Are screens in false bottoms necessary?

Hello all. I suppose I should have asked this before I made one, but I can always go back and fix it if I have to.

I made my first false bottom for my Emperor scorpion today. I bought some Zoo Med brand "Hydroballs" the little clay ones, then filled up my 10 gallon tank with em about an inch up. Then filled it up with clean unclorinated water so that it was an inch up as well. Heres the part I wasnt sure of. Ive read some people use screens on top of the rocks or hydroballs or whatever. But then Ive read where some people just put the substrate on top of it withought a screen.

Thats what I did. So I was just wondering, is a screen necessary or will my false bottom work just fine?

I didnt use any pvc pipe either, mainly because I read you can just pour water down some of the sides or corners and it will work just fine.

Thank you guys for any input!

Howdy partner,

I have constructed a false bottom for emperor scorpions in the past and I found the simplest and cleanest way was to put a screen between the substrate and the gravel or hydroballs. I used simple aquarium gravel for the false bottom covered with a piece of window screen. I used a tube cut from an old fish filter (After cleaning it thouroughly) as a fill tube. You stated you did not put in a fill tube and simply pour water down the sides. The fill tube was my personal preferance because I didn't want to erode the substrate or risk flooding my scorps hide. Either way will work as far as the tank is concerned. It's all up to you, just sharing my personal methods. Good luck to you!

The reason behind the screen is to keep the substrate from seeping into the gravel/hydroballs and lurking it all up. It prevents your critters from burrowing down and bringing your gravel/hydroballs to the surface and messing it all up. Not to mention when it comes time for a thorough cleaning it makes it way easier because you just lift the screen,substrate and all,dump it and rinse out the media.

The answer to your question is,no screens are not necessary but convenient they are.

Cool, thanks guys for the info! Ill definatley use a screen next time. I didnt think about the ease of cleaning up. The only reason I didnt use one was because I heard that if you let the substrate come directly in contact with the water it stays moist longer and more humidity.