Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am building a 29 gallon vivarium. The focus of it is going to be epiphytes plants. I plan on useing 4 or 5 broms, an ant plant, a couple of creepers, some of those really cool upside down tropical cati, a epiphyte orcid, and a fren or two. I am going to put a background on the back and both of the sides.(So I have the max space for epiphytes.) I am haveing a hard time makeing up my mind on what type of background to use. Should I use cork? (very expensive for size of tank I am useing.) Or should I use a Coco background? (very cheap) I would like to know what you guys think about these backgrounds? What are the pros and cons? How cheesewiz does the Coco look? Witch makes a better growing medium for my plants? If I go with cork I am going to use smaller pieces of cork to add depth by creating cliffs and the like. Would it look tacky if I used Coco background and use smaller pieces of cork to make cliffs?
Also I want to use as little substrate as possible. I am going to plant 3 or 4 diffrent groundcovers and a creeping ficus. How little substrate can get away with without it becoming a swampy mess?
Thanks
Scott

I like cork bark attached over some cocoanut fiber matting Siliconed to the back and any sides you may use, then stuff in some brown sphagnum moss behind the cork bark curls. Peg your epiphytes into the cracks, then run the system for a month or two before you introduce frogs. You don't need a lot of substrate, but you do need a good drainage/sump option. There are a hundred or more ways that work, from false bottoms of various plans, waterfalls, pools, to simply providing a 3 inch drainage area. You can get cork bark relatively cheap in bulk from
Link

-----
Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
5 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
4 P. terribilis
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus