Hydro Drain?

[iwantone]

Is it an absolute necessity to use Hydro Drain in the pygmy setup or is substrate eg coco fibre/humus sufficient? Your opinions please.

 

[Carlton]

Is it an absolute necessity to use Hydro Drain in the pygmy setup or is substrate eg coco fibre/humus sufficient? Your opinions please.

If this is the fired clay pellet substrate layer I'd say yes. Accumulated water percolating through the coco fibre layer above needs someplace to be held until it can evaporate. Without some sort of drainage layer your coco fibre will just sit saturated, creating fungi, molds, and rot.

 

[iwantone]

If this is the fired clay pellet substrate layer I'd say yes. Accumulated water percolating through the coco fibre layer above needs someplace to be held until it can evaporate. Without some sort of drainage layer your coco fibre will just sit saturated, creating fungi, molds, and rot.

Thank you.

 

[BocaJan]

If this is the fired clay pellet substrate layer I'd say yes. Accumulated water percolating through the coco fibre layer above needs someplace to be held until it can evaporate. Without some sort of drainage layer your coco fibre will just sit saturated, creating fungi, molds, and rot.

I use the hydro balls, screen, layer of charcoal, screen, then coconut fiber with unfertilized dirt (plants have to have something to grow in. I found the "recipe" on line and it has worked well in all 6 of my terrariums. It is not necessary to over water the terrariums. Spray them enough to dampen the ground is plenty. Most people over water. I have never had an issue with water in the bottom of my terrarium and I use both aquariums and the exoterra terrariums.

 

[iwantone]

I use the hydro balls, screen, layer of charcoal, screen, then coconut fiber with unfertilized dirt (plants have to have something to grow in. I found the "recipe" on line and it has worked well in all 6 of my terrariums. It is not necessary to over water the terrariums. Spray them enough to dampen the ground is plenty. Most people over water. I have never had an issue with water in the bottom of my terrarium and I use both aquariums and the exoterra terrariums.

What does the charcoal do?

 

[EvilLost]

If this is the fired clay pellet substrate layer I'd say yes. Accumulated water percolating through the coco fibre layer above needs someplace to be held until it can evaporate. Without some sort of drainage layer your coco fibre will just sit saturated, creating fungi, molds, and rot.

+1 carlton's response.

you can substitute LECA with GRAVEL if you want, but its gonna be heavy

 

[EvilLost]

as far as I know, charcoal is used as a filter for some chemicals (also used in water filters and fish tank filters quite often). I don't put a separate charcoal layer in personally, I grind up charcoal and combine it in my "dirt" recipe (coco layer).

I believe that it also aids in fertilization and/or the breakdown of waste somehow....sorry I can only give you a vague, non-scientific answer on that one:

"It filters stuff"