Noob first post!

[Dragonfish]

Hi! I'm Todd and I have a history of being obsessed with things in glass boxes. I started with 15 years of reefkeeping, then recently switched to planted freshwater and most recently breeding apistos. Last night my wife and daughter came home with a green tree frog out of the blue. I love him. My daughter named him Safar. So tonight after work I'm picking up a medium Exo Terra from a local petshop for $50 used. I'll most likely slap together a quick stand this weekend too. On to the questions.

Substrate drainage - I see most people use large clay balls. Why not just use small rocks or small lava rocks? Much cheaper.

Attaching plants - I see most builds have plants attached to the foam/cork background. How do you get them to stay there? Superglue? I use that in freshwater to hold ferns and annubias down.

Plants - I have some nice crypts and Echinodorus angustifolia 'Vesuvius' extra that will grow emersed. Are they safe to use with frogs?

Thanks!

[varanoid]

Originally Posted by Dragonfish

Substrate drainage - I see most people use large clay balls. Why not just use small rocks or small lava rocks? Much cheaper.

Attaching plants - I see most builds have plants attached to the foam/cork background. How do you get them to stay there? Superglue? I use that in freshwater to hold ferns and annubias down.

Plants - I have some nice crypts and Echinodorus angustifolia 'Vesuvius' extra that will grow emersed. Are they safe to use with frogs?

Thanks!

Many people like the hydroton balls because it is a lot lighter than using small rocks. Hadn't thought about using lava rocks, but that may work providing they don't negatively effect the ph.

There are a variety of methods to attach plants to backgrounds. I use a couple toothpicks to attack plants to backgrounds.

Sorry I have no experience with the plants you mentioned.

Welcome to the forum. You are sure to find plenty of good advice here.

[kingfisherfleshy]

Yet another reefer and planted tank guy! (Reefing for 9 years, Plantin for 4 or so)

Im new too...but welcome.

[james67]

Originally Posted by Dragonfish

Hi! I'm Todd and I have a history of being obsessed with things in glass boxes. I started with 15 years of reefkeeping, then recently switched to planted freshwater and most recently breeding apistos. Last night my wife and daughter came home with a green tree frog out of the blue. I love him. My daughter named him Safar. So tonight after work I'm picking up a medium Exo Terra from a local petshop for $50 used. I'll most likely slap together a quick stand this weekend too. On to the questions.

make sure you thoroughly clean the tank with a bleach solution. you have no idea what kind of nasties could be left behind. if it has an exo background... trash it, again it could potentially harbor bad stuff

Originally Posted by Dragonfish

Substrate drainage - I see most people use large clay balls. Why not just use small rocks or small lava rocks? Much cheaper.

as mentioned, its a weight issue. half my tanks are pea gravel, the other half are LECA. i got tired of moving 100# 20gals around.

Originally Posted by Dragonfish

Attaching plants - I see most builds have plants attached to the foam/cork background. How do you get them to stay there? Superglue? I use that in freshwater to hold ferns and annubias down.

no superglue. we use toothpicks, staples, stainless wire or other methods to attach plants to backgrounds. even zipties work well until the plants can bear their own weight.

Originally Posted by Dragonfish

Plants - I have some nice crypts and Echinodorus angustifolia 'Vesuvius' extra that will grow emersed. Are they safe to use with frogs?

they will work fine, however the substrate in your tank should not be wet, so even if you have some growing emergent they may not take well to the drier substrate.

james