# Help with first Riparium



## ilovetoads2 (29 Apr 2010)

Hello. I am new on here and would like to introduce myself with a question I really need help with. 

My passion is frogs. I currently have a colony of red eyed tree frogs in a natural set up and a pair of peacock day geckos, also in a natural set up...however, I am really struggling with my fire bellied toad tank!!!

The requirements are simple. They need some kind of land area, mainly for feeding, they need water as they behave more like frogs than toads, they dont require heat, nor much light (I use UV anyway)

I have seen such a thing as a riparium. The way these plants grow from planters and emerse from the water supported by floating platforms is ideal. This would allow me to create a sort of shore line effect. I would provide hard landscaping with a large piece of mopani, but this is only to allow crickets an extra place to climb out of the water and the toads a place to play hide and seek. 

The problem I have is that I know nothing about aquariums, aquatic plants, substrates, or anything else even remotely related. Before I have tried to contain the soil and plants, but is always becomes water logged and I have had to go back to boring cobbles and one fake fern. 

Please could you give me tips as if you were speaking to a five year old. I need to know plants that will grow imersed, where to get the planters, what soil to use, and everything in between.

Many tanks


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## Nelson (29 Apr 2010)

hi and welcome,
have a look at hydrophyte's journals 
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=7593

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=10316

some other members here are setting some up as well.heres a thread from today with some good pics.
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=11177

viewtopic.php?f=56&t=11063&p=117638&hilit=frogs#p117638

also this viewtopic.php?f=56&t=10325
plantedbox will be selling stuff soon as well.contact jamesm or saintly.
http://www.plantedbox.com/


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## ilovetoads2 (29 Apr 2010)

Yes, Hydrophytes journals were the ones I was looking at...but I cant get my head around what he is talking about. As I say, I am a complete beginner. 

I like the river bank one, and would like to copy it, but as I say I would have a large chunk of wood in the middle also...


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## Nelson (29 Apr 2010)

send him a pm.he's very helpful   .


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