# Wood, WICKING and substrate moisture



## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

Had no idea what else to call this, but this was inspired by DARTFROGFREAK, who pointed out that begonias hate wet feet:

Ever try letting a piece of wood stick out of your water feature? Or letting some creeper creep right into the water feature? Yeah, I know, cool--the moss grows right up the wood, the hydrocotyle frames the pond...

BUT--I and others have found that the wood or plant material acts as a wick, *constantly* drawing water out right into your substrate 

Some plants like it: Mosses, selaginellas, Hydrocotyle, Anubias, Cryptocoryne, Spathiphyllum, etc., even Episcia will tolerate it if grown warm. But a constantly moist or "boggy" substrate is death to begonias, jewel orchids and many bromeliads.

I KNOW, I KNOW: "Create hills and plant those guys higher up...." Um, that does not always work--saturation impedes downward movement of water!
What I have found is that it creates "seasons:" Some plants like Episcia deal with it better in the summer, the "primitives" deal with it better now. 

I have seen pics of this type of moist tank on the Black Jungle website, and I shall run this Q by them as well. I have used lava rocks or "Geo Rocks" and planted small plants on or in these on top of the substrate. This seems to work. 

So, for all you cats with moist/pond/gravel bed tanks, how do you do it?!?


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## BOOSHIFIED (Jun 23, 2009)

i am using Manzanita branches in my terrarium. I have one piece placed vertically in the "pond" in about and inch of water. The branch is about 15 inches in length and the bottom half is always wet.

I had attached a brom to this piece of wood and it eventually rotted. (poor ventilation might have also been a factor which I have taken steps to correct)

It was pretty disappointing because it was the biggest brom in my tank and it acted as my frogs apartment and 3-4 of the 5 would always sleep in it. They have since taken refuge in other broms but it def through of their behavior for a few days.


I say all of this to maybe helped someone in the future so they dont make the same mistake.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

1.-minimize your water feature
2.- use a substrate base like flourite which doesnt absorb h2o and dains very well. 
3.- Keep your water level WELL BELOW your false bottom
4.- Use denser wood that "wicks" less moisture, I have ghostwood in my water feature, as well as siliconed to the false bottom itself and dont have the issues you have. 

You might be blaming your issues on something that is no the real culprit, look at your set up and think about all the other vectors h2o has for infiltrating your substrate. Im pretty doubtful a piece of wood in your water feature s going t super saturate your soil.

Downward flow of water with gravity WILL create drier areas. This is how a water table works


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

Thanks for the replies.

Frogparty:

1) Not if the wood, in this case manzanita is a) saturated and (b) covered w Java Moss that has "decided" to grow up it and into the substrate--it pulls the water with it. You are right about Ghost wood, it is a better choice.

2) Water table: Not once the substrate (2/3 Dendrobedding Coir, 1/3 ABG mix, over LECA stones) is saturated in humid air (air humid enough to allow the Java moss to grow terrestrially.)

This weekend, I actually removed all the aquatic Jave moss, leaving the terrestrial Java moss on its own. It already looks drier, and I do not know if it will live. HOWEVER, the substrate is already airier and less soggy. 

I fear that this will work, but I may have to replace the Java moss with a tropical Dicranum. 

*I still am curious* as to how people grow tropicals in wet (e.g., gravel bed )set-ups. Or do they stick with Java moss, selaginellas, anubias, hydroponic aroids, etc. and simply forgo the begonias and jewel orchids?


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

Booshified:

I agree about manzanita in wet tanks!


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

FrogParty:

Let me reiterate, I do not think the manzanita is the only wick. Oh no, the Java moss, selaginella, Pellionia are busy little engineers, they are...

It looks cool, but it is simply too wet for some other plants (and animals!)


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