Bioactive substrate (BAS) Natural viv - a why and “how-to” guide.

Hopefully these pics will help you while your search for supplies.

Gravel (pet/aquarium supply shops-wash it well),
Peat bricks (pet shop),
ready to use peat and potting soil (garden centre),
play sand, PVC pipe (home depot),
plants: garden centre, home depot, etc.

Now from what I gathered, Tracy you use a UTH in conjunction with a UV light. Now is the UV light a stripe light or it an actual bulb... The only reason why I am asking is I didn't realize UV produced heat, if any. If your using a bulb, is it a mercury vapor bulb or just a halogen light bulb?

1. Cleaning
Clean with soapy water and then rinse really well your tall tank and the rubbermaid tub you'll mix the BAS soil in.

2. Expand your peat mixture
expand your 2 peat bricks with warm water as per the package directions. Don't over-soak it but rather, add water as needed. This will take about 3 hours of coming back to check, add more water, and stir it.

When done, divide in half, (1/2 for middle PEAT Layer, 1/2 to add to soil). If you buy ready to use peat, get a 20 litre bag and moisten it so that it clumps but then crumbles. Set aside.

3. Mix your BAS substrate soil mixture.
This will give you a lot but you'll need left overs for replenishing.

In a large, deep rubbermaid container mix well:
- potting soil - 20 liters
- coco peat/eco earth brand is fine - 1 brick or 10 litres.
- PLAY sand - 2 liters.
- volcanic rock (for drainage)- 2 handfuls. (Perlite, calcined clay or natural kitty litter clay with no additives). Not needed if your soil has it already.
- small fish tank gravel - 2 handfuls

4. Place BOTTOM gravel layer:
-Cover the bottom of the tank with medium or large gravel, (enough to cover the bottom of the tank in about a 1” layer)
- smooth this layer out so it is level

5. Place MIDDLE peat layer:
- add 2" of straight moistened peat on top of the gravel.
- smooth this layer out so it is level

6. Place TOP BAS soil layer:
- Put 3-4" of BAS soil mixture on top of the peat layer. You'll need to account for the settling which will take place over the next week and the packing of soil in hills and/or around plants so be generous and add more like 4-5".

- While landscaping you can remove some soil if there is too much as you go along.

COMING NEXT:
Putting it all together Part 2: Experimental dry run of Landscaping and decor fixtures.

Originally Posted by Green Bean

Now from what I gathered, Tracy you use a UTH in conjunction with a UV light. Now is the UV light a stripe light or it an actual bulb... The only reason why I am asking is I didn't realize UV produced heat, if any. If your using a bulb, is it a mercury vapor bulb or just a halogen light bulb?

Hi Green Bean. The light is a tube/strip light. I got it from Home Depot, not a pet shop. I was surprised too that it let off heat. The light says it's for the right spectrum for "indoor plants and fresh water fish". It DOES, indeed, say it contains mercury. However, the mercury vapour bulb I use with my bearded dragons, the UVB light, gives of little heat, if any.

This is curious to me as well. I shall investigate this one further.

Also, when I do the lighting section, I will take a picture of the tube and the packaging it came in and post it here.
Thanks!

Originally Posted by kathylove

It's great to see somebody trying something relatively new and exciting, and coming back to report on the results. Philippe has always been "before his time", so it is nice to see that some of us are beginning to catch up to him...
I am still mired in the plastic box syndrome, but yearn for the time (hopefully a couple of years from now) when I will start setting up a lot of corns outdoors in similar setups to my Amazon tree boas.

Thanks Kathy : ) In defense of other breeders and those with large collections or limited space, I would do the rack thing too if i had as many snakes as you guys. When Blake sends me those hatchlings from you, they will be housed in plastic boxes for the first 6-9 months.

I have a small collection but can see how the addiction will take over my house soon enough! Gonna have to get really creative and wise with my space!

Before even planning or trying a dry run of where you are going to place your components, there's many points to consider first. The book does a great job of expanding on these points.

- VARIETY/CHOICES OF SIZES of MATERIALS: collect more rocks, branches, dishes than you need because your "plan" and the real finished product will not even be close. If the rock you first choose is not suitable for whatever reason, others are there for you to choose from. It's kinda like putting a puzzle together and when some pieces don't fit you'll need others to choose from.

Plants: You're going to have to get strong, sturdy, disease and bug free, non toxic plants that do well in low light and a semi-moist environment. Ensure plants are free from bugs. But them first and observe. Toss sick ones. As snake gets heavier, he'll either crush plants or realize they won't support him. You'll need to make adjustments every 6 months or so and prune over-growth.

While planning consider:
- size of your tank, allowing room for snake to grow
- open yet sheltered areas for snake to rest.
- temperature zones
- viewing: don't obstruct your own view. Put tall stuff and hills at the back.
- ease of removing hide or snake
- leaving 2/3 open floor space for colonization.
- ease of watering and stirring BAS soil mixture
- various kinds of surfaces for a variety of organisms to colonize
- watering: ease and spots for, anchoring and hiding the PVC tube.
- valleys for cool temps/security and hills for variety and a place to plant the plants in
- creating moist and dry zones for snake
- places for snake to hide, cruise, feed, drink, climb, shed/rub against, get moisture from
- securing all components to make sure they don't crush snake if toppled
- ease of adjusting your viv to the snakes needs
- placement of temp probes, gauges, etc., and how/where to hide them (behind attractive natural items).
- having the ability to view 3 sides of the viv and BAS soil through glass
- ways to increase surface area for snake to live on via raised slabs "shelves", big leaves, branches, etc.
- feeding
- attractive backgrounds. (I haven't figured mine out yet.)

These diagrams (below) of my setup may help inform your planning and final product. I did a few drawings and then when I was out and about I picked up supplies, rocks, branches over a month or so. This stage was really fun as the discovery of things to put in the viv was like winning the lottery!

I played around with my rocks, hides, branches etc., on the floor of my living room to see how well they stacked and worked together. Then, after sterilizing everything, I did a dry run inside the viv (on top of the soil) to figure out actual placement of all components, added and removed hills in the soil, switched location of plants, etc.

I ended up discarding many ideas and my drawings were not indicative of the actual finished product so don't get discouraged. You'll figure it our as you go.

Coming next: Landscaping do's and don'ts and design rules for achieving a viv with visual impact.

I liked Phillipe's book, myself, and used his principals to design my treefrog viv. I honestly don't have enough space to use a 55 for my corn, and to get any plants in there that would have a chance of holding an eventual adult corn, I'd need the larger tank.

But here is a pic of my treefrog viv. The ideas in Phillipe's book can easily be applied to other species.

Originally Posted by Hypancistrus

I liked Phillipe's book, myself, and used his principals to design my treefrog viv...
...But here is a pic of my treefrog viv. The ideas in Phillipe's book can easily be applied to other species.

Sweet! Looks like a happy place to be.

How long have you had this frog viv going?
I'm assuming it is a high humidity environment. If so, what %?

Can you please comment on exactly what light you are using, watts, kind, brand, etc., which plants you find are doing well under those lights and which ones are wilting under these lighting conditions?

I for one would find it most helpfula dn I think the folks here would too.

Thanks for posting.

Close-ups?

T : )

Can we permanently bump this? Mods?

Maybe it could be turned into an FAQ about vivs and bioactive substrates?