[moosenart]

I am building my first planted viv. I have most of the stuff i need.

I am useing the Leca ball method...

If water is going to be at the bottom the tank, should i put a pump in and pum the water out every so often????????????????????????????????

 

[ConFuCiuZ]

I am building my first planted viv. I have most of the stuff i need.

I am useing the Leca ball method...

If water is going to be at the bottom the tank, should i put a pump in and pum the water out every so often????????????????????????????????

I have also wondered about this. My first build i did had a "filter sump"(dont know if that is the correct term) in it. So basically what it is a plastic piece shaped like and "L" and it is silicone to the corner of the tank. I drill holes on the bottom of the plastic piece so water can flow through it and i can pump it out. Im also curious to figure how members take out water if they use just the leca ball method. Does the leca ball method absorb the water?

 

[ZookeeperDoug]

You won't need a pump unless your tank is on the floor. Put a small section of 1/2 PVC pipe down to the bottom in one corner. Make sure to make a few small cuts in the bottom so water can flow into the inside of the PVC. Cover the top of this PVP above the level of your LECA and Soil mix with a cap and cleverly hide with leaf litter, wood whatever.

Now whenever your LECA layer starts to have water build up, use a length of flexible tubing, I use aquarium airline hose, to siphon water from the bottom by inserting the flexible tubing to the bottom of this PVC riser and starting a siphon to suck the water out.

This may be altogether unnessesary as you may not mist enough depending on your conditions for water to build up. Personally I have to mist 2-3x a day in the very arid environment of El Paso, Texas to maintain my humidity.

The other option, if you can, is to drill a hole in your tank, put in a bulkhead and a ball valve. Whenever you want to drain the water, just place a bucket under the valve, open, presto, drained. This is far more expensive but probably easier in the long run and you can do it without having to open the tank. Remember only certain tanks (non tempered glass) can be drilled. Bulkheads and fitting will set you back $10-$15 or so. Worth it IMO.

 

[moosenart]

ok thanks! I live in denver...pretty dry. I might put a 60 gph pump in maybe... Any advice for tank design???????

 

[ZookeeperDoug]

I don't think you'll need the pump unless you're doing a water feature as well. Personally I wouldn't put the pump in the tank, too much hassle to get to if you need to clean, replace etc. My only tank with a water feature has the pump in a sump under the tank and the water flows back and forth through bulkheads.

Not sure what advice you want for tank design. People will need more info as to size or tank, what frogs you're planning to have, etc...

 

[moosenart]

20 gallon long and luecs!

 

[frogface]

When I use LECA for a false bottom, I push one corner down to the bottom of the tank, covered with screen, and then fill that area with pebbles. Can even make it a shallow pond, depending on how many pebbles. Then, if it needs to be drained, I have easy access to siphon the water out.