# Springtails in a false-bottom tank.



## ProjectReptile (Mar 9, 2007)

I was wondering if anyone else had this problem. I tried a search on it, but couldn't quite pin point it. I seem to have alot of problem getting my springtails to establish in a tank with a false-bottom. Now all of the other tanks that I use hydroton in, they are everywhere. I think the problem is they are burrowing down through the dirt and through the screen and falling into the water reservoir. Does anyone else have this problem?


----------



## gary1218 (Dec 31, 2005)

Use a piece of that cloth mesh material gardners use to keep weeds from popping up. Place it inbetween the substrate layer and the false bottom.


----------



## pigface (Apr 28, 2006)

I find them in one of my water drain tubs from going through the false bottom . I just use a fine screen , scoop them out and toss them right back in the tank .


----------



## stchupa (Apr 25, 2006)

Problem? Seriously? Sounds like a ready made refuge to me. Not something I would personally spend any effort to "correct".


----------



## Shady (Sep 18, 2007)

yea I have a viv with a false bottom and my springtails are doing great.. I can see them all throughout the tank.. even hangin out on the top of the water in my water feature.. what kind of substrate did you use?? I'm not quite sure if that would matter or not..


----------



## ProjectReptile (Mar 9, 2007)

It's a 90 gal viv and the substrate is all eco-earth. Below that I have a layer of fiberglass window screen and then the egg crate. I'd say there is about an inch between the bottom of the egg crate and the surface of the water reservoir. I guess there is a chance that the frogs are cleaning out the springtails, but I have seeding this tank numerous times with TONS of the bugs. I was thinking about using a cloth of some sort in the next tank. Like someone mentioned, the kind that gardners use to hold weeds down. :?:


----------



## Shady (Sep 18, 2007)

also what I forgot to mention is that I do not have any frogs in my tank yet.. hmm for my false bottom I have the first layer gravel then the screen. I put a layer of sphagnum moss down with the eco-earth on top of that.. again not sure if this really makes a difference but I did notice that some mold was growing on the sphagnum and they love to eat mold.. I can see a bunch of them hangin out by it all day below the top layer.. good chance your frogs are just eating them. did you try seeding before you put the frogs in??


----------



## ProjectReptile (Mar 9, 2007)

By the sounds of it, it's seeming more and more like the frogs may very well be eating them all. That's alot of springtails to put down though. I seeded the tank about a month before the first frogs went it, and in a 90g that seems like it'd be alot of springtails. The first batch of frogs to go in were some tincs (6 of them) and I know they have some pretty strong appitites, but the thing is I never saw the usual "pile" of the bugs in the water or under moss like I do in the other tanks. After the frogs all sold, I seeded the tank again and another month went by and then I added 7 azureus. Still no signs really. Hmph.


----------



## Shady (Sep 18, 2007)

well I just put in 4 azureus in the tank and they have been eating my springtails non stop, its really all I see them do. So that could very well be it.. you may have to seed with a lot more than you already are.. I had seeded my tank at two different times, one when I first started the tank and then about a couple weeks to a month later I seeded again just to boost the population even tho there was a good amount already in there.. The way I see it is that you can never have enought springtails.. how many springtail cultures do you have started??


----------



## georgiekittie (Jan 27, 2009)

I have springtails living in my false bottom as well. Chances are you have a nice population breeding down there, which keeps your population going, and the frogs are eating all the visible ones in the upper areas of the tank. If you still think the springs are having a hard time getting up there you can "scoop them out" and put them up top as per the previous suggestion.


----------



## DCreptiles (Jan 26, 2009)

half my tanks have the hydro balls the other half are false bottoms and i have springs established in all of them and i dont see much of a differents they mainly stay near or at the tom often because thats where the dead leaves are frog poop ect... lol so they are always visable. maybe you just need to seed more?


----------

