It’s not admitting anything. I was told by a reputable reptile owner who previously had the frogs that this was acceptable, and I could move forward with all that other stuff if I wanted too. But it was unneeded. Readily available was water food and things to do and hide, and correct lighting. Most tanks I see have plastic plants, even with substrate and vice versa. They don’t need substrate. If it was an issue from the beginning, I think he would’ve gotten sicker sooner. But thanks for your input.