# Clay background Q's



## leuc11 (Nov 1, 2010)

I'm going to do a rack of 8 20 high tinctorius tanks. I want to use the clay method or kitty litter method but a have a bunch of questions i'm only fourteen and I want to do everything right. First whats the best kitty litter to use? and do you just add some water then crush and mix it in a bowl? What soil mix should I add to this? How sturdy is it and can it take high humidity and large frogs and also how long does it last? Do you just poke holes in it and put plants right into it and does moss just grow on it. And finally how frog safe is it and how much safer and better is it then the great stuff technique. Sorry for the over abundance of questions i'm new to this background buisness


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## verybadcow (Aug 6, 2010)

First, there are a few places where you can get 100% clay litter. I would personally not bother with the litter from Walmart as its usually a hit or miss with their stuff. I have had excellent results with the Petco brand. Its the one you can scoop yourself. Its 100% clay with Baking Soda, and I havent heard anything about the Baking Soda having any sort of effect, it certainly hasn't for me.
I toss the litter into one of those 5-gallon buckets, however you can pretty much use anything that'll hold the amount of litter you're working with. Add water and mix it together, now you can either just add as much water it takes to have it sit about an inch above the litter, let it soak over night and you'll be good. Other people mix both the water and litter until they get the consistency they want, slightly more moist than play-doh.

Everyone has their own mixture they add to the clay, I personally add some organic potting soil, mixed with coco husks, peat moss and jungle soil, until I get it to the color I am looking for.

They clay is perfect in high humidity situations in fact it wouldnt work out too well if it was in a drier situation, because it would tend to crack and harden up. Under the typical dart frog setup the clay should and often does last years.

If you're using broms, you can just press them into the clay and from my experience plants will root themselves into it and moss will definitely grow on it.

I have personally used GS and clay by far is much easier and much more beneficial to use. I built one tank and redid the clay background like 4 times before I got something I liked, with GS you're pretty much stuck with how it comes out the first time. It takes a bit more planning and design to use the GS. To each their own is what it pretty much comes down to.


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

leuc11 said:


> I'm going to do a rack of 8 20 high tinctorius tanks. I want to use the clay method or kitty litter method but a have a bunch of questions i'm only fourteen and I want to do everything right. First whats the best kitty litter to use? and do you just add some water then crush and mix it in a bowl? What soil mix should I add to this? How sturdy is it and can it take high humidity and large frogs and also how long does it last? Do you just poke holes in it and put plants right into it and does moss just grow on it. And finally how frog safe is it and how much safer and better is it then the great stuff technique. Sorry for the over abundance of questions i'm new to this background buisness


I think you will find all you need and more in this thread:

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/general-discussion/22990-ultimate-clay-based-substrate-thread.html

This has already answered all your questions very thoroughly and probably better than re-asking them. I found it using the Search function on the bar menu above.


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## leuc11 (Nov 1, 2010)

Thanks for your help I really appreciate it


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## GRIMM (Jan 18, 2010)

I made these vids to hopefully help people out...So here ya go!


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## leuc11 (Nov 1, 2010)

thanks for the vids


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## jlb (Oct 15, 2006)

Here is my 10 gallon clay background experiment. 

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/60202-my-10-gallon-clay-background-build.html

Grimm's videos are an awesome source of info. The Petsmart kitty litter I used worked really well. 

Good Luck.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Forget the kitty litter and get some powdered Bentonite from a pottery store. So much easier to work with and you never have to worry about the kitty litter not dissolving properly. I paid less than $15 for a 50 lb. bag. Here's my backgrounds. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/60340-my-first-clay-backgrounds.html
Doug


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## Markushka (Nov 8, 2010)

Would a clay background hold up to a waterfall feature? I'm contemplating what i'm going to for my tank and clay looks like a easy and natural option.


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

Markushka,

Yes, it would stand up to a waterfall provided it is properly installed. It helps to line the surface of the clay waterfall with rocks and moss to keep the water from directly eroding the clay.


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## Markushka (Nov 8, 2010)

earthfrog said:


> Markushka,
> 
> Yes, it would stand up to a waterfall provided it is properly installed. It helps to line the surface of the clay waterfall with rocks and moss to keep the water from directly eroding the clay.


Thanks! I've decided to make a background out of hypertufa primarily. I think I'll add some clay features but not the entire background.


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