FBT Vivarium Preparations

[daybr4ke]

Hi, I think I can help. First off some explanation on false bottoms and plants: one main reason a false bottom or drainage layer(either works well. I personally use hydroballs for a drainage layer rather than a false bottom.) is used is so that water used to water plants drains through and doesn't saturate the soil. This also carries out frog urine, some feces etc into the drainage layer or false bottom, which is often accompanied by a drain or a piece of pvc pipe or something to allow a tube to be inserted down to siphon out the water from the drainage layer before there is too much. The plants absorb nitrates and other things that end up in the soil from the urine as well. Generally a false bottom is used for a planted Vivarium. One main perk of a planted Vivarium is you don't have to switch out the substrate, as more nutrients from frog urine and poo are "washed"(for lack of a better word) into the soil and absorbed by the plants, and the excess ends up in the false bottom and is siphoned or drained out. While spot cleaning normally is still necessary, the vivarium or planted terrarium does a lot of work on it's own, and with springtails and isopods in the tank cleaning up for you it turns into less work, functioning as something of a mini ecosystem. It sounds like you'll be doing pretty much everything necessary for a full scale small vivarium anyway. I'd recommend picking up 1-2 more plants(you can check the ultimate plant thread in the plants section for some ideas.), and adding them, as well as some ABG(Atlanta Botanical Gardens) mix, which should be available at Josh's Frogs online.
As for the dish, simply submerge it a bit in the substrate and don't worry about how it relates to the false bottom. As far as I know the only relationship between the dish and the false bottom is that splashes from the dish won't saturate the soil and will simply drain down. It shouldn't be a problem, I would just make sure to have some substrate below it between the bottom of the dish and the false bottom. You'll still need to switch out the water daily, since they often dedicate in the water and you don't want them soaking in old poo water lol
I hope this helps. If it brings up any more questions don't hesitate to ask.
Edit:WOW that's long....sorry.