Impaction

[LeClownBlanc]

BACK ON TOPIC:

I bought play sand for the aquarium and did a fairly thorough washing of it. However, I did not sift and there are a few small rocks here and there. I am not sure of the risk. The frogs are nearly 3" and each rock seems to be .25" max. How much of a danger is this?

[mpmistr]

Hmm, well I did not intend to give contradictory advice here. Just figured if the goal here is substrate replacement then perhaps just sand would be a more simple method since dirt would require a complete breakdown. There certainly is no right or wrong way to go. All I can really advise is what I know from personal experience. I do know with proper lighting clawed frogs produce plenty of waste to provide nutrients to water column feeding plants with sand as substrate.

Soil is a great way to go and it's better than root tabs but it also depends what type of plants you want. I like vals and water sprite and even duckweed, the goal for my plants is to provide a lot of hiding locations, basking for the frogs, and act as a biofilter so I've selected fast growing plants with few demands that see feed on nitrates from the water column.

[LeClownBlanc]

Hmm, well I did not intend to give contradictory advice here. Just figured if the goal here is substrate replacement then perhaps just sand would be a more simple method since dirt would require a complete breakdown. There certainly is no right or wrong way to go. All I can really advise is what I know from personal experience. I do know with proper lighting clawed frogs produce plenty of waste to provide nutrients to water column feeding plants with sand as substrate.

Soil is a great way to go and it's better than root tabs but it also depends what type of plants you want. I like vals and water sprite and even duckweed, the goal for my plants is to provide a lot of hiding locations, basking for the frogs, and act as a biofilter so I've selected fast growing plants with few demands that see feed on nitrates from the water column.

I don't think you were the cause of any problem. The advice is good for a beginner and even then I make mistakes with what sand to buy.
Do you know if the API root tabs plus iron have any ill effect on the frogs?

[flybyferns]

BACK ON TOPIC:

I bought play sand for the aquarium and did a fairly thorough washing of it. However, I did not sift and there are a few small rocks here and there. I am not sure of the risk. The frogs are nearly 3" and each rock seems to be .25" max. How much of a danger is this?

I believe there is a very real risk of the frog ingesting a 1/4" pebble.
It is amazing what they can fit in their mouths!
If fact, if they are smaller - the risk is even greater ----they will accidentally be 'inhaled' if/when the frog eats off the substrate and collect in its stomach.

Here is a FF thread you may want to read.
http://www.frogforum.net/aquatic-cla...avel-help.html

[Louis Charles Bruckner]

The chances are minimal but still present.
I would use a small net to remove them as you see them during cleanings.

Good luck,

[LeClownBlanc]

I hand feed them...so they don't really feed from the bottom.
I got a picture of what the sand looks like and one can see the pebbles that are causing a concern for this compaction issue..

[LeClownBlanc]

I hand feed them...so they don't really feed from the bottom.
I got a picture of what the sand looks like and one can see the pebbles that are causing a concern for this compaction issue..

And what to do with the sand? Most sifters would probably let that grain through. Should I pitch the stuff and go with more expensive aquarium sand?