Dart frog vivarium

[camfish]

Do I really need a drainage layer for my first dart frog vivarium? It's probably just going to be a 10 gallon. Can i just do eco earth with sphagnum moss on top with leaf litter on top of that? Or do I have to have a drainage layer?

[Grrrit]

Its pretty necessary if you don't want a swamp. It will soak your tank buddy, its not very difficult but helps a whole lot.

[guppygal]

Frogs aren't overly fond of wet feet, and neither are plants. So, yeah, you do need a drainage layer. You might want to take advantage of Petco's $1 per gal sale going on now and pick up a larger tank. Most darts like a bit of room to roam.

kristi

[MikeM670]

You really need the drainage layer for the excess water to drain into. This keeps the substrate from becoming water logged. That will hasten the breakdown of the substrate but also could lead to a smelly tank.

SO you need.


Surface Material ( Something like ABG Mix)
Substrate ( Coco Fiber)
Mesh/Filter Material ( This keeps the substrate out of the drainage layer)
Drainage layer ( Expanded clay balls, large gravel, egg crate)

[camfish]

Ok thank you guys so much for the help, so would it be good if i put gravel thats pretty decent sized so they can't swallow it then a weed guard over that then eco earth sphagnum moss then leaf litter, or would it be a better bet to order the ABG mix?

[guppygal]

I've found a couple of recipes for ABG mix, in case you want to try to duplicate it:

2 parts Ground Tree Fern Root
2 parts milled Sphagnum Moss
2 part fine orchid bark
(i cannot emphasize *fine* enough here, it's hard to find)
1 part sphagnum peat moss
1 part charcoal

Will you be planting your vivarium?

[MikeM670]

I've found a couple of recipes for ABG mix, in case you want to try to duplicate it:

2 parts Ground Tree Fern Root
2 parts milled Sphagnum Moss
2 part fine orchid bark
(i cannot emphasize *fine* enough here, it's hard to find)
1 part sphagnum peat moss
1 part charcoal

Will you be planting your vivarium?

I haven't tried mixing my own ABG Mix yet as its hard to find some of the materials needed. I have purchased all of the ABG Mix used so far from Josh. I just dump it into a bucket dry, mix up with my hands and then add non-chlorinated water, and mix again. Then apply. No fuss no muss!

[guppygal]

That's what I do, since it's the easiest way. I don't think that leaf litter on top of sphagnum is gonna cut it, but that's just me

[camfish]

I might put a couple plants in but i just want to keep it simple for my first dart frog viv. For leaf litter though should i just get dead leaves from my backyard and boil them or microwave them? Also what kind of guard would be good to keep the substrate out of the gravel that ill use for the drainage layer?