Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm looking into making a vivarium out of my 72g fish tank. One question I have is why do people put false bottoms into their vivariums? Is it necessary?

I've been looking at some of the sites people posted here and their pics of tank construction and been getting lots of great ideas but no site says why you do a false bottom.

I've also wondered. Would a fogger be good enough for the tank or would I need a misting system?

Thanks,
Heather
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Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first and the lesson after.

Hs Kritter Kove

I personally don't like the false bottom setups, just from how they look, unless you hide them. I have used gravel in my tanks and like the look of it. It does get heavy though. I think I have 75lbs of gravel in my 29gal. As for being necessary, it is best to use something, either false bottom, gravel, leca, or something else to keep the dirt from being totally saturated.

Most agree that the internal foggers can be harmful to the frogs. Some people are using cool mist humidifiers with great success. I personally hand mist my tanks, but the next one will get a humidifier.
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Kyle
www.kylesphotos.com
D. leucomelas
D. azureus

I like false bottoms because of the incredible ease of draining excess water. All of our tanks are set up on false bottoms with holes tapped for drainige. I would never go back to strait gravel.

I personally don't like the false-bottom method. I think it's hideous. I instead employ the use of CoCo liner for the bottom. These liners are sold at the Home Depot.

-cobaltblue

In the long run, false bottoms are the way to go. Properly constructed they allow for easy maintenance (water drainage)and healthier plants. False bottoms need not be ugly - if properly constructed no one will even know it is there.
Most of us who have kept frogs for several years have tried going without a false bottoms but, no matter what material you use instead(rock, Lyca, lava rock, ...) it will wick water upward. This usually leads to substrate decomposition, spindly plants, rotting roots etc. Also the substrate eventually works its way into the bottom material which winds up defeating the whole purpose(not to mention a nasty mess).
With the false bottom water can be kept completely away from the substrate and can easily be siphoned/drained to remove excess water and sediment.
Without the bottom you'll usually wind up tearing everything out and redoing it within a couple of years. False bottom setups allow your vivarium to run smoothly for many years without tearing everything out.
There is alot of people out there that don't run false bottoms and make it work, but most usually convert after they realize that the extra effort of of installing a bottom is much easier than tearing up a tank and redoing it.
There are alot of other pros and cons ... but I'll get off my stump now.

Donn

the way a false bottom works is the excess water is drained to te bottom. if some sort of draining is used the soil will become saturated and more then likely kill the frogs.
"Make sure to use some type of gravel on the bottom for drainage. If you don't then you stand a 99% chance the darts will die." - Quality Captives

the way i see false bottoms. they are the easiest drainage methods available! you can set it up so all you have to do is empty a bucket! i guess you can do the same with gravel but eventually the water would work its way up to the soil making it completly saturated and probibly killing the plants and/or frogs.

my personal opinion on false bottoms is this: they dont look all that greatbut they do what they are designed to do, they work, they are cheap, and very light. if dont right no maintinance should have to be done.

i have seen those clay pellets used but they are much more exepsive and you have to pay extra for shipping, and dont they have to be replaced after a year or two?

aj
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Click Here to See My Dart Tank In The Making UPDATED 6.15.03 SPOILER! Still Needs Moss View At Your Own Risk

kungfu28181: My god. You are insane. -Mon Jun 30 21:41:05

I completely agree with Donn. I've had two gravel bottoms for a while now and I'm currently constructing a new viv. I decided to make this one a false bottom because of all the reasons Donn described before. Now I'm planning on tearing down the other gravel bottoms and making them false bottoms. As said before, if done correctly, one can't even tell the difference between gravel bottoms and FB's
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Randy
Lawrence, Kansas
1.1 Azureus
1.1 Cobalt
1.1 Fantasticus
2.2 Bastimentos Pumilio