Best Drainage Layer Substrates/Brands/Prices?

All Reptiles
1

I have had trouble finding some reasonably priced drainage for vivariums lately. I would like to go with a Matala layer like depicted in this video because clay balls are apparently very expensive. I will need them in large amounts (36"W*18"L) of floor space. The BioDude would be my go-to for this, but for the desired size and for 1.5" of drainage, I would easily be dropping another $75+ not including shipping (usually another $15+).

Any help? What do you use? I would like it to be light if possible. Thanks!

2

I’m not sure how deep you need it (just over 10l for every inch deep). If you use 2.5" then you only need about 25 liters. I use Mother Earth Hydroton. 25l is only $25 and it’s cheaper in bulk (I believe they sell a 50l bag for much less than $1/L). I’m not sure what clay balls you’re referring to but these ones are very inexpensive (compared to other options). I’ve also found that to save money on bioactives you can use screen as a drainage barrier (if you need a lot). This is what I’ve gotten in the past but you might want to use this. Of course I have to ask, what are you putting in this? If I had the space and money I would love to get a tank that size for Ranitomeya fantastica. What are you planning to use for substrate? Do you buy it premade or make it yourself?

1 Like
3

I was actually planning on doing an experiment with my Leopard Gecko bio vivarium. :crazy_face: I am using 3/4 BioDude’s TerraSahara and 1/4 peat moss/coco coir mix. The low humidity doesn’t hold moisture very well which caused some die-offs of isopods in the past. I have P. scaber and P. laevis as a CUC.

It is hard to keep the moisture in lower layers of the substrate moist while keeping the top layer dry and low humidity while supporting the Microfauna in a leo vivarium, so I am trying to find other ways :slight_smile:

Otherwise, depending on the circumstances and how I feel that day, I may move a communal Costa Rican auratus setup into the tank, but I would have to get more because I only have two currently. :slight_smile:

I would like to learn how to make some good bioactive substrate, but not sure where to start, what is essential, what to avoid, etc. so I just leave it to the pros for now :joy:

Yep, I got super lucky with this enclosure. I would never pay full price, but somehow there was a person on a local classifieds marketplace (KSL Classifieds) who had a ball python in it, but wanted to build a custom viv for it. They were getting rid of a 36W"*18L"*18H" front opening for $60 :no_mouth: I swooped in and contacted him within 10 minutes of the listing :joy: and picked it up withing 30.

1 Like
4

Those are awesome, if I get more dart frogs this will likely be the next species I’ll get.

I use atlanta botanical gardens substrate mix since it’s great for plants. I use this recipe for it. I just use eco-earth instead of peat moss.

That’s amazing! There’s so many possibilities with something like that.

2 Likes
5

Yep, they are definitely a joy to keep! They are sorta the stereotype “Dart Frog” everyone thinks of so it is super cool for them to see them in person. :slight_smile: Next ones hopefully will be D. tinctorius for me! I just love how they look :slight_smile:

Thank you so much! I will definitely be integrating this into my setups in the future!

Yep! It has been sitting in my room with the setup plans for almost a year, but I decided to take charge and get going on it this last month. I also have multiple 24*18 that I will be setting up and selling that I bought all for $50 each :joy:

1 Like
6

Those are actually what I have now! I have the ‘azureus’.

How did that happen? I wish I could find those sales. :rofl:

2 Likes
7

Yep, I don’t think you have it where you are located, but in UT, ID, and WY we have an online marketplace called KSL Classifieds. I sell all the things I produce on there, and there is lots of second-hand stuff for great prices like the FB marketplace. I am addicted to finding deals and not missing out on sales, so I have, like 30 saved searches I get emails for :joy:

I won’t lie, 50% of them are things like “isopds” or “terarrium” and “rowchez” to make sure I don’t miss any that were spelled incorrectly :joy:

2 Likes
8

That’s how you get them, because if they spell it wrong, they probably don’t know the actual value :crazy_face:

2 Likes
9

I just checked Craigslist and I found 2 boas and 2 36x18x18 tanks for 700. They’re selling the boas for 500. If the boas sell and the tanks don’t that means $100 for a 36x18x18. :grin:

2 Likes
10

FACTS

You should ask if you can purchase the tanks and leave them with the boas :joy:

1 Like
11

The boas can sleep in the bed for a few days, right. :rofl:

2 Likes
12

Yep they will get your logic just ask lol

Then, you can ask if they will take 600 for the boas instead of 500 then that leaves $50 for each enclosure. Simple common sense.

FACTS

I tried to do that a year ago, but I think their phone broke because I still haven’t hear back from them… :crazy_face: :joy:

1 Like
13

Why not just ask for 700 for the boas, they can give me the tanks for free. :rofl: You should try contacting them a few more times, just in case the message didn’t go through. :rofl:

1 Like
14

Yeah, I did. I tried spamming, but to no avail. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: Sadly I won’t be getting any free Exo Terras any time soon…

1 Like
15

Well, you’re going to have to find someone else and see if they have a working phone. :laughing:

1 Like
16

Yep. If only I had waited until they gave me their address for pickup so I could go there every day and ask over and over :crazy_face:

Broken phone? Well you better break your door so you can’t answer it when I come over :joy:

1 Like
17

That might have gotten a little too creepy, but anyways… :joy:

1 Like
18

Well that’s interesting. :rofl: You seem to have that planned out a bit too well. :sweat_smile:

1 Like
19

I love deals too!

2 Likes
20

Ikea sells bags of the clay balls for fairly cheap. ODLA Growing media, clay pellets - IKEA The Lava rocks they use for landscaping/grilling is also an option. You might need to crush it into smaller pieces, but it should do the job.

2 Likes