Quote Originally Posted by guppygal View Post
Do you have a poison dart frog in mind? Most folks build vivariums according to their frogs' needs.

I would not recommend aquarium gravel for drainage. If the frog accidentally ingests it, it may not be able to pass it. There are several methods of creating a drainage layer. Hydroton clay balls can be used, tho I've never used them. You can also build a 'false bottom' using the plastic eggcrate you usually see covering office lights atop 2"-3" pieces of pvc pipe. Cover that with screen, then you can add your substrate mix. A false bottom like this allows for a water feature, which can be pretty cool. If you use the clay balls, I believe that you should cover it with screen as well, before adding the substrate. Many hobbyists use ABG mix and I think there is a thread describing the mixture and how it can be duplicated. Mostly, it's orchid bark, some charcoal pieces, and sphagnum moss - very light and drains freely.

As for plants, you can order them online or purchase them locally. Lowe's is a great source of vivarium-sized plants. Just remember to remove them from their original container and wash thoroughly in a solution of water and 5% to 10% bleach. This will kill all the nasties. Make sure you rinse thoroughly, and then rinse again, and then again. Pdfs aren't cheap and you don't want to kill them right off the bat.

Make sure you do a lot of research before investing in your frogs and please do not mix the different species or morphs. Hybrids are worthless, and it's very likely that stress alone will kill a frog. It's also a very addicting hobby - trust me. I'm sure others here will attest to that.

If you have any questions, please ask, and we'll be happy to help you out.

kristi
I only use aquarium gravel in my tanks to hide the front portion of the egg crate. This is then covered with a filter mesh. The frogs should not be able to get to it. I never use it for the whole drainage layer as its just way too heavy. You do bring up a good point about accidental swallowing of small pieces of gravel.