how to build a viv MOTYDesign

[motydesign]

Thank you all for the compliment and the sticky is an honor. I'm glad this is helpful to you guys!

Grimm are you asking about the pilea next to the coco hut?

[laylow]

Awesome thread! Where are you getting your drill bits from?

[tclipse]

nice write-up... only suggestion is that I personally wouldn't use products with Miracle-Gro or other ferts with frogs.

[motydesign]

Originally Posted by laylow

Awesome thread! Where are you getting your drill bits from?

i have gotten them from the link in the thread as well as Lowes

[mordoria]

Seriously awesome write up. Im using this from now on to show people how to make vivs. Such great pics and discriptions. Love that all the links for other tutorials are included.

+1 on the NO MIRACLEGROW

[motydesign]

Ok lets address the miracle-gro
contents are:
0.02% Ammoniacal Nitrogen
0.03% Nitrate Nitrogen

0.02% Phosphate (P2O5)
0.04% Soluble potash (K2O)

with a total of less than a handful used in the build and a full month of watering and plant grow out on the material. i dont see a large enough concern. im sure there is probably an article on the nitrogen that would stir the opposition, (im just using a little reason here, and it may be wrong) but its peat moss and i feel most of the fear on ferts is in adding it straight to the viv to increase plant growth and used continually. this is just applied once then is used by plants and washed away in the grow out period.

[mordoria]

I was told once by Woodsman that he uses Miracle Grow Moisture Control. Its then covered in 2" of leaf litter. The frogs supposedly never touch it. I dunno, to each, their own. I try and avoid chemicals altogether. In my food, and my frogs.

I do have to say again. This is an amazing thread. Thanks MOTY

[tclipse]

Originally Posted by motydesign

Ok lets address the miracle-gro
contents are:
0.02% Ammoniacal Nitrogen
0.03% Nitrate Nitrogen

0.02% Phosphate (P2O5)
0.04% Soluble potash (K2O)

with a total of less than a handful used in the build and a full month of watering and plant grow out on the material. i dont see a large enough concern. im sure there is probably an article on the nitrogen that would stir the opposition, (im just using a little reason here, and it may be wrong) but its peat moss and i feel most of the fear on ferts is in adding it straight to the viv to increase plant growth and used continually. this is just applied once then is used by plants and washed away in the grow out period.

I didn't want to derail your thread, because it's a great look for new people who are just getting into viv building... which is why I said that I'm personally not comfortable using it (or recommending it to newbies when there are alternatives we know for a fact are 100% safe) instead of "DON'T USE THAT STUFF". I wasn't really referring to your viv, but was thinking more that it could cause someone new to assume miracle gro potting soil as 100% of their substrate would be fine, for example.

I've also read that their peat moss contains a "wetting agent," on top of the nutrients, not sure exactly what that is chemically though... seems like it could possibly have the potential to mess with a frog's osmotic balance?

Also read a few anecdotes regarding npk levels going haywire, and a few (possibly circumstantial) witness accounts- this one makes a good point at the beginning as well:

Originally Posted by WVFROGGER23

I would stay away from anything that says Miracle Grow. Just because the chemicals aren't used doesn't mean the product wasn't processed in the same plant with all the lovely chemical fertilizers.

I had a major issue with this when I first started keeping darts. Lost 3 out of 5 froglets in 2-3 days. Not to mention the soil smells really bad when wet! I have used eco-earth ever since. No problems, no weird smells.

Apologies for the derail & hope it works out in yours, just wanted to throw up a 'proceed with caution' flag for any new froggers who might come along. Great job with the thread and the viv.

[motydesign]

tclipse,
no apologies needed, this is the information right behind the build that people will read and be able to make their own choices on their build. in hind sight yes i would have used straight peat moss (and to be truthful i thought i grabbed straight peat moss)... but im not going to be too concerned about it at this point.

[laylow]

Possible video w/ the frogs and misters running?