General Questions

[nakabaka]

danybgoode I didn't say it is WRONG, I said it WASN'T OUTDATED. I still wouldn't trust it, personally. Do what you will, but don't attack someone just because they don't agree with you. That's childish.

I know what you are referring to as bioactive substrate. The one I commonly use in many lizard tanks is referred to as ABG mix, and NO, I wouldn't put a beardie in that. In order for it to work at its best, it HAS to have larger clumps. Even so, I still wouldn't put anything that it might possibly ingest in there. And as I said, to each their own, though. ABG is downright awesome for stuff like frogs, geckos and anoles, though.

[dannybgoode]

Looking at abg substrate I wouldn't use it for a lizard but I would (and do) mix my own using soil, sand and gravel. Nor does abg look to be bioactive as such but it could be turned into it.

You need to chuck in the clean up crew (woodlice, springtails, a nice chunk of routing wood from the forest full of all kinds of organisms, meal worms etc) to make it bio.

Bioactive isn't the Kuroiwae per se. It's all the critters that get chucked in to help keep the place spick and span that's the magic. Never have to clean your viv again or change the substrate. You have your own mini ecosystem.

Oh and some plants if you like. Alfalfa works really well with beardeds. Some succulents are going in with some grass with my lepidus.

[nakabaka]

Yes, it DOES start off pretty sterile (as I guess you'd put it), but that is the beauty of it! You can tailor it exactly to your needs. More peat or spaghnum if you need more humidity, more fern fiber and bark if you need more structure, more of a specific organism if you need that. And no, it is definitely NOT for certain things. I love it for arboreal stuff, as they rarely are on the ground to get harmed by the sticks and whatnot, but I've never had ANY issues with maintaining very high humidity levels for certain species that need it (such as 75-85, maybe 90%), nor have I had any issues with having to add any "bio critters", as I guess you call them (I know it as "microfauna"). Ok, so maybe terminology is what hung me up on the whole putting a beardie, specifically, in with "bio substrate." I still wouldn't personally. But again, to each their own.

I never did like top soil for this sort of thing (I'd imagine that's what you mean by "dirt"), it always gets bogged down easy and bleeds into the drainage layer, in my experience. Component substrates such as ABG can get moisture throughout without being bogged down. And depending on the type of material you use in the drainage layer (such as expanded clay), it can wick that moisture back up from below, helping keep it moist throughout the substrate without it becoming swampy.

However, in this kind of sub, you DO need to change it every 6 months or so, but totally worth it in my opinion. The parts that give it structure tend to break down. The structure gives it those extra pockets for beneficial bacteria to grow, moisture pockets to form, and air to get down into the substrate for plants roots. Only reason you'd use this is if you're planting a viv, which is the best kind of viv for many species. I absolutely love ABG because of its versatility.

[dannybgoode]

Originally Posted by nakabaka

Yes, but that is the beauty of it! You can tailor it exactly to your needs. More peat or spaghnum if you need more humidity, more fern fiber and bark if you need more structure, more of a specific organism if you need that. And yes, it is definitely for certain things. I love it for arboreal stuff, as they rarely are on the ground to get harmed by the sticks and whatnot, but I've never had ANY issues with very high humidity levels for certain species that need it, not have I had any issues with having to add any "bio critters", as I guess you call them (I know it as "microfauna"). Ok, so maybe terminology is what hung me up on the whole putting a beardie specifically in "bio substrate." I still wouldn't personally. But again, to each their own.

I never did like top soil for this sort of thing (I'd imagine that's what you mean by "dirt"), it always gets bogged down easy and bleeds into the drainage layer, in my opinion.

However, in this kind of sub, you DO need to change it ever 6 months or so. The parts that give it structure tend to break down. The structure gives it those extra pockets for beneficial bacteria to grow, moisture pockets to form, and air to get down into the substrate for plants roots. Only reason you'd use this is if you're planting a viv, which is the best kind of viv for many species. I absolutely love ABG because of its versatility.

Again - it depends on the substrate as to whether it needs replacing. I would never replace a mature dirt / sand mixture because it is exactly that - a mature ecosystem. It takes a few months to get it mature and fully working so you'd just be chucking away all the hard work and starting again. Ask some of the Savannah monitor keepers on here when they last changed their substrate!

The worms and bugs keep it aerated and it doe snot break down in the way say ABG would that has a much higher vegetative content. Sand and dirt do not break down much further than they already are and for lizards the whole thing is kept reasonably dry (30-40% humidity under the top layer and very dry at the surface.

[nakabaka]

I've had a Nile, and I used top soil only because it was more cost effective. I never put worms or anything in there, I spot cleaned, I replaced every couple weeks, and I never had an issue. AND I had turned a bedroom into a habitat for her. So as far as monitors are concerned, I guess they're going to the extreme. My mentioning ABG was just an example of what I know as a bio substrate. Might check into what you're talking about though, as I am considering firing up another anole tank. The stuff you're talking about sounds much like a marine tank, so to speak. I still like the idea of soil having structure, though.

[dannybgoode]

Originally Posted by nakabaka

I've had a Nile, and I used top soil only because it was more cost effective. I never put worms or anything in there, I spot cleaned, I replaced every couple weeks, and I never had an issue. AND I had turned a bedroom into a habitat for her. So as far as monitors are concerned, I guess they're going to the extreme. My mentioning ABG was just an example of what I know as a bio substrate. Might check into what you're talking about though, as I am considering firing up another anole tank. The stuff you're talking about sounds much like a marine tank, so to speak. I still like the idea of soil having structure, though.

The marine tank is a good analogy yes. It is a complete living ecosystem. Look on the varanid forum for some ideas on the whole concept.

The soil has structure so to speak as there is gravel in there as well as sand and then with the bugs (and lizard in my case) tunnelling and the plant roots it all works very well.

A bedroom is a good way to go with a Nile but given that for Savannah's now for example the thining is a good 2' of substrate so they can burrow properly changing a couple of tons of substrate every month would be a significant undertaking!

[nakabaka]

Ya, I don't know much about sav's. My nile needed quite a bit, with a large child's pool at the least. Had to reinforce it from below in the basement. Was a bit of a renovation project in itself but was fun. She had full run of the house, usually found her basking on the sofa (which was in direct sunlight) in preference to her basking lamps. Vet checkups always came back in the clear for d3 and calcium levels and such, so I didn't worry too much about heat as she did always bask in there after a meal. I'd LOVE to get a blue tree monitor, those are beautiful.

Anyway, ya, I'll check that out then given the analogy, for my own upcoming uses.

[nakabaka]

Question though, with that type of setup. And here is why I've preferred ABG over anything else, given I need to replace it for structure, anyway. My anole tanks, frog tanks, etc.. have always ended up going low on stuff like springtails and other stuff that I put in there, because, well, they become food for the animals I kept. I've had to replace them along way anyway. So, does the way you set it up create a surplus of these things, or do you replace along the way too, or what?

[dannybgoode]

I replace them from time to time but I've also introduced some microorganisms. I picked a suitable chunk of rotting wood from the local forest and chucked that it.

Introduced all manner of interesting beasties that are far too small to become food. Next time I see a dropping with these tiny white organisms all over it I'll post a picture.

This is why the substrate has to mature and get the micro stuff in there as well as the bigger creatures.

Plants will go in mine at the weekend to finish it off. Plants are a little more difficult with a bearded as they eat them but as I say alfalfa is a good choice.

You have much more choice with an insect only lizard.

[nakabaka]

Ya, I wouldn't put plants in given how fast a beardie will chomp on them. Just never had any luck with keeping plants THERE with them, lol.