Substrates for plants

[Extensionofgreen]

I know that many of you avoid substrate, cover it, or otherwise use something not so great for your plants, but that isn't made of particles large enough to cause problems if eaten.
My enclosure is going to be large and have many plants that I am planting for the chameleons, but also as a plant enthusiast and I intend to grow them well.
I want to place 1 1/2' of planting mix in the bottom of the enclosure and plant several low growing plants, taller Tropicals, as well as have several larger plants potted and raised on risers, for varying heights. I want the substrate to be well aerated and not prone to becoming waterlogged, with mistings, as well as provide multiple locations for potential egg laying, in the future. I am considering using a composted mulch and lava rock, with charcoal as the the planting mixture and covering this with either dead leaves or finely composted mulch, which has been screened so no indigestible chunks remain. The top soil covering would essentially be soil, just composed of decomposed mulch, instead of heavy topsoil.

Who among you have large enclosures, with substrate? What are you using? Pros? Cons? Photos?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Carlton]

Some keepers use planted substrates successfully, others find them too much work to get established and "balanced", or find that the organic odors are too much in a small room. One thing to consider is the depth of the substrate necessary to anchor and support the larger plants/shrubs/trees that will provide the climbing habitat for a larger arboreal cham. For example, a tree large enough for melleri would take a much deeper rooting area. I had a beautiful Ficus alli in my melleri free range...and it was planted in a huge heavy pot about 24" in diameter.

 

[nightanole]

All my plants go in buckets or 5 gallon pals with no drainage. I fill them half way with rocks for drainage. I then put in normal plant dirt with no styrofoam balls nor water crystals, and then top them off with rocks the size of the chams head or bigger.

The rock layer is not to prevent the cham from getting a tongue full of dirt, its to prevent feeders from hiding in the dirt, and breeding. I take it you have never had the joy of coming home to a few batches of crickets hatching in your plants yet...