# Soaked Substrate



## kinison (Jul 1, 2010)

I have like a coco fiber/sphagnum moss substrate setup in one of my vivs. The tank has a false bottom. I have attached a image below. you can see i have the egg crate with screen on it, those hydro balls, and the the substrate. I also have the water level pretty low. No matter what I try, the substrate always becomes soaked. is there anything I can put between the substrate and the egg crate to stop this from happening? I know the frogs like a nice humid environment but can constantly wet soil become a issue? I feel like it could. Any help would be great. Thanks everyone.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

You could try mixing some well draining substance in with your substrate. Maybe some fir bark.


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## JrayJ (Mar 11, 2010)

Do you have a water feature? If it isn't controlled right it can saturate the soil as well. I experienced this at first.

I am in no means a person to be giving advice, just my little experience.


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## Freeradical53 (Jan 25, 2008)

Coco fiber wicks water. If you have the coco fiber touching the water anywhere, it will adsorb the water and "pass" it on to the rest of it. I usually put a layer of screen between the hydroton and the substrate to help keep it from falling through the second layer. Wet substrate is not all bad.


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

All that sphagnum in there isn't helping much, either. It can get and remain pretty soppy.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Freeradical53 said:


> Coco fiber wicks water. If you have the coco fiber touching the water anywhere, it will adsorb the water and "pass" it on to the rest of it. I usually put a layer of screen between the hydroton and the substrate to help keep it from falling through the second layer. Wet substrate is not all bad.


Excessively wet substrates has been linked to infections of the feet of several different dendrobatids most notably P. terriblis. 

Ed


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## JherperJ (Jun 23, 2010)

i also dont have a lot of room for advice giving in this area, but i would tend to think that as long as the frogs have rocks/logs/leaf litter patches that they can use to get away from constantly being subjected to the wet substrate that they will be ok. but i think your problem is the LECA. i have about an inch of fine gravel on top of my false bottom and then a layer sphagnum, peat and cocoa fiber mixture on top of that. 
the gravel gets rid of the water that gets down to it, while the clay tends to soak it up


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## kinison (Jul 1, 2010)

Yeah they have plenty of leaves,huts, and wood to perch on. It does not seem to bother them. I guess it has just bothered me more than anything. On my next soil change I think I will try a new mixture of different things. Anyone care to share some substrate mixtures that work well with them?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Just make sure you have a air gap between the top of the water in the false bottom and the bottom of the false bottom. This will allow the substrates to drain well and get rid of a lot of that problem. 

Ed


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

I didnt see anyone ask you ... How often do you mist?

I added orchid bark to my soil and that helped drainage ALOT better. I mixed it 1 part soil, 3 parts bark. You can get it at Lowes. (not a mix; its just straight orchid bark) 

... I had that problem at first too, but when i rebuilt my tank i used a false bottom the 2nd time. My soil sits on top of the eggcrate, then spagnum moss, then leaf litter. 

My soil drains much better than it did in the 1st tank and the reason why is bc 

A. I cut down on my misting to once a week (if needed ... less if humidity is still 85% or above; thats the only time i mist)

B. The orchid bark made a BIG difference ...

So i would just say to cut back on the misting if u have a glass top sealed tank, and to add some type of draining material into your soil whether it be orchid bark, charcoal , or anything else the other members suggested.

BTW ... Yes, i would try to have atleast 2-3in of space between the top of the water and the substrate ... evaporation from the water in the bottom has to go somewhere and chances are it adds to the moisture in ur soil also

Good Luck and let me/us know how it works out if u make any changes!

Gamble


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## nhaislip (Mar 28, 2010)

Charcoal and birch fiber work well for me as well. I mix these with the orchid bark, coco fiber or peat, and sphagnum


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