New FBT set up

[privet01]

Just my opinion, but I still think there is not enough water. With that small amount, your chemistry is going fluctuate from one extreme to the other. I'd imagine you'd have to change water daily. My FBT's like both shallow and deep water. I use a gallon of water in my 10 gallon viv. The entire bottom of the viv is wet. I use gravel piled up to just above the water line for my land areas and then top that with substrate for my plants. The plus on that is the plants can sink their roots to the water and I don't have to fuss with them. I generally change the water weekly, but even when it's been over 11 days, my ammonia and other stats are still within safe limits.

Take a look at the pics this user posted....... http://www.frogforum.net/showthread.php?t=34637 That's a fine setup IMO. You can see how they piled up the gravel then added the land above the water line. Your viv look like an exxoterra and they are able to support a wet bottom.

[monster]

I would also have to agree that you should have some more water. If you wanted to keep it bowl style you could go to a dollar store or something and find a plastic dish that would be almost the length of the front of your terrarium. You could take out some of the substrate even and get something abit deeper also and put some river rocks or something in to it make a slope so there is a little change in depth. Or for another idea a guy named ExoPredator just put up a post just under yours with I believe the same size exoterra you have and he has a full out water feature in his. I would say in IMO you want at least 50/50 land to water ratio or at least 60/40 land to water.

[jasonm96]

thanks for your help. i think the best thing i can dois to get a long cork round, take it some substrate, put it in the middle seperating the land from the water and then on the land side plant the pothos directly into the hygroballs, top with sphagnum and then for the water just put some gravel and keep the water about 3-4inches. thoughts?

[ExoPredator]

Heya Jason,

I think we have the same setup in terms of tank! My original setup was very much like yours but I found the FBT's didn't seem super happy. I'm not saying yours aren't, it was just my basic observation in my set-up.

I went from this,

http://i.imgur.com/TR6g7kq.jpg


To this,

http://i.imgur.com/yjUczOn.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Lkt3Ssy.jpg

I have a shallow pool area for the FBT's to chillax in and a deeper area for them to swim in. They love it and they're hardly out of the water. If they aren't in the water they're close to it. I found that the tank is great to use for building up towards the rear and you can really maximize the space you use and give more land surface area without subtracting from the aquatic area of the tank.

I would say most of my tank is now aquatic, including the pool and the various tiered pools on the waterfall which i turned off before I took those pictures.

I notice you're in Scotland... I have a brand new ExoTerra Pebble waterfall (Small), with pump etc. It was only in my tank a few days before I took it out and replaced it. It was a great little water feature but I wanted to build the tank up more. You can see it in the corner of the first picture i sent.

If you want, with you living in Scotland, you're welcome to have it, providing you cover the postage. (Should only be about £5 max, if that.)

This is it;

http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products..._waterfall.php

Hit me up via PM with an address and I'll pop down to the Post Office tomorrow to check how much postage will be if you want it.

All the best and can't wait to see what you do with your tank!

PS,
I also found pebble moss and carpet moss worked better for me, It took root really quickly and thrived under the full spectrum lights

[privet01]

I like that setup ExoPredator.

[jasonm96]

Hi ExoPredator. Thank your for your reply and I appreciate the fact that you fully explained your points and showed me your set ups which both were awesome but yes the second one definitely does look more ideal for FBTs. I think when I get paid next week I'll definitely order some cork bark and try make a water section at the front. Hopefully have it all finished in a week or so then will post it and show you thank you so much, I'll PM you just now about the waterfall.

[ExoPredator]

Hey Jason,

Sounds like a great plan. I managed to do my transformation for absolutely nothing - free of charge to Exo's perpetually crying wallet.

I'm going to do a tutorial on how I managed to get the aquatic and land section up and running as a few members have messaged asking how I did it.

I've replied to your PM,

Regards.