What not to do?

[Alicewave]

There seems to be lots of different ways to set up natural enclosures. Can you experienced people put up any of the big no-nos. What not to do. Like I know you can't use certain fertilizers if any with herps. Are there any toxic plants? Anything like that so if we want to get in to this disaster doesn't happen from the start.

[Dilshad]

You don't need fertilizer at all. Not only can it build up in a closed system to create biological and chemical imbalances, certain types may harm the inhabitants, which do all the fertilizing you need, anyway.

Many plants are toxic, but it depends on the application. Philodendron ssp. and Dieffenbachia both contain Calcium oxalate crystals, which create all kinds of nasty symptoms if ingested, along with lesser effects from other toxins...enzymes and the like. But both of these are regularly used for dart frogs.

You shouldn't underestimate the lighting you'll need, even for "low-light" plants...and do yourself a favour, don't use tap water.

Even dechlorinated tap water will leave an unsightly mineral film on broad-leafed plants, as well as spotting your glass something awful in no time. I use steamed distilled water from the supermarket, some people use RO water or rainwater (never from an eavestrough!).

Some mosses are sensitive to water quality and sodium, and get destroyed by tap water in no time.

Probably the best thing to do is figure out what you're building and what you're housing in it first, then go step by step.

Another thing is, you should probably give yourself plenty of drainage...either by using a drilled tank or by creating a false bottom of some sort...especially when you're starting out, it's easy to flood the tank...particularly if it's smaller. If I don't have a drilled tank, I like to build a "sewer" or "storm drain" into it, for ease of maintenance. Lots and lots of ways to handle all that.

Mark Pepper probably has his own input on this...he's doing it differently I think, mimicking the nutrient poor, hard-packed soil of the rainforest with clay kitty litter, and probably not worrying so much about drainage...

[Mark Pepper]

Dilshads post was pretty comprehensive, so i wont add too much.

Dont be afraid to experiment with different soil mixes, plants, drainage system etc, its the best way to learn is through you own mistakes
Dont get discouraged if your fist attemt doesnt look like Dilshads, none of mine have ever looked that nice, and ive been doing this extensively for over five years.
When I first started all of my tanks were simple, and many still are, they are geared with the needs of the frogs first, and plants were secondary. Now im trying to balance things out. After a couple trips to the rainforest, and seeing the diversity of planlife first hand I have come to love the plants nearly as much as the frogs, and this has led to the desire to create a system where the needs of both can be met so that they both thrive. Im still learning alot and always experimenting with new plants and lights, I will be getting my first compact flourescent lights this week, hopefuly they will give me lighting I am truly happy with.

I have always used kitty litter as a base upon which i lay a soil mix onto, lately as Dilshad mentioned I have been experimenting with just kitty litter, cover with leaf litter and moss. As far as i can tell the plant growth is good, I think that the decaying leaves frog poop etc provides enough nutrients for this. Also I should mention that I use 100%clay kitty litter, unscented.

this has turned into a rather lenghty post which i had not inted, so i will end with saying, dont get discouraged, because no matter how many plants you kill (if you even kill any) in the process, I dont think anyone has killed more orchids, or rotted out more bromeliads than I have, I must be a slow learner as im only now getting th hang of it.

good luck!

[Dilshad]

I dont think anyone has killed more orchids, or rotted out more bromeliads than I have

LOL...Mark, I beg to differ. I've only killed one orchid, because I was too scared to try too many at once, but I've rotted bromeliads, drowned philodendrons, dessicated selaginellas, deformed bird's nest ferns, waterlogged sanseveirias, wilted lipstick vines, and liquefied tropical pitchers, to name a few.

In the beginning they would give plants their last meals at the nursery before I bought them!

But yeah, definitely don't get discouraged. I've built and wrecked or for whatever reason torn down many a tank, and that's easily half the fun.