Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have 2 Firebelly toads in a 10 gallon... I have it setup to where there is a beach taking up about 1/4 of the tank, and the rest is water, starting shallow then going to about 3 1/2 inches of water.
My question is about water changes. I have a Duetto 50 Filter running and the water is looking crystal clear after about 2 weeks (i've only had these toads for 2 weeks). Anyways, the water level is down about 1/4 of the way, and I was thinking about just putting the water level back up with store boughten spring water ever week, and then the 4th week doing a complete water change. Would this be the right way of keeping the water ok for em?

Thanks

Here is the ideal situation...
you would use a test kit for ammonia to monitor to the levels, this simple procedure alone will tell you exactly when water exchange is need to be performed.

Otherwise, you would do a 25 percent water exchange every week when you clean your filter. You should only do a full water exchange when the tank needs to be completely broken down and cleaned.

Simply put, water exchanges ultimately stress the animals, if it were not for ammonia, you shouldn't have to do them at all!

Also, just because it is store bought water does not mean that it is safe. Check the label, even Springwater will have a statement to the effect, bottled from a municipal source, that means it is chlorinated and no better than your own water. It is cheaper and environmentally safer to treat your own tap water, assuming it is drinkable at all.

I have enclosed a link to lessons on water quality, read through it all, 75 percent of that web site applies to you and keeping of your frogs.
click here for the link

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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes (Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink', 1991)

Hey dude. I think that if your water is looking clean and not dirty then it is all good. Maybe though, if you are feeling restless and bored with the lack of work, you could suction the gravel just in case there is any left over cricket parts floating around still. If you don't know how to do it, you can buy this thing that, well, frankly looks like a penis enlarger. You can get it at your hometown WalMart. My husband uses a drill to work the pump that attaches to this suction thingy but you can buy a pump that just plugs into the wall. I hope I haven't just confused you further in all this! Basically.... If your frogs are happy then you are doing things right!

"I think that if your water is looking clean and not dirty then it is all good."

It is quite obvious that you do not know a lot about water chemistry. ANYBODY, and I do mean ANYBODY who has any experience with aquariums will tell you that how the water looks has nothing to do with how good the water quality is. Suggesting this to people on this forum is dangerous. Ammonia is the primary waste products from amphibians and from the breakdown of organic wastes. A bottle of ammonia will look exactly like a bottle of clean water. It also happens to be extremely toxic as you can imagine. Please do not offer poor advice on subjects they can easily resulted in the death of an animal. For the benefit of the firebelly toads that you have, I strongly recommend reading over the web site I provided a link for in the post below.

PS- water exchanges and gravel cleaning are a absolute NECCESSITY to keeping aquariums. They shouldn't just be done when you're bored.
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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes (Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink', 1991)

Allright, where do I start. I was quite disturbed by your message to me. I was trying to help someone out and you dumped all over me.
First of all I know enough about aquarium care to know that you have to clean it often. I was not telling the person that they don't have to. I clean mine once a week, do a COMPLETE clean and also wash the gravel with my suction thing.
Second of all, I guess I forgot to take into consideration the fact that I am from a different region than wherever you are from.
I live in Northern Canada where you could drink out of a lake and it would be safer than safe. No one up here ever needs to test their water because it is very natural...more natural than pure spring water most people think.
So don't get into a hissy telling me that my opinion is wrong because I did not tell this person to NOT clean their tank. I told them basically to use their own judgement.
My toads are healthy, active and thriving in a 40 gallon tank corner unit with a waterfall, logs, plants and much more.
How DARE I!!!

"I think that if your water is looking clean and not dirty then it is all good." "So don't get into a hissy telling me that my opinion is wrong"

This statement is indeed, completely inaccurate. If it were not for this sentence I would not have posted. If people were to take your advice literally, you could very easily wind up killing amphibians. You also made it very clear that water exchanges and gravel cleaning can be done as an afterthought. Although I despise the common over sensitivities to actions and people's statements made on the fly, I take seriously advice given on these forums that are obviously incorrect.
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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes (Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink', 1991)

You took the original message that I posted and totally blew it out of proportion. What I said is accurate. Fire Belly Toads are actually a really easy animal to tend to because they don't need to be walked four times a day like other animals. If you are so worried about this, why don't you get off your computer and clean out your tank. Since I already did mine this afternoon I have free time but you seem soooo upset and disturbed by my horrible comments that you are now abandoning your poor little toadies....poor things....
If you can't accept someone trying to be helpful on this forum then maybe you should not be on it since you can't control your emotions...
Besides, you could've replied stating the way that YOU tend to your tank (which gauranteed is no different than how I do it) instead of acting like a child and not understanding my friendliness and helpfulness to this person in need of understanding how the whole cleaning thing works. So just give it up now children...

PS-read my email again and you will see that I was not promoting a dirty tank I was simply exagerating on the fact that it is very easy to do. The person stated that she had a filter so that is why I never told her to get one. Stop harassing me now...

Amphibians produce a highly concentrated ammonia waste product that very quickly contaminate the water. To make matters worse, the absorb many of the impurities of water through their skin. While a filter is adequate at removing particulate matter (floating stuff) unless you have a skimmer you are not going to be able to remove the ammonia from the water without chemically treating it or changing it. Again, amphibians absorb things through their skin, so chemical treatments are not really an option. You will need to change the water frequently. I have many aquatic amphibians and reptiles and I use the same method on all of them. I take tap water condition it wiht a chlorine/cloramine remover to clean it up. I then let the water sit for at least a day before I put it in my vivarium. Remember firebellies are not purely aquatic. My firebelly tank is only 20% water, there is a moist gradient of about 30% than the remaining 50% is dry land. I hope this helps, enjoy your little ones, they are fun to watch.