# Alternative substrates



## CMH80 (Mar 31, 2018)

I am looking to set up my first dart frog tank and really want to do it right. I have researched ABG mix, and clay substrates and understand they are best. However, I am having trouble finding a mix to buy in Canada. And I have nowhere I could make the mix myself. I only plan to have one small, 12x12x18 setup, so I don't need a lot of it. 

Are these substrates now considered necessary for optimum care of dart frogs? Specifically, I would find making the charcoal and finding tree fern difficult. 

Anyone know of places that will ship these sorts of items in Canada?? I'm in London, Ontario.

Failing that, what is the "next best thing" for substrate to have a nice, bio-active tank with plants and frogs?


----------



## Hercrabit (Oct 6, 2016)

I'm trying Turface in my newest vivarium. It has excellent draining qualities and the plants are doing well. Covered with leaf litter it looks fine. I'm pretty sure you can find it in Canada - just not sure if it is close to where you are. Turface is a clay substance used as a soil conditioner on athletic fields. Its fairly inexpensive. I think it can also be found at bonsai stores, although maybe not as inexpensive


----------



## johnachilli (Feb 8, 2007)

another vote for Turface and leaf litter.


----------



## CMH80 (Mar 31, 2018)

A quick google search tells me 'Turface' is also a "nope" in Canada . Apparently the stores that used to sell it, no longer do so.


----------



## johnachilli (Feb 8, 2007)

It isn't the easiest to find here either. It is available at john Deere and tractor supply like places. It is used on baseball fields so if turface isn't available there might be an alternative brand.


----------



## Jim F (Feb 1, 2018)

I think they sell it at Canadian Tire. Form the You-Tuber I watch.


----------



## S2G (Jul 5, 2016)

All I use is turface.


----------



## dex356 (Jan 6, 2018)

I have not used Turface in my vivariums but I used it quite a lot in my Aquatic Plant tanks... It hold up very well and plants like it...


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Hercrabit said:


> I'm trying Turface in my newest vivarium. It has excellent draining qualities and the plants are doing well. Covered with leaf litter it looks fine. I'm pretty sure you can find it in Canada - just not sure if it is close to where you are. Turface is a clay substance used as a soil conditioner on athletic fields. Its fairly inexpensive. I think it can also be found at bonsai stores, although maybe not as inexpensive


Bonsai tree specialists would carry a product very similar to turface. It's called Akadama soil.
Turface is a manufactured clay product that has been fully fired, like a flowerpot.
Akadama soil is naturally occurring, mineral rich clay. It is not "fired", per say, but as far as we are concerned, it might as well be. It is hard, with deeper mined deposits being harder, and better for horticultural use. While it could easily function the same way that turface does in our vivs, you would pay through the teeth. You can get 50 lbs of turface for something like $15. A quick ebay search shows harder grade akadama soil at $28 for less than 3 lbs. That puts the same 50 lbs at a mere $464.80...but the shipping is free!
For bonsai trees grown in deliberately harsh and nutrient starved conditions, all those extra minerals are thought to be beneficial, but I don't think we require that for our vivs. Certainly not for an extra $450!

Anyway, you are more or less right, at least as far as we are concerned, but it's probably priced higher than most of us would pay. Additionally, you don't know the lifespan of an unfired product. For bonsai hobbyists, they transplant once a year. Akadama's target lifespan is only a year. It probably lasts much longer, but fully fired turface should last the life of the viv.


----------



## CMH80 (Mar 31, 2018)

I've decided to just go with a standard ABG-style mix. Clay substrate is just not feasible for me at this time.


----------

