Can I Use Pebbles in a Bioactive Enclosure?

[Sohki]

I've been researching bioactive enclosures, because I want to put my T. stirmi in one. In most of the articles and videos that I've read/watched, people recommend using clay balls as the bottom layer... does it have to be clay specifically? Could I use these pebbles instead, underneath the mesh?
Thanks!!

 

[viper69]

Clay balls work very well for other animals

 

[SpookySpooder]

If you use smooth river pebbles for a drainage layer it will work fine. The reason others use clay, hydroton, lava rock or similar porous material is because of the increased surface area for beneficial microbes and bacterium to colonize, part of the "bioactive" aspect you're referring to. These pores also aid in aerating the lower levels and preventing an anaerobic environment below the substrate. They also hold water better and will wick that moisture back into the substrate after it dries out.

 

[Sohki]

If you use smooth river pebbles for a drainage layer it will work fine. The reason others use clay, hydroton, lava rock or similar porous material is because of the increased surface area for beneficial microbes and bacterium to colonize, part of the "bioactive" aspect you're referring to. These pores also aid in aerating the lower levels and preventing an anaerobic environment below the substrate. They also hold water better and will wick that moisture back into the substrate after it dries out.

Thank you!! Your explanation is very helpful!

So, would I not get any of those benefits with the river pebbles? Would the microorganisms not be able to thrive as well on the pebbles?

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Thank you!! Your explanation is very helpful!

So, would I not get any of those benefits with the river pebbles? Would the microorganisms not be able to thrive as well on the pebbles?

I’m looking these up.
1 result !

The Ultimate Bioactive Terrarium Drainage Layer Guide

This is the most complete terrarium drainage layer guide on the internet. Find the best types, how-to's, pro tips, and more...

bantam.earth

 

[SpookySpooder]

Thank you!! Your explanation is very helpful!

So, would I not get any of those benefits with the river pebbles? Would the microorganisms not be able to thrive as well on the pebbles?

No problem.

You would receive those same benefits, just to a much lesser degree. How much I couldn't calculate for you.

However to give you a scale, porous medium often has hundreds of times the surface area that smooth pebbles or a compact medium such as sand has. A study in the difference of porous medium used for tank filter media has shown that ceramic beads such those made by Seachem have up to 800x the amount of surface area for bacteria and microbes compared to marbles, pebbles, or solid minerals such as quartz. Lava rock and porous clay pebbles would be somewhere between smooth stone and hyper-porous ceramic extrusions.

 

[Sohki]

No problem.

You would receive those same benefits, just to a much lesser degree. How much I couldn't calculate for you.

However to give you a scale, porous medium often has hundreds of times the surface area that smooth pebbles or a compact medium such as sand has. A study in the difference of porous medium used for tank filter media has shown that ceramic beads such those made by Seachem have up to 800x the amount of surface area for bacteria and microbes compared to marbles, pebbles, or solid minerals such as quartz. Lava rock and porous clay pebbles would be somewhere between smooth stone and hyper-porous ceramic extrusions.

Wow; thank you!! You seem quite knowledgeable about this! For some reason, you got me very intrigued by the microbes/bacteria utilizing different porous materials. XD

I’m looking these up.
1 result !

The Ultimate Bioactive Terrarium Drainage Layer Guide

This is the most complete terrarium drainage layer guide on the internet. Find the best types, how-to's, pro tips, and more...

bantam.earth

Thanks a lot!! I appreciate it!

 

[SpookySpooder]

Wow; thank you!! You seem quite knowledgeable about this! For some reason, you got me very intrigued by the microbes/bacteria utilizing different porous materials. XD

Thanks a lot!! I appreciate it!

Just offhand knowledge from being deep in the aquarium hobby and gardening.

It's actually quite an interesting subject. I used to think that dirt and nutrients were all that were necessary for a successful biome--turns out the microorganisms that reside in the environment are the main decomposers that allow for much of the higher order of life to even exist. They're the base of the cycle of nutrients in an active environment.

Much like trees rely on fungi and bacteria in the root system to facilitate much of their functions and derive nutrients, the entire soil system has a web of microorganisms it relies on to stay clean and healthy.

 

[Wolfram1]

another plus is that clay balls are softer than glass, so won't/can't damage the glass, its also much lighter so hopefully you will be able to still carry the tank

i would even leave out the mesh as that is used to keep dirt and other organic materials from falling into a water-reservoir and rotting, aka building up anaerobic bacteria

since you never, ever want standing water down there anyway its redundant

 

[The Snark]

The reason others use clay, hydroton, lava rock or similar porous material is because of the increased surface area for beneficial microbes and bacterium to colonize, part of the "bioactive" aspect you're referring to. These pores also aid in aerating the lower levels and preventing an anaerobic environment below the substrate. They also hold water better and will wick that moisture back into the substrate after it dries out.

Hydroton. The medium of choice in hydroponics. Additional feature of 'popcorn rock' is it can be boiled clean and sterile - like when they get slimed up with algae - and reused indefinitely.

 

[Smotzer]

've been researching bioactive enclosures

Be careful where you get your info from a lot, well most, if the info out there had just been parroted back and forth between people who honestly don’t even know anything about the subjects and use it to make extra sales with high margins on top of orders.

does it have to be clay specifically? Could I use these pebbles instead, underneath the mesh?

So no it doesn’t have to be LECA (Light Expanded Clay Aggregate) but there are pros and cons to any drainage layer. I have used stones, pebbles, LECA, red volcanic stone, old bonsai aggregate mixes, straight foam, etc. all can be used really. Differences can be ability to hold ions, pore space density (how much water can be held), ability to culture helpful bacterium, look, weight, cost, etc.

This and other threads makes me think I should write an ultimate guide to terrariums/vivariums/planted tanks to cover all these topics for AB

 

[SpookySpooder]

Be careful where you get your info from a lot, well most, if the info out there had just been parroted back and forth between people who honestly don’t even know anything about the subjects and use it to make extra sales with high margins on top of orders.

So no it doesn’t have to be LECA (Light Expanded Clay Aggregate) but there are pros and cons to any drainage layer. I have used stones, pebbles, LECA, red volcanic stone, old bonsai aggregate mixes, straight foam, etc. all can be used really. Differences can be ability to hold ions, pore space density (how much water can be held), ability to culture helpful bacterium, look, weight, cost, etc.

This and other threads makes me think I should write an ultimate guide to terrariums/vivariums/planted tanks to cover all these topics for AB

Do it please!

I could post one for a dry start planted tank, or a planted sump, but that would be useless for keeping T's.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Be careful where you get your info from a lot, well most, if the info out there had just been parroted back and forth between people who honestly don’t even know anything about the subjects and use it to make extra sales with high margins on top of orders.

So no it doesn’t have to be LECA (Light Expanded Clay Aggregate) but there are pros and cons to any drainage layer. I have used stones, pebbles, LECA, red volcanic stone, old bonsai aggregate mixes, straight foam, etc. all can be used really. Differences can be ability to hold ions, pore space density (how much water can be held), ability to culture helpful bacterium, look, weight, cost, etc.

This and other threads makes me think I should write an ultimate guide to terrariums/vivariums/planted tanks to cover all these topics for AB

I’ve still never used a drainage layer in any of my enclosures, but I don’t do bio active. One small plant in one tank is closest I’ll get to it .
I’ve got the perfect substrate I filtered out of top soil that would work for drainage just haven’t used it.

 

[Dorifto]

Forget the clay balls, simply mix the bottom layer with more sand. Sand will help draining any excess of moisture but still will keep good structural properties mixed with the soil. With clay balls once the T reaches that layer, if it removes them the soil from above will collapse.

Clay balls are good for non burrowing species that require a constant moisture supply, so the soil doesn't get saturated from that moisture supply, like dart frogs, tropical paludariums etc.

For Ts you want something that drains but at the same time provides good structural and moisture spreading properties. Topsoil+ sand works wonderfully.