I'm so confused! Advice please?

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xoxILoveCrestiesxox

New member
I heard that you can use a substrate like Eco Earth and put springtails and tropical grey woodlice in it and they will just consume any waste. I have a few questions about this:

1. Do springtails and the woodlice I mentioned harm cresties and can cresties eat them, is it okay?
2. Can you just use eco earth or do you have to use all the drainage layers?
3. Do you have to have live plants to have a clean up crew of springtails and woodlice?
4. If you have a clean up crew, do you ever have to clean out the substrate or just mix it?
5. What do you need to do to keep the bugs alive and what if they escape? Are they harmful to us?

Sorry about so many questions! I'm getting a new gecko soon, my last one (Comet) died last year and I kept him on Eco Earth to start with but cleaned it out every month which was a huge job so I changed it to paper towels and felt guilty :?

Thank you to anyone who can answer any one of the questions! x
 
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acpart

Well-known member
I have 14 planted tanks, 3 of which house cresties. Here are my answers to your questions:

1. Do springtails and the woodlice I mentioned harm cresties and can cresties eat them, is it okay?
The springtails and isopods are way too small for your cresties to eat, but if they do it's good nutrition. the springtails seem to just show up, but you may need to buy a culture of isopods. I bought some isopods probably 10 years ago and have populated all my enclosures with their offspring.
2. Can you just use eco earth or do you have to use all the drainage layers?
For best results you really need to do the drainage layers (hydroton clay balls, vinyl mesh, eco earth), but if you don't have time to do that before you get the crestie, you could start with paper towels and re-do the enclosure later.
3. Do you have to have live plants to have a clean up crew of springtails and woodlice?
No, you don't, though live plants do make the system more of a complete environment. If you decide to get live plants later, a small pothos plant will grow nicely and eventually fill the enclosure.
4. If you have a clean up crew, do you ever have to clean out the substrate or just mix it?
I never clean my planted tanks. The poop disappears courtesy of the cleanup crew and cleaning it would only disrupt the environment in my opinion.
5. What do you need to do to keep the bugs alive and what if they escape? Are they harmful to us?
Regular crestie care including misting will keep the bugs alive. They are small and will not do well outside the enclosure. They will not infest and are not harmful to us.

Aliza
 
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xoxILoveCrestiesxox

New member
Thank you so much Aliza! This is such a helpful answer, I couldn't believe my luck when you answered all of my questions! A couple more: When you clean out the viv, do you just clean the glass and wipe off the plants? Do I need to mix the substrate once a month? Will reptile disinfectant kill the plants? Thank you sooo much!!! :biggrin:
 
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acpart

Well-known member
I use water that's been filtered through a Britta so it doesn't stain the glass when I mist. the cresties track CGD all over the place, so periodically I do clean. I use vinegar and paper towel, but reptile disinfectant should be fine and shouldn't hurt the plants. I don't bother wiping off the plants. I don't mess with the substrate, but I guess it's OK to mix it as long as you're not disrupting plant roots.

Aliza
 
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