jstedman1
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- Jul 17, 2011
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- Display Name
- Justin
Hello!
I have been planning to re-model/update my terrarium (/vivarium) for quite some time now and, over the past 3 weeks during winter break, I have a diagram and things I will be doing. Once I got the idea of issues to address, such as substrate getting into the water by the salamander, I researched products to resolve these issue. I have already planned and have done a lot of research so far, with the help of multiple websites, but now it just comes down to asking someone. For simplicity reasons I will bold my question and have a brief description of things I have done. I have put a lot of time and thought into all of this, so please notice that some questions are directly, and indirectly, related to cause and effects of my ideas. To help you guys out I will attempt to find a way to show pics of my ideas.
New changes:
Can I have an internal filter, or water pump, underneath the hydroton clay balls? If so, what is a good brand/affordable pump and/or filter to buy?
I currently have an internal filter but plan on buying a new one, a better one, and am debating on connecting a vinyl tube ($.80 per foot online) to it, which I will run across the bottom of the tank and connect to pvc pipe. The pvc pipe will go vertically and either act as a waterfall down a slope (on the frog moss), or will be connected to a spray bar idea I made (to lightly water the frog moss, down a slope back into the water side). I am thinking about buy this internal filter: Aquarium Systems Duetto Multi-Function Internal Filters at PETCO
Does Frog Moss actually grow!?
I found this carpet like material, frog moss, at a petco (Zoo Med) and...if it actually grows...is perfect for what I want. I have java moss in the tank too, but the frog moss would be on the land side between water and land.
What "Brand" of sand should I search for at stores? AND...If I switch to sand, will it clog up the filter and/or pump?
It kinda sucks because I recently, about 3 or so months ago, updated the substrate to something bigger than sand, but smaller than small rocks/pebbles...it's hard to describe but an average piece is about the size of an inner sunflower seed, or smaller. I thought this would be appropriate and safe but today I caught my axolotl sucking some up!
I have no intention to have a bare tank and I have no knowledge on sand, besides research.
On the land side, how do I update the layers? What brands would you suggest?
Over time, the layer system has gone extinct and I now use just sphagnum moss, given its ability to hold moisture and be soft for the salamander. I used to have that on the top, then a darker harder substrate that I stopped using because of its bigger harder pieces of husk or wood chips, then soil, screen, hydroton clay balls...the soil and woodchip stuff is gone. I do not really want to add soil again since it goes so fast, but I would like to add another layer underneath the sphagnum moss if people suggest it. My salamander, Maverick, seems to like sphagnum moss the best.
Drawings and pics of what I currently have and plan to do:
I have been planning to re-model/update my terrarium (/vivarium) for quite some time now and, over the past 3 weeks during winter break, I have a diagram and things I will be doing. Once I got the idea of issues to address, such as substrate getting into the water by the salamander, I researched products to resolve these issue. I have already planned and have done a lot of research so far, with the help of multiple websites, but now it just comes down to asking someone. For simplicity reasons I will bold my question and have a brief description of things I have done. I have put a lot of time and thought into all of this, so please notice that some questions are directly, and indirectly, related to cause and effects of my ideas. To help you guys out I will attempt to find a way to show pics of my ideas.
New changes:
- Adding frog moss, or some other type of moss, on travel areas between land and water; which should prevent substrate getting into the water.
- Adding a new way to move water, while keeping frog moss moist to grow
- More/better ways to filter water...even though the current way is fine, I want to improve.
- Add a plant, since the other one died a long time ago.
Can I have an internal filter, or water pump, underneath the hydroton clay balls? If so, what is a good brand/affordable pump and/or filter to buy?
I currently have an internal filter but plan on buying a new one, a better one, and am debating on connecting a vinyl tube ($.80 per foot online) to it, which I will run across the bottom of the tank and connect to pvc pipe. The pvc pipe will go vertically and either act as a waterfall down a slope (on the frog moss), or will be connected to a spray bar idea I made (to lightly water the frog moss, down a slope back into the water side). I am thinking about buy this internal filter: Aquarium Systems Duetto Multi-Function Internal Filters at PETCO
Does Frog Moss actually grow!?
I found this carpet like material, frog moss, at a petco (Zoo Med) and...if it actually grows...is perfect for what I want. I have java moss in the tank too, but the frog moss would be on the land side between water and land.
What "Brand" of sand should I search for at stores? AND...If I switch to sand, will it clog up the filter and/or pump?
It kinda sucks because I recently, about 3 or so months ago, updated the substrate to something bigger than sand, but smaller than small rocks/pebbles...it's hard to describe but an average piece is about the size of an inner sunflower seed, or smaller. I thought this would be appropriate and safe but today I caught my axolotl sucking some up!
I have no intention to have a bare tank and I have no knowledge on sand, besides research. On the land side, how do I update the layers? What brands would you suggest?
Over time, the layer system has gone extinct and I now use just sphagnum moss, given its ability to hold moisture and be soft for the salamander. I used to have that on the top, then a darker harder substrate that I stopped using because of its bigger harder pieces of husk or wood chips, then soil, screen, hydroton clay balls...the soil and woodchip stuff is gone. I do not really want to add soil again since it goes so fast, but I would like to add another layer underneath the sphagnum moss if people suggest it. My salamander, Maverick, seems to like sphagnum moss the best.
Drawings and pics of what I currently have and plan to do:
