# ABG Question about Charcoal



## FwoGiZ (Jul 8, 2008)

I know it says "fine charcoal" and I was wondering if I could use some of my "Royal Oak" bought at wallmart, for BBQ. There are plenty big chunks that I use for my springtails, but what about all those tiny pieces, are they fit for a nice soil?


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

I don't really know the answer to this, but, wanted to share that I bought Cowboy Charcoal from Lowe's and smashed it up into pieces to put in my substrate. Everything seems fine.


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## FwoGiZ (Jul 8, 2008)

oK I think I have a VERY similar product.. and was thinking about smashing it too!
It is weird because they say no perlite because of impaction risks, but then you can put some charcoal? I am pretty sure eating one of those thing will kill a frog! Everytime I or my friend drank ash or coal, we always were VERRRYYYY sick ;P I guess hort coal just is already crushed and maybe cleaned?


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## tincubus (Apr 9, 2010)

what do you mean "Everytime I or my friend drank ash or coal"?


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

tincubus said:


> what do you mean "Everytime I or my friend drank ash or coal"?


That caught my eye too. 

I do rinse the charcoal off well before using it.


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## FwoGiZ (Jul 8, 2008)

Ah I knew I was gonna asked questions... oh well I guess we go hardcore on beer ? :x and im very greedy so even if my friend is like "hmm i think i dropped coal(from hookahs) into your drink man" I will still drink it without noticing it, prolly because it is my 15th drink!
hence the EVERYTIME  dont even try it seriously.. its bad


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## flapjax3000 (Jul 4, 2009)

I bought some ABG mix recently and the charcoal pieces that came in the mix look exactly like the Wal Mart natural wood charcoal that I use for springs and backyard grilling.


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## johnachilli (Feb 8, 2007)

Hookah charcoals aren't all natural, they have chemicals right in them to help them light. I believe the product you are talking about should be fine since it is 100% wood. Check the bag though


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

I wouldn't even bother with charcoal in viv substrate unless you plan on changing it every few months. The stuff loses its potential as it ages and sits in there. You really only ever see this stuff in Phalenopsis mixes at the big box stores. No actual tropical plant growers use the stuff.


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## FwoGiZ (Jul 8, 2008)

oK thanks for the input, I wont be using it then!
I made this mix instead
Peat moss
Fir bark
coco fiber
coco husks
a tiny bit of perlite
with about 2 dif brands of each to make an even more heterogen mix.. tree fern fiber is just impossible to find around here and I guess the harvest are just getting stripped eh? I will be covering this mix with oak leaf litter


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

FwoGiZ said:


> oK thanks for the input, I wont be using it then!
> I made this mix instead
> Peat moss
> Fir bark
> ...


Your mix is basically a mixture of all the same stuff. Peat moss and coco fiber perform the same jobt. Fir bark and coco husks perform the same job. Also, this is gonna be a nitrogen hungry mixture. Hopefully you'll have enough frog feces and dead flies to counteract that.

I use basically equal parts peat/bark/perlite. Lots of leaf litter on top of that. Perlite isn't a problem for thumbs and most other darts. Its the ones that feed face first like terribilis and what not that it gets risky. With enough leaf litter, you should be fine.


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