# Drainage Depth & Mix



## AlanK (Jan 4, 2013)

Repost as managed to bury this in the sub form but have updated:

I am trying to create a BioActive substrate for my Chameleon in n Exo Terra which means I have about a total of 5.5" below the door that I can fill.

I read 2" of clay balls would be needed as a minimum but its a tall viv and that's not leaving much soil depth for some of the taller plants I want to place in the viv. 

Would I get away with less drainage? What do you guys suggsest as seen everything from 1/2 to 4" mentioned? (will have Mistking system installed shortly also)

As for soil mix, I thought I had bark chips to mix in to the organic compost along with sand but it turns out that it is Cypress Mulch. So at £20 a a bag instead I'm keeping that for snake and have just picked up a small bag of ProRep reptile Bark Chips and along with an over priced Exo Terra Coco Husk brick - combined with some sand what kind of consistency/ratio of these should i aim for (and do I need them all)?


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## CloudForest (Nov 27, 2013)

you can get away with less drainage yes, esp if its planted with live plants, 1inch should be the minimum tho


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

You can also terrace the soil so that it is deeper towards the back - I have done this with a natural branch that is about 4 inches diameter meaning I can have a greater depth of substrate at the back - it also adds a dynamic to the viv that I really like


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## AlanK (Jan 4, 2013)

I wondered about a piece of acrylic along the front go give more depth but yeah I can see how a branch on the floor should give me more depth staggered - actually now I think about that I could even just have deeper back corners for two biggest plant I have using two branches (umbrella and Fiscus) as the Pathos shouldn't need much soil depth and can go in the middle - sweet!

It filled up to about 4cm at moment with another bowl sitting on the floor - using the stagered approach I might make it a little deeper now as drainage in a cham enclosure if always going to be a problem. I have a plastic pipe in one corner to let me stick in a piece of hose and syphon of if it gets too bad but ideally want this to look after itself where possible.

Substrate mix sound about right?


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## AlanK (Jan 4, 2013)

oh - and should I microwave the compost or bark chips?


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## CloudForest (Nov 27, 2013)

AlanK said:


> I wondered about a piece of acrylic along the front go give more depth but yeah I can see how a branch on the floor should give me more depth staggered - actually now I think about that I could even just have deeper back corners for two biggest plant I have using two branches (umbrella and Fiscus) as the Pathos shouldn't need much soil depth and can go in the middle - sweet!
> 
> It filled up to about 4cm at moment with another bowl sitting on the floor - using the stagered approach I might make it a little deeper now as drainage in a cham enclosure if always going to be a problem. I have a plastic pipe in one corner to let me stick in a piece of hose and syphon of if it gets too bad but ideally want this to look after itself where possible.
> 
> Substrate mix sound about right?


wood works great as a divider, but bare in mind that it wont last forever, you might get 18months out of it, and it will still divide things up, but eventually it will rot away

Using a piece of acrylic on the front would be a great idea, the more substrate you have the better when it comes to bioactive, i'd want at least 8inches + 1inch or more drainage

my preference for that kind of (high humidity mix) bioactive substrate is Graded Top Soil / Coir / (spag) Moss - 60 / 20 / 20

a few handfuls of bark mixed in will help keep the soil aerated until the bioactivity is balanced (springtails, woodlice and worms all help aerate)


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

Don't microwave the substrate it kind of defeats the object. I tend to use a bit of sand, topsoil, sphagnum moss, leaf litter, coco husk, bits of twig and anything else that comes to mind. In terms of critters I go for worms, springtails and woodlice (tropical and European). Some will get eaten, some will clean the viv

Oh and if you use a dense hardwood it lasts for years ***55357;***56836;


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## AlanK (Jan 4, 2013)

Cheers guys!

Appreciate wood will rot away eventually (depending what it is) but guess it will ultimately just add to everything and meets one of my ideas about having stuff on the floor to provide a damp cover that critters normally hide under.

Have email out with RicksLive Food and Dart Frog at moment asking what size/how much they suggest for springtails and tropical lice to add to the viv. Guess first to reply will get my order lol

Will also keep eye out for that odd pot that reveals a woodlice family hiding underneath too.

I may yet add acrylic front screen longer term but at least I can go mix some soil up and start throwing it all in..

Ill just mix in everything I have roughly based on organic compost being 50-60% 

Did wonder the same about the microwave thing mysel tbh hence asking the question as struck me as off - esp if I then add a pile of leaves from the local woods!


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## AlanK (Jan 4, 2013)

well the organic compost should save me worry about adding sticks... its full of crap lol


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## CloudForest (Nov 27, 2013)

AlanK said:


> well the organic compost should save me worry about adding sticks... its full of crap lol


organic compost is a good addition, you will get lots of mold, which will boost cleaner crew numbers very quickly - but I'd definitely recommend cycling the enclosure for 4-6 weeks if you go that root, the air above the substrate will be full of spores = possible RI (and non bacterial, so not so easily treatable) (infact for this reason I recommend everyone cycles bioactive enclosures properly...its essentially doing the same thing as cycling a fish tank)


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## AlanK (Jan 4, 2013)

:blush: Missed that part before - Was planning to add Cham next week as currently on hold for us in pet shop


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

How big is the viv - exos have really good ventilation and as the Cham will be up in the canopy as it were I personally wouldn't worry too much about cycling --and of course you can get it all under way in a bucket now


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## CloudForest (Nov 27, 2013)

covering the substrate with a layer of bark will also help keep the molds contained - but as said above, the ventilation required for chams should reduce the risk enough anyway


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## AlanK (Jan 4, 2013)

Its the Extra Tall 90x42x90 viv.

I will post up pic later on as mid way through filling and planting :2thumb:


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

AlanK said:


> Its the Extra Tall 90x42x90 viv.
> 
> I will post up pic later on as mid way through filling and planting :2thumb:


Nice one love to see pics of a nice naturalistic set up


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## AlanK (Jan 4, 2013)

Crap picture but this is tonights work

Vine should arrive tomorrow to let me build something creative for basking and moving around but we built a bamboo frame to help hold the plants and something to attach vine to/climb.


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## AlanK (Jan 4, 2013)

Ps - Leaves from my back garden drive on top? or go find a forest?


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

AlanK said:


> Ps - Leaves from my back garden drive on top? or go find a forest?


Just try to collect leaves from areas that you are confident are pesticide free, I also don't like collecting from next to busy roads. I actually have leaves from both my local countryside and also from my own garden :no1: set up is looking good - once the plants get established it will look great.

Is that a pothos on the right ? I am really struggling to find one at the moment


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## AlanK (Jan 4, 2013)

What about leaves that I have broken of the pothos in setting it up. Or do I need older/rotten leaves to kick start?

Wasn't sure if leaves were needed at all as its not for frogs or anything ground dwelling?


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

AlanK said:


> What about leaves that I have broken of the pothos in setting it up. Or do I need older/rotten leaves to kick start?
> 
> Wasn't sure if leaves were needed at all as its not for frogs or anything ground dwelling?


Yes pop them in as well - the leaves are really for the clean up crew and as they break down provide nutrients for the plants - I guess really what you are doing is creating a mini bio environment that mimics nature, so each aspect of the bio cycle adds another dimension to the whole


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## AlanK (Jan 4, 2013)

Viv up and running - video here
http://youtu.be/MWveIZPERT4


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