Do I understand this right?

[j3000]

False bottom-A false bottom is used to keep the soil from sitting in constent water. Without some kind of drainage the soil will go sour. When building a false bottom you want to create a pond somewhere so you can remove the water when it gets dirty.My plan is to use a under gravel filter that will push the water to a waterfall feature. Or a rain chamber. Do i understand this right?

[DonLisk]

If you use a false bottom, the undergravel feature is not needed but a pump to move the water is. The water is cleaned as it drains through the grave or substrate as it drips or flows back down to the false bottom.

You put in the false bottom, lay the substrate screen over that then place your substrate or stone or what ever on top of that.
Have a location that you can access the water with a hose to drain it on occasion for changing or in case of some unknown future problem with the water.
What ever holds the false bottom up should also have drain holes through it so there is no way to have standing water that you can not access or have moving.

Hope this helps.

[j3000]

I think I need a step by step guide. Something simple, easy with alot of pictures My vision gets very blurry when I try to read alot of text. Usally my wife have to read stuff for me.

Or my computer have to read it. It depends on the format my 15 year old son knows more than I do.

[Leefrogs]

Clownfire is doing a viv build, he's going to be shooting a series of Picts. Maybe u can build along with him. And there was another thread in last couple days where a false bottom was used with waterfall. I'll see if I can bring that one up to top again. He had good Picts and step process, showed his pump and filter too

[DonLisk]

I believe I saw a great video on making a false bottom from AAAfrogz or on YouTube.
Showed the complete false bottom build.

I'd do a search or check the construction journals that many are posting here to see how they have done theirs.

[Leefrogs]

found it, grrit first viv build. He shows how he made a acres door to pump, not sure where filter stuff is though. I kinda went threw it quick

[j3000]

I think I am even more confussed. But I have a idea, My aquarium comes tomorrow the first thing I am going to do is clean it and tank inventory of what I have and post pics, Mark out a design pattern on it.

And take you all along with me, That way if I make a mistake you guys can stop me before I get to far. I guess the nest question is where do I start do I start on the background or the false bottom.

Thank you all for your patients, Jason

[John]

There's a great picture in the Milk Frog article in the Reptiles Magazine coming out this month (I think it's the April edition - it has a milk frog on the cover). That might help clear things up for you.

A filter is unnecessary though, as Don has stated.

[j3000]

The filter is a under gravel filter it mane purpose is to suck water from under the false bottom to the water feature I was planning to act like a water pump also I figured it would make cleaning out the water easy..

[Rocko]

While it may not be strictly necessary, I would advocate the use of the filter. I would love increased filtration in my false bottom, less for gross particles and more chemical biological.

[Leefrogs]

I would say whites need a filter as they like to poo in water, and everywhere else. Bigger frog, bigger poop. They're dirty frogs and I couldn't see doing water pool without a filter.

[DonLisk]

I'm not a fan of a under gravel filter system.
One problem with an under gravel filter (unless your covering it with gravel) is that it will slowly over the years clog up unless the water is being filtered before it gets to the under gravel filter. If it eventually has a problem, you must be able to access this and ripping out the tanks substrate is not a fun job.
You might as well call it a re-build.

A pump that is accessible with a filter on it will be much easier to access and clean if it does become clogged.

The false bottom is mainly a place that water will flow to as it makes its way through the substrate to allow the substrate to drain and not mold or rot. The frog doesn't have access to a false bottom or at least shouldn't have.
The water there will be filtered by the substrate or through the gravel in the pond area as is soaks through the bottom of this area and drip into the false bottom.

If the frogs poop in the pool, the waste product will stay in the pool and not move on to the false bottom.
You will be more likely cleaning the pool area of the frogs waste.

Here is a link to Mikes images and the false bottom he did. You'll see how he created the water area with stone and it will drain off to the rest of the false bottom.
Frog Forum - MikeM670's Album: 55 Gallon Vivarium Build