dart frog heating advice...please!

[Miss Piggy]

Aarraagh first post!!

I've looked after dart frogs (P.terribilis, D.azureus, D. aratus) for a while now all in fairly simple setups. Glass tank with an inch or so hydrolyca on the bottom, a layer of weed control fabric then sphagnum moss / orchid bark ontop. I use a heat mat under the glass tank with a thermo controller and put the sensor inside the tank. Fairly bog standard simple set up I think.

I want to build a new fancy smanchy heavily planted viv with water feature. I thought I'd make a false bottom with egg crate on top then a layer of hydrolyca, weed control fabric then substrate for planting into. The bottom layer and up into the hydrolyca would be completly aquatic so that I can put in pipe work for an external filter the return from which would form a waterfall or stream in the viv. I think this is all quite standard for you seasoned keepers. My question is...whats the best way to heat this type of set up? My frog room can get quite cold in these northern winters so I need to heat the viv's and have good insulation around them. The theming on the back and sides should provide good insulation.

I think my options are heat mat, aquarium stick heater or heat cable?
I could place the heat mat under the tank but not sure the heat will get through all the bottom layers? If it does heat efficeintly then the next query comes If I want the air temperature of the tank to be 23C then will the water (heated by stick heater or heat mat) have to be hotter than 23Cto maintain this and is that then too hot to have running through the tank in a waterfall/stream?

Next option burrying heat cable in the substrate. Is there ever an issue with the substrate getting too warm in order to maintain a warm air temperature above the subsrtate?

Obviously with whichever device I use I'd use a thermocontroller to stop the heater form cooking the frogs!

Sorry if my questions are really basic, just don't want to build a lovely new viv and find my frogs are freezing cold or that their stream is too hot for them (not that I expect them to spend time swimming).


Any help appreciated.

[Slashware]

I'm about to start a simalar build and was wondering the same thing, So come on all you exp builders help us out

[peterspets]

I am also researching this, I thing I am going to use an aquarium heater covered with a plastic box with holes in it and then covered in hydroleca, no need for a false bottom.

[Slashware]

no one wants to give any avise then?

[dad'n'bab]

You would be better off asking this in the amphibian help and chat section.
You will get plenty of advice there.

[johnc79]

i heat my whole room to 74of with an oil filled radiator.