So we are so used to using egg crate as our false bottoms in our vivs but we are planning a new build and are going to make a water feature, and because this is gonna add a stream to the mix we were planning to use LECA for the purpose of it can just be dumped in to fill the bottom around the stream, and not having to create an elaborate egg crate design.

Now, the question is, will we need to lay a mesh screen over the top?? or are there other methods of creating a barrier between the LECA and soil?? I have seen on some people just throw orchid bark over the LECA to create that barrier. I dont want to go cutting up pieces of mesh cause I know I will not get it perfect and have all sorts of screwed up pieces just overlapping to cover all of the gaps. Anyone use this method a lot and have some good insight?

screwed up overlapping pieces are fine. ive gone without the screen many times and havent run into issues but given a long enough time frame it could be problematic.

james

well do you use anything between the soil and leca? or just the 2? I see some smaller vivs done with bark between the 2

Leca does wick water, I have found out. Most of my substrate is soggy and now I have to redo some tanks.

I would recommend leca - a fine layer of gravel - mesh - soil.

WHat do you mean wick water?? And I am so angry right now.. just got my package of ghostwood from Save-on-crafts and out of 4 pieces ordered only 2 managed to actually be ghostwood... how they butch that job I have no clue.. now I am waiting on the other 2 pieces to be shipped out.. I hope I get some sort of compensation..

I received a few broken pieces of wood from save on crafts and they sent me replacements at no charge did not even ask to see pics of the broken pieces.

I use a screen mesh over my leca which I use on top of my false bottom:
false bottom, screen,leca, screen then soil. I mist quite a bit so easier to drain.
Anywho that is my old tried and true method.

Yeah, I want to stick away from the egg crate on this build.. will make the water feature a ton easier to construct.

Check it out. Put some leca in a cup and add water. You will see that a good inch above the leca stays moist. Wicking the water to the surface, much like a sponge. I found that out because I culture springs on it. I'm not sure how big of a deal it is though. My old substrate mix that I used stays sopping wet. It's been so long, I can't even remember what I was using. lol

I have a water feature in 2 of my vivs and used the egg crate, I think with a water feature the egg crate is imperative otherwise you will have a wet soggy substrate.

well. basically. it was only going to be about an inch of water in the bottom. going to have a carved stream so the water never actually goes through the substrate. if at all it does it would be from just accumulating water in the viv, which i'll stay on top of. Wouldnt you be able to say rather than egg crate. just use LECA for say 2 inches than another inch of a good compressed bark to ensure no soil falls through? I would assume the bark though it retains water would still be a good barrier layer.