Watering a Planted Tank

[Rocko]

This may have been obvious but I have never found it explained anywhere. I have a planted white's tree frog tank, with a false bottom, drainage layer, and waterfall, that I mist daily. Recently, due to the annoyances of the waterfall, I was thinking to myself what exactly the purpose of the drainage layer was, especially considering that the waterfall drains in one pretty localized location. Misting seems to wet the surface of the terrarium but that's mostly covered in moss and so I doubt that moisture ever reaches the substrate. This leads me to the question, do people water their tanks, and if this is the case, do they find that their moss and or plants thrive better under this arrangement?

[bshmerlie]

I suppose it would depend on what type of plants you have but I keep my water at the level of the clay balls. Im guessing roots get to the water at some point because I rarely water. Occasionally if a plant looks a little dry ill pour some water on it but not very often. Roots of my pothos go into the pond. I think the problem with most people keeping plants is over watering. The drainage layer is there for the health of the plant roots so they don't rot. Sometimes you'll see some potted plants with a layer of gravel at the bottom. Same purpose.

[Rocko]

That seems reasonable, the pothos i have extends its roots all the way into the false bottom. My current frustration though, is more from the pillow moss. It gets rehydrated and then yellows in 2-3 days, and even though my humidity is high and there's water present it never seems to be enough.