eggcrate? what about when the water needs drained and there isn't any water in there for a while until misting builds it back up?

    i'm very confused about this. let me know of any of my questions don't make sense, or if I have something wrong here.

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  3. #2
    Kmoonleaf
    Guest

    Default Re: Questions about setting up a false bottom

    also: i've had people suggest to me using a layer of LECA underneath the substrate instead of an eggcrate false bottom

    my questions about this are:
    how does one set up a pond with this? can you just set it up so there's a dip in the LECA balls/substrate, cover the dip with rocks, and fill the dip with water (+filter/water heater)? If so, how often does the water need replaced? won't all the pond water just soak through the rocks and into the dirt?
    and how does one remove the water from the LECA once it's saturated enough that the water is touching the substrate? do i just replace all of it every few months? do I need to drill holes in my tank and install a bulkhead? because if so, then this method is a no-go for me, i need to keep my tank undamaged and I don't have glass cutting tools.

    replies are appreciated ! I'd like to buy my materials and get this set up as soon as possible.

  4. #3
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    Default Re: Questions about setting up a false bottom

    The benefit, IMO, of LECA over the eggcrate is that the LECA might encourage the growth of nitrobacter and nitrosomas. Currently I just use medium to large size gravel which I think also creates a good environment for the beneficial bacteria. But I only use a ten gallon tank, so weight is not an issue. I've been planning on building out a much bigger exoterra viv, and have purchased LECA to use in place of the gravel as it's much lighter. However I'm worried tje LECA might tend to migrate because of its lightness. So I plan to put landscape cloth or maybe just some nylon screening over it to help hold it down before I put the finer substrates on top, which will be just eco-earth or some mix of things. I'll still use a layer of gravel as the top layer of the water features as LECA just does not look natural.

  5. #4
    Kmoonleaf
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    Default Re: Questions about setting up a false bottom

    Okay, I'm leaning towards using LECA. I still don't understand how a pond built into the LECA/substrate works though.

  6. #5
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    Default Re: Questions about setting up a false bottom

    ?? not sure what you are not understanding. Essentially in my current viv the bottom substrate is all gravel. The gravel layer comes to just above the normal water level for the part that will be the land area. On top of that I currently use a combination of that pressed spagnum moss and ecco earth. The part that I want as water areas has the gravel at varying levels to give the frogs a choice of shallow or deep.

    When I finally get motivated enough to build out my exoterra viv, then I'll pretty much do the same except for I'll use the LECA for the lower layers that will be covered up by whatever will be my dry substrate for land. I'll still use the gravel as the top layer in the wet areas as the LECA just doesn't look natural. There will probably be some barrier such as landscape cloth or nylon screening between the LECA and whatever layer is immediately above it. It may not really be needed but it will also act to keep the finer substrates for falling down into the LECA and keep the LECA from migrating up.

    Water will flow into the pond area via a water fall or stream and the return water will be picked up at a distant point under the land part. I feel this will encourage bacteria and other biological growth that will help with water quality, as well the roots of any live plant that I plant.

  7. #6
    Kmoonleaf
    Guest

    Default Re: Questions about setting up a false bottom

    Okay, i think it get it now, thank you. What you're describing is what i originally had in mind, i just wasn't sure if it would work.

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