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HydroBalls� Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

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31K views 71 replies 31 participants last post by  BrianWI  
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#1 ·
HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

So zoo Med came up with a new product (HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate) compared to the a similar product found in Blackjungle I think Zoo Med may be up to something. BlackJungle promisses there clay pellets are simply the best because they come from Europe and are used by the best Dutch dart keepers and herpetologist alike. But I guess I'm going to have to give It a go for myself! Below is a little info on this product!

HydroBalls™ Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate can be used as a base layer underneath Zoo Med’s Eco Earth® coconut fiber substrate or other substrates to create an underground water table in Naturalistic Terrariums. Add water to create a natural “aquifer” and increase humidity levels for all tropical species. Excellent substrate for live plant root growth in Naturalistic Terrariums. Use for filtration for a waterfall.
 
#4 ·
Re: HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

Thats what I use... only complaint is that they sneak their way out if you have a water feature and float on the surface. Perhaps I should have secured the screen better;) My new set up I made sure to keep them secured and have had no lose ones. I think I used 3 bags for a 20 H.
 
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#5 ·
Re: HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

Has anyone tried anything but stone?

I have always used Hydroton but in the end it still weighs too much for my liking. I have wondered for a long time about the "filter balls" or whatever they are for biological filters in marine aquariums.

I have ordered the "substrate" made from EpiWeb cut into chunks and am going to give that a try. EpiWeb is pretty rigid and very light weight. I guess I will post when I see how it goes.

Any other novel ideas anyone has tried?
 
#11 ·
Re: HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

UmbraSprite said:
Any other novel ideas anyone has tried?
Click to expand...
I bought a set-up tank off someone else here on DB. The drainage layer is styrofoam packing peanuts. Not the prettiest thing from the side, but very light-weight and you could cover them from the side the same as people do when they don't want to see a false bottom.

The best thing about them, you can find them free at almost any office for the asking.

Deb
 
#10 ·
Re: HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

Bioballs can be pretty pricey. We sell gallon bags at our store for about $18. Used bioballs are available at times really cheap, but much of the fish hobby is actually gravitating away from them. I used bioballs in my first few vivs with great success, but switched to hydroton for price reasons....and I can buy bio balls at cost if that tells you anything.
 
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#19 ·
Re: HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

I used those Hydroballs in my most recent exo. Look great but they are on the smaller side and do have a bit of price on them. As stated earlier, BIO Balls are surprisingly expensive for being what they are...and I too could get them for cost!
 
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#24 ·
Re: HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

rollei said:
Sorry to hijack this thread, but does anyone know where I can get LECA balls? There aren't any hydroponics stores around where I live.
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Several sponsors sell them(Hydroton), one cheeper than I've found on Amazon and ships free with $50 purchase. I don't think I can name them without violating the TOS, but PM me and I'll tell you who I got it from. I bought 2 big bags at Xmas with a coupon as well. That much has lasted through 6 verts and should be enough to do the 3 Zoo Meds I am planing out.

I did use the hydroballs, got them with a discount at Petsmart. Its basically the same thing as LECA, but smaller and more expensive. I was building 2 small Zoo Meds at the time and needed something right then or I would have just waited and got LECA for the price.

My first viv back in the early 90s, was avtually made with the styro packing peanuts. Plants were left in pots and then sphagnum laid over the top, and then moss. I didn't know about leaf litter back then and used pillow moss chunks. Honestly, I've never had moss grow that well since then. I literally had to peel it off the walls about every 2 weeks. I know now it is not the prefered way to go but I'd love to get that look again. The frogs did fine with it BTW.
 
#22 ·
Re: HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

I am building my first terrarium, and wondering if making an egg crate and screen below expanded clay would be over-kill. I have a kind of terraced layout, and I know I will need to use a false bottom to avoid using too much substrate, but for the bottom, would it be all right? I plan on running a heat cable through the substrate as well. Any hints?
 
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#25 ·
Re: HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

tmos540 said:
I am building my first terrarium, and wondering if making an egg crate and screen below expanded clay would be over-kill. I have a kind of terraced layout, and I know I will need to use a false bottom to avoid using too much substrate, but for the bottom, would it be all right? I plan on running a heat cable through the substrate as well. Any hints?
Click to expand...
Thats exactly how I do all my vivs, 1/2 pvc supporting eggcrate, about 1inch of LECA, then ABG substrate. I've found that this keeps my substrate from getting soggy. As previously mentioned, not nessesary, but it is working well for me.
 
#23 ·
Re: HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

It's not necessary to use a false bottom and hydroton.
That's sort of redundant. I don't have experience with hydroton, but I like the false bottom method I employed.

I don;t think it is a good idea to run a "heat cable" through the substrate at all. Why do you feel this is needed?

Cheers,
C
 
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#29 ·
Re: HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

If weight is a serious issue, a false bottom is the answer. Why even bother trying to find other products when that solution works perfectly well?


Personally I have never used these, but I've been using Hydroton for various gardening needs for a long while now. I do still put a 1-ball layer of hydroton on top of my false bottoms; I agree it is redundant tho....maybe I will stop lol...


Maybe I'm spoiled cause I live in southern california, but there are probably 15 hydroponics stores within a 10 mile radius of my house. I get a LOT of my supplies from hydroponic stores (coco mat, plastic slit pots, hydroton, mylar, etc) I actually don't know of anywhere else to buy much of that stuff...I'd go crazy having to pay for shipping on it :x
 
#31 ·
Re: HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

I prefer Hydroton over false bottoms. Just drive to your local hydroponics store and pick up a medium sized bag for around 20 bucks or a monster size for around 49.99, plus you wont have to worry about shipping costs. I've bought the Zoomed hydroballs and they are actually smaller then Hydroton and way more expensive at my local stores. Just my 2 cents, but Like Brian WI said, LECA/hydroton helps with the bacteria.
 
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#32 ·
Re: HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

I can agree with the bacteria...I don't know just how much of a difference that results in though.



Also, always pay cash when going to a hydroponics store and negotiate the price...its funny how that just isn't typically done in american culture...but its standard pipe shop / hydroponic shop culture ;)

I usually get the 50L (big) bag of hydroton for around 28-30
 
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#33 ·
Re: HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

Think of it like excelsior in a ff culture. It provides surface area for the bacteria to live on. They aren't solid balls to the water and bacteria, they are porous and have lots of area. Many bacteria don't do nearly as well floating around as thy do on a surface.
 
#34 ·
Re: HydroBalls™ Lightweight Expanded Clay Terrarium Substrate?

I don't believe there's any benefit to promoting bacteria in hydroton vs a false bottom. If you want to concentrate on anything concentrate on a diverse microfauna population in your substrate layer. Hydroton will make tour substrate more saturated than a well designed false bottom. Capillary action will wick water up into your substrate. Hydroton is designed to wick water up! Hydroton is still going to be heavier and I think round orange clay balls look very unnatural. But it's all about personal preference I guess.
 
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