# Does my Tank Really Need A Drainage Layer When...



## Turtlestork (Jan 2, 2008)

I am making a viv for a few crested geckos. Cresties like it a bit on the less-humid side, so any water going into this tank will be simply to water the plants. I plan on putting a lot of coco fiber and fir bark along the bottom, like a 2 inch layer. Does my tank need a drainage layer when I won't be misting it too much and I myself will be hand misting? Oh, and btw, there isn't going to be too many plants in this viv, either. 


TS


----------



## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

Not many plants, I would rethink that, Crested geckos like their plants large and a lot to climb on. And they do need some place to hide from.


Also, I would put some drainage, just so your bedding lasts longer and it ends up being more natural.

If you are watering, the water needs someplace to go, I doubt you will water just enough for the plant to suck it all up.


----------



## Turtlestork (Jan 2, 2008)

So is like an inch of terra-lite good?

And when I say there will not be many plants, I mean live ones. I am going to do some fake ones in the viv, also.


----------



## donstr (Jun 21, 2007)

I've had a gargoyle (much like cresteds) setup running for around 2 years. Substrate is just potting soil. No drainage is needed. I water the plants about once a week and mist maybe twice a week. Once you figure out how much water is needed you won't have a problem with soil being too wet.
I've found that sticks for climbing are as important as plants. They provide something a little more solid for climbing and create a lot more space in the middle for climbing.


----------



## Zoe (Aug 19, 2007)

IME it is difficult to properly water a crested gecko tank, unless you use potted plants. The soil gets dry very quickly and tends to condense around the plant roots.

I recently set up a crested gecko cage, using a falso bottom. I made a platform out of egg crate a few inches high, that fit inside the exo-terra cage (but leave a few inches on all sides for substrate). I wrapped it with plastic window netting so the substrate wouldn't fall into the holes. Then I put aquarium gravel around the platform on all side, and covered the whole thing with fir bark, and filled it with water up to the top of the gravel.
That way I could plant large leafed plants right into the gravel / soil and the roots just take water as they need. I also put in a water feature by cutting a circle into the top of the egg crate platform, siliconing a 6" piece of large PVC pipe, and putting the water pump in there. Seems to working fine and it doesn't get too humid because the top is screen.

I guess if you wanted you could just put down a layer of drainage, but I went with the egg crate because I didn't want to use that much gravel.


----------



## zaroba (Apr 8, 2006)

the topic Why All the Fuss About False Bottoms? has a pretty good (and long) discussion about the usefulness of having a drainage layer (false bottom) in a viv.

some good points to consider are the types of plants and how much watering is done overall. theres a lot of plants that don't like there roots constantly soaked.


----------



## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

Also, when you add a false bottom you can keep it filled half way and it will help keep the entire tank moist.


----------

