Substrate for Grays

[McLaura]

From what I've read, the charcoal in the ABG mix doesn't do a whole lot, so it could be left out. What makes it popular from what I've seen is that is is good at drainage, good for plants, and doesn't decompose like soil, so that's why I went with it.

My current plan for my vivarium is this: it is a medium Zoo Med terrarium, and on the bottom I will have a false bottom made out of egg crate for drainage, a screen of some sort over that to keep the ABG mix out of the bottom, then the ABG mix, topping it all off with live moss and a small area of exposed ABG mix for them to burrow. I will have a rocky background on the back wall carved out of foam and cemented to look natural, with water trickling down the rock into a little pond for them to soak in. I will have live plants and mosses on the rock and in the substrate, as well as a couple of pieces of cork bark for them to climb around on. So far we're just getting started on carving the rock background, but I'll keep you updated on the progress.

[SludgeMunkey]

Aye, skip the carbon in the ABG mix and go replace it with fir or cypress bark. I like to throw a hand full of play sand and some leaf litter into the mix too.

Another trick I learned with it is the tree fern fiber. Get the fine ground if you can. If you cannot, soak it in water for a few days and run it through a food processor to make it a finer consistency. Otherwise, it is a bunch of short little "twigs' that can be a real pain to work with.

[Tom Highum]

Thanks