# Plants and Waterfall For My Dart Frog Viv



## Dendroman (Nov 28, 2007)

Does Anyone know the best and cheapest place to buy these from 
cheers
matt


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## basky (Dec 11, 2006)

dartfrogs uk :2thumb:


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## 955i (Aug 17, 2007)

Waterfall you can create yourself by getting a small pump for aquaria and some tube. It is best if you can get one of the ones that will run dry just in case. Set up a piece of bark or whatever you wish it to run down and place a hole at the top for the tube. You will need to make sure that the frogs can't get to the pump (a lot of people seal them into plastic boxes) and that the pump won't get clogged too often.

Also make sure that any water body you have in there is not too deep as, despite being frogs, the majority of darts do not swim well.

Plants you can either buy from specialist websites such as ENT, Urban Bromeliad or Dartfrog if you want something particular, or just browse local garden centres and ask questions about which plants will be OK in the temps and humidity you will have in the viv. A few found in garden centres which are suitable are: bromeliads, pothos (spreads like crazy), ficus pumilia, and ivys.

Remember to wash off the roots and foliage of any plants you get from garden centres in case chemicals were used to grow them.


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## Dendroman (Nov 28, 2007)

is it true that waterfalls are one of the best ways to achieve the high humidity darts need and what other ways are there.
matt


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## 955i (Aug 17, 2007)

Personally, I use a hand sprayer. Used to use one of the small 1.5 litre ones but now have an 8 litre one.

I find this particularly useful as I use liquid vitamins for my frogs (although not all keepers agree with me) so it is an ideal way to do it.

I usually give a good spraying once every 2 days and it seems to work fine.

A layer of hydroleca in the bottom of the viv will prevent your substrate getting waterlogged and I use a 50ml syringe attached to standard aquarium tube to syphon off excess water as the level rises in the leca.


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## Dendroman (Nov 28, 2007)

oryt i see so do you have to spray the viv with luk warm water or does that make no diff


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## 955i (Aug 17, 2007)

Would be best to temperature match, but my herp room has an oil heater that keeps it at a constant 25C so I don't have a problem with it.

Remember if you are using tap water to let it stand in an open container (I use 5L water canisters) for at least 24hrs before use to let the chlorine and other gases escape.


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## Dendroman (Nov 28, 2007)

also you said about a weed matt whats the matts job nd do i simply just place it between the two substrates
matt


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## 955i (Aug 17, 2007)

The weed matting goes between the leca and the compost layer. It is there to stop all the compost washing down between the leca so you can syphon excess water off. It also works in a similar way to an undergravel filter on a fishtank, allowing useful bacteria to build up and remove harmful waste products from the viv.

The tropical springtails and woodlice will also help keep the viv clean by feeding on waste from plants and the frogs.


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## Dendroman (Nov 28, 2007)

so its very usful then are they cheap and easy to get hold of 
matt


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## 955i (Aug 17, 2007)

Weed matting is about £4 for a massive sheet from any garden centre. Use the tougher black stuff so the roots of the plants don't destroy it as they grow.

I'll see if I can find any of that knocking around too:2thumb:


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## Dendroman (Nov 28, 2007)

ok sound i have a homebase and BnQ by me so if not i have a look if they sell it ther is the time and location still the same for later 
matt


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## 955i (Aug 17, 2007)

Yup, see you at 4.45


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## Dendroman (Nov 28, 2007)

yep see you later i tx you when i am on my way 
cheers matt


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