I'm getting ready to begin construction on a false bottom vivarium soon and have a question about waterfalls/pumps/water supply. I've seen beautiful examples of vivariums online and would like to include a small, shallow waterfall in my tank. From past experiences with waterfalls, I know that filters on pumps getting clogged and needing service can be an issue. My question is, how are waterfalls usually constructed in poison dart frog enclosures? If the pump is under the false bottom, it would seem you could never get to it. Are people using pre-drilled tanks and housing the pump below?
Any help would be appreciated!
Jason
drilling the tank and using a sump is popular. a simpler option i've seen but not tried is to make a housing out of a piece of tupperware. cut slots for waterflow and holes for cord/tube to pass through. a piece is cut out of the eggcrate(or whatever you use to make the false bottom) which the tupperware fits down into. when the lid is replaced on the tupperware, moss is placed on top to hide the tupperware... i hope that this makes sense to you.
I do what Mack has described. I have had one viv up for about 6 years and have never had a problem with the pump clogging. I have only cleaned it once.
Mike
Thanks Mack!
I'll definitely keep this in mind.. i was enviosoning the pump clogging up and having to rip apart my entire vivarium to get to it...
I'd like to have a predrilled tank, but the cheaper and easier-to-find option is to get a regular tank and do it your way!
Thank you!
Thank you, DartFrog! That is very encouraging! I had a tank before with fire bellied toads and newts, etc... and the pump was always clogging with junk, but i was young then and didn't exactly know what i was doing! Too much feeding and inadequate filtration... I learned my lesson!