A Quick False Bottom

[DonLisk]

The following is a quick run through of how I replaced my hydroball drainage with an egg crate false bottom.

Background: The hydroball bottom that was in place continuously filled with water and needed weekly draining. The actual amount of water was only about 12 ounces once siphoned off, but the hydroballs made it look a lot deeper and come close to soaking into the substrate.
This hydroball layer was 1 1/2 inches deep.


Prep Work:

• Removed frogs
• Removed all plants and structures
• Removed substrate and hydroballs
• Cleaned all glass and surfaces (Razor blades were needed here)
• Cleaned all plants
• Cleaned all structures that would return to the enclosure

Materials & Tools used for false bottom:

• Egg crate
• 1 1/4 inch PVC couplings (X8)
• Pump with 4 inch hose attached
• Window screen material
• Medium size wire cutters or snips
• Razor blade
• Scissors

Steps for false bottom install:

1. Cut slits or notch out one end of the PVC couplings in multiple locations to allow for water to escape the coupling and not create an area of stagnant water. The side with the cut outs will be placed against the bottom of the tank.
   
2. Place all PVC couplings on bottom of tank and spread each out to give support locations in corners, sides, and center.
3. Measure inside the tank for width and depth.
   
4. Cut out egg crate to the above measurements and then test fit. Cut out using the wire cutters or a pair of snips. You can also use a dremil or similar to cut the egg crate.
   
5. Once you have it correctly fit to cover the whole bottom of the tank, place pump on bottom and route power cord along bottom and then out of the tank, The Exo-Terras and Zoo Med enclosures have a nice location for the power cord to come out through the top.
   
6. Cut out the egg crate above the pump to allow for future access. You will have to protect this area and I just cut a slightly larger piece of egg crate to put over the hole.
   
7. Wrap the whole piece of egg crate in window screen material and place into the tank ensuring the hole for the pump is above the pump.
   
8. Thats it.

I then placed a layer of sphagnum moss on top of the screen.
Added my cork bark structures and secured them, put in the original snake plant, and added some new bromeliads.

Next was adding in the top layer of substrate and covering with a mix of sea grape and live oak leaf liter.





Moved the frogs back in and called it a day.

This is provided for a basic run down on installing a simple false bottom with a pump that can be used to supply a water feature or for simple water removal.

Don