[Redknee]

Hello everyone,
Tho new to frogs I am not new to terrariums and pets that most people call strange pets.
Been keeping tarantulas and other sort of bugs as well as turtles, fish, dwarf shrimp, etc.
Big fan of aquascaping to.
Just decided I really, really like PDF and so I began my 90G vivarium project,
120cm/50cm/50cm.
Part of the background is done just needs a few "edits" and I am about to make the fake bottom, rain/mist sistems and perhaps even a waterfall(if time permits).
I am about to get the substrate ready to and I was thinking of mixing aquarium sand(black quartz) and Exo Terra Plantation Soil, 50/50.
I know there is a ton of info on substrate but I would like some info from someone who used the exo terra plantation soil, basicly interested in what to expect with it.
Light will come from 4, 36W osram 865 neons.
I will upload photos soon.

 

[bratyboy2]

I had the plantation soil a long time ago and it really holds water...i would possibly do a 1:2 ratio soil : sand....you really want good drainage

 

[EvilLost]

i don't know what the plantation soil is....i'm guessing its a mix of coco coir and husks?



for a basic, safe soil just use..

coco coir for "dirt"
coco husk / orchid bark for moisture retention+drainage
shredded sphagnum some use as well
finely ground natural wood coals (small amount)

 

[bratyboy2]

Evil where can we get these products and do you have pictures of the bags?

 

[EvilLost]

there are many companies that make them...

coco coir and coco husk both come in "compressed brick" form. I'm guessing that plantation soil is some mixture of these.

I buy the pure coco coir bricks from any of the suppliers or even petco. I don't know what names they use honestly...I have to see it in person. The coco coir is "fine particles" which is used for dirt.

The coco "husk" looks like little chunks of wood chips.


For Sphagnum, here are some of many suppliers:
https://www.google.com/webhp?source...81b91e2f0d7b36&ix=sea&ion=1&biw=1920&bih=1109

wood coals:
8.8 lb. Lump Charcoal-HDPG01 at The Home Depot

that is, if you are willing to grind them down....


orchid bark:
http://www.amazon.com/Orchids-R-Us-Inc-Orchid/dp/B002X0E59M (this link in particular isn't a great example of product, I only use this link because the picture shows what the actual stuff looks like...its just like little chunks of wood. You can buy this much cheaper at a garden center instead of petco)

 

[Redknee]

Thanks for the answers.
Now for the crap part, anyone has any idea what else to use instead of egg crate sheet? Nobody sells that stuff in this hellhole of a country and I really dont want to buy plexiglass and spend eternity making holes in it

 

[freaky_tah]

Where are you from? It generally isn't sold as eggcrate...you can find it in the lighting section of hardware stores as a light diffuser. The small hardware stores around by me carry it as well as the big box stores.

You can get hydroton instead, available online or at hydroponic stores. People have used other fillers instead of eggcrate, but I'm blanking at the moment.

 

[carbonetc]

Some people use styrofoam packing pellets. Though I imagine you'd want to get them pretty clean first.

 

[Redknee]

freaky_tah I know it's not called eggcrate in stores, they are also used for air conditioning still it is nowhere to be found. Not online(in the country), not at any local or non local store, not at any air conditioning firm/company, etc.
All I can find is metal light diffusers but it's not aluminium nor is it inox, it's simple metal that oxidizes.
Oh, I'm from Romania to answer your question
I was actually looking for a substitute but something similar(plastic grill of sorts) that someone, anyone used with success.
I'd use clay pellets or even styrofoam pellets as well as hydroton but I am unsure how my water pump would worn in such medium. With that many pellets or hydroton I'm not sure it would actually be able to suck water in(for the waterfall). I'm also unsure if the hydroton would not clog from the soil above it.

 

[Roadkillstewie]

lump charcoal, don't have to grind neccessarily... stomp on it, hit it with a hammer etc... that being said, I have gotten chunks (same brand as imaged) that were not completely charcoaled.

Not all that hard to make your own if you're inclined either.

 

[Redknee]

Well since nobody in this joke of a country sells eggcrate sheets I found something even better!
It's 50/50/8(in cm) and the seller sais it's for pigeon cages but i dont really care!
They are sturdy as hell, I tested them by standing on one of em and it did in fact hold! And I am 188 pounds of mean, ugly faced, body mass.
Will update on the waterfall and background and soon on the DIY WORKING mist sistem.
Project can go on!
P.S the terrarium is 140(not 120)/50/50.

 

[bratyboy2]

That should work just great!

 

[Redknee]

Quick question: Does anyone use lucky bamboo(Dracaena Sanderiana) in their vivs?
I hear it's somewhat toxic to cats and dogs but does not release toxins in water so I was thinking of using some in my frog viv.

 

[Redknee]

Oh and do you really need to put epoxy over grout? I was thinking of using 3 layers of grout on my backgrounds/waterfall and just leave it like that without the resin.

 

[winstonamc]

Redknee, by vampire country, do you mean to say that you from Romania? am locust un an in Bucuresti si am stat multi lune in vrancea, ce faci?

 

[Redknee]

Redknee, by vampire country, do you mean to say that you from Romania? am locust un an in Bucuresti si am stat multi lune in vrancea, ce faci?

Salut, da din Romania, Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca
If you ever come back send me a sign, maybe we can get a beer

 

[Redknee]

Finished the background and waterfall and added first layer of grout. Will finish with 3 layers of eco lacquer(floor varnish) and sprinkle fine sand over the last coat of varnish to kill the shine of it.
Will be posting photos soon.

 

[Redknee]

So I got a couple of netpots

that I intend to stick on the background and wood, etc to pot my bromeliads and plants ingeneral.
My question is should I wash all the dirt from the roots and just put the plant in the pot with no soil or can I leave the soil on the roots and stick it in the pot as it is?

 

[bratyboy2]

You want to use a AGB mix or something that is well draining....but has some nutrients...im using turface,pool filter sand, and fluval stratum...

 

[Redknee]

You want to use a AGB mix or something that is well draining....but has some nutrients...im using turface,pool filter sand, and fluval stratum...

Thanks for the tip.
I suspect that the nutrients would be gone pretty fast tho, how often should it be changed?
Also can anyone ID this plant? Got it from a neighbour who wanted to get rid of it and since it reminded me of a plant I saw somewhere in someones terrarium I took it.
Plant used to look like this: