Chameleons Northwest
Avid Member
The hydroton soaks up water. It eventually evaporates off the hydroton, becoming a vapor, which finds its way back up through the layers. Yes, as Julirs said, I have never seen water on the bottom of our set up. We used small septic field pipes instead of the hydroton. The vivarium tends to almost dry completely between mistings. The charcoal acts as a cleanser, catching and holding debris and conditioning the water. You will need to clean poop and urates out of the enclosure perhaps once a week. Also wipe down the windows. Don't forget to water the plants. Let dead leaves fall where they may.
We have purchased coconut fiber from the garden department of a hardware store, and from a local PetCo Store. It comes in bricks which expand to about 8 times their size when you add water. It's a trip! I had a lot of fun setting up our vivarium.
Initially we had some small mold issues on some log-like branches. We used wipes to control the problem until the vivarium reached equilibrium. I don't remember, but I think it maybe took a month for the environment to balance and stabilize completely. This is normal. I did initially wash and then bake everything (wood,rocks,dead leaves) that went in to decorate the surface, except the exo terra vines and the lives mosses and live plants (which got washed but not baked). But when dead wood comes in contact with moist soil, there can be issues. But the issues work themselves out once things stabilize.
There is really very little work involved in maintaining these vivariums. And it is a great deal of fun watching your little guys.
We have purchased coconut fiber from the garden department of a hardware store, and from a local PetCo Store. It comes in bricks which expand to about 8 times their size when you add water. It's a trip! I had a lot of fun setting up our vivarium.
Initially we had some small mold issues on some log-like branches. We used wipes to control the problem until the vivarium reached equilibrium. I don't remember, but I think it maybe took a month for the environment to balance and stabilize completely. This is normal. I did initially wash and then bake everything (wood,rocks,dead leaves) that went in to decorate the surface, except the exo terra vines and the lives mosses and live plants (which got washed but not baked). But when dead wood comes in contact with moist soil, there can be issues. But the issues work themselves out once things stabilize.
There is really very little work involved in maintaining these vivariums. And it is a great deal of fun watching your little guys.
