New and need some help!

[Christopherus]

okay, so i am pretty new at this i've been doing research for weeks now and i am trying to sketch out the basic idea of what my viv is going to look like. i am going to buy an exo-terra for the vivarium enclosure. i've gotten some help already just to get ideas for how to construct a waterfall and such but i am still in some need of help. my first question is, can i use the repti-flo 200 for a water pump to power my waterfall or do i need to buy a different pump? Also i've got a questions about plants, i know that to get them in the walls you basically just GS foam some planting pots in the walls. But do these pots need some kind of draining system? maybe like a tube from the bottom of the pot down into the drainage layer bellow the substrate? or how exactly? confusion.... and i've got one more question, how do you get moss to grow up the background? Does the coco-fiber that you put on the silicon act as a suitable substrate for it to grow on and it eventually just clings to it and grows? any explanations or answers at all would help me allot and id greatly appreciate it! Thank you!

[Christopherus]

Sorry, i just came upon a few more questions that have me a little uneasy. But for my substrate i was planning on having a 3" to 4" gravel drainage layer, followed by 2 sheets of fiberglass window mesh, about 1" of sphagnum moss, then about 1 to 2" inches of coco fiber as the growth substrate.. but now i am reading that this can cause some serious problems with drainage because the coco fiber holds moisture to well. Is this true or is it okay to go ahead and use this... if it is true what else should i use ontop of my layers? Also what is the best brand of silicon to get? i don't want to buy the wrong stuff. And last but not least, what are the best exo-terra brand lights to get to keep growth and health of the plants up but also not harm the dart frogs in the process. Thanks again!

[Nubster]

For my substrate I made my own mix that contains coco fiber, sphagnum and peat mix, and orchid bark. I mixed it all up and I have about a 3-4" layer on top of the screen and egg crate. So far my plants are doing great. The substrate drains well but also holds moisture. You want it to be able to stay moist and not dry out between mistings but to be able to drain so that it does not turn in to mud.

As far as lights, I am using fluorescent shop light fixtures with T8 bulbs. Mine are 48" lights and I have four 32 watt bulbs and things are going great so far. Make sure that what ever lights you do get are in the 6500k or 6700k spectrum.

[Vivarium Concepts]

Hi Christopherus,
welcome to the forum.

What size Exo Terra are you working on?

[Christopherus]

hi, thanks! well im prolly going to get an 18x18x24. i want a larger one but thats the largest they have in the area..

[Christopherus]

also thanks nubster for the input will definitely take that into consideration