Hi, I need help... I built a tank 2 months ago. I've noticed the substrate is soaked all the time. Like mud. At first I thought it was because of the water fall feature that comes down a piece of mopani wood and drips into the pool area. I thought the wood was soaking up water and dripping it all around the wood. But I have since stopped the waterfall, drained all the water out from the bottom, left the tank open on top to get some air in there....and a week later and the substrate is still soaked. Of course, there is some moss over parts of it, but still, even the parts with nothing on top is still wet. If you see in the pictures, even on the top left corner where the brom is, the dirt is soaked. I do mist every 2-3 days, not light, but not too heavy. Could this be maintaining the dirt wet?
Also, it created all sorts of itty bitty almost microscopic critters in there and last week before I took the water out and all. I thought they might be mites because the substrate was so wet, so, I put some dry ice in the tank and just let it sit until the dry ice was completely melted. I couldn't really see the smoke above a few inches, so I was worried it wasn't getting to the top. The bugs have died.
A couple of things to add, the water on the bottom does not reach the dirt in any way. There is about an inch gap in between the top of the water and the start of the egg crate.
I'm thought it would be ready to add a couple of darts in there by now, but I'm thinking my tank is not working somehow. What am I doing wrong?
Here are some build pics and the final tank....
