# New 16" Cube - PIC HEAVY!



## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

My first attempt at a clay background and using Turface as a substrate.

Need to add leaf litter, broms and bugs - all coming next week.

FTS: 









Closeup of Turface:









I added a couple more pieces of driftwood so I'd have a few more planting places for the broms I've got coming next week.









Plants are liking the clay:




































Comments and questions are welcome.


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## stevenhman (Feb 19, 2008)

Nice! You make the cube yourself? Also, are you going to do a clay substrate over the infield conditioner?


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

Very nice. I'm curious to see how the turface works for you. I love the 18" cubes, but your 16" looks nice. Make sure you update.


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## deboardfam (Feb 7, 2011)

Looks good.. will be watching to see how the substrate works out.


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

stevenhman said:


> Nice! You make the cube yourself? Also, are you going to do a clay substrate over the infield conditioner?


Nope - the cube is by RPN. And nope - all I'm planning is leaf litter and maybe a few pockets of an organic mix that I'm making up.

Reworked and replanted:


















Replanted 'center cluster':









This new layout gives me a lot more room for new plants next week!


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

Seeded with lots 'o bugs and tons of leaf litter.


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

New plants!

4 x Neo. Fireball + pups 
1 x Ficus pumila 'Rikki'
1 x Ficus pumila 'Bellus'
1 x Ficus pumila 'Oak Leaf'

I also picked up a Peperomia caperata 'Little Fantasy' and a Pleurothallis grobyii. Neither of which are going in this viv. Maybe a cutting of the pep, if I need to fill some space. 

Onto the pics:









Left side:









Right side:









Center brom cluster:


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## froggies3 (Feb 1, 2011)

thats awsome! what type of wood is that?


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## stemcellular (Jun 26, 2008)

That's a whole lot of fast growing ficus! I would also add a nice aroid.


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## froggies3 (Feb 1, 2011)

sorry forgot one more thing, what type of turface is that?


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

stemcellular said:


> That's a whole lot of fast growing ficus! I would also add a nice aroid.


Fast growing is the idea. I'm getting a pair of frogs this weekend and I'm hoping they'll like it enough to start breeding right away.

There are actually a couple Philodendron cuttings making their way through the leaf litter so I've got the aroid covered.  Hoping that'll take off too.

froggies13 - I'm not 100% sure what the wood is called. It's the kind generally available at pet stores. It's quite heavy and dense. Sorry I can't be much more help than that.

The Turface product is called MVP - the coarsest grade they make.


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## froggies3 (Feb 1, 2011)

thanks you i might look into that for my next viv driftwood looks great


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)




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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

BTW - these are Ranitomeya imitator 'Yumbatos'.


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## ZookeeperDoug (Jun 5, 2011)

Very nice. What is "Turface" exactly. It looks like a synthetic growing medium of some kind?


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

ZookeeperDoug said:


> Very nice. What is "Turface" exactly. It looks like a synthetic growing medium of some kind?


It's actually an infield conditioner for ball diamonds. 

MVP Calcined Clay | Turface Athletics


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## MrFusion (Jul 18, 2011)

I'm not sure if this has come up before (if it has I apologize), but aren't you concerned about the clay breaking down fairly quickly?


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

MrFusion said:


> I'm not sure if this has come up before (if it has I apologize), but aren't you concerned about the clay breaking down fairly quickly?


I've had it in a tank for 2+ months so far and have not seen ANY particle breakdown. 

Plus, there is this from the manufacutuer's website:


> Particle Stability: Sulfate Soundness testing (ASTM C-88) and static degradation test not to exceed 4% loss over 20 years


I'm no scientist, but it sounds to me like it's designed to hold it's form for a LONG time.


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## vivlover10 (Oct 10, 2010)

does it have an calcium in it? I am making a tank possibly for pumilio and they need the clay substrate.


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

vivlover10 said:


> does it have an calcium in it? I am making a tank possibly for pumilio and they need the clay substrate.


From the MSDS:


> SiO2 - 74%
> Al2O3 - 11%
> Fe2O3 - 5%
> All other chemicals equal less than 5% and include : CaO, MgO, K2O, Na2O and TiO2


There is some in there, but not a ton.


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)




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## vivlover10 (Oct 10, 2010)

Nice shot! Seems like they like there new home!

What plant is he perched on?


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## tulip55555 (Aug 31, 2011)

Hi. I'm a total newb, no frogs or vivs yet. I keep fish and I am familiar with Oil Dri as an aquarium substrate in a planted aquarium, so I understand the benefits of using it for plants. I was searching to see if Oil Dri could be used instead of LECA as a drainage layer. So I thought I'd check and see how the Turface is working for you?? 
I was also thinking of mixing some into the soil layer, but not using it as a stand alone substrate. Any opinion on using it as a mix-in?


Thanks,
Patricia


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## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

tulip55555 said:


> Hi. I'm a total newb, no frogs or vivs yet. I keep fish and I am familiar with Oil Dri as an aquarium substrate in a planted aquarium, so I understand the benefits of using it for plants. I was searching to see if Oil Dri could be used instead of LECA as a drainage layer. So I thought I'd check and see how the Turface is working for you??
> I was also thinking of mixing some into the soil layer, but not using it as a stand alone substrate. Any opinion on using it as a mix-in?
> 
> 
> ...


I have been mixing with my wannabe ABG mix along with a handful of redart for my past few vivs, it has been holding up nicely so far and microfauna populations/plants are doing well. 

If nothing else, I felt it could give the substrate a bit more structure to keep it from compacting as quickly as a full-on organic substrate might. So far, that theory has held up, but it has only been a few months, so take it for what you will.... I don't really foresee any downsides to using it at this point.


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

Sorry for the delay in responding to your question. The substrate is holding up great in both tanks I'm using it in. I have actually increased the amount of Turface I'm adding to my clay background mix to give it a bit more structure. I like this stuff a lot.


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