Notophthalmus viridescens Adult tank setup

I am soon to be setting up my 1st adult tank. I think one of my efts is ready to go in the water or very close and another not far behind. I haven't owned adults yet. I did this year get to raise some larvae to efts though and successfully got them there. Hopefully these guys will be laying eggs for me in the future so I can go full circle. I'm not a complete novice. I do have turtles, frogs and other reptiles/amphibians. I've had my efts for about a year and a half.

I currently have a 20g long available but should have a 40g breeder in the future. Only 3 of my 10 efts are anywhere close to adulthood. I've done a bunch of reading but would love some input. I was reading heavy plants over having a filter. What would be the best plants, substrate, etc. Advice from experience I find is often better then care sheets and such.

For newts transitioning to being aquatic; keep the water level low and heavily planted. Think of a Jesus Newt; being able to walk on water (plants). A gentle slope into the water is ideal. Get a new painting plastic roller tray and make it a newt beach. Cold water plants are best for newts obviously. Hornwort, Java Moss, Water Lettuce, Guppy grass (Najas), Milfoil. I would still use a sponge filter in the tank.

Methos5K said:

For newts transitioning to being aquatic; keep the water level low and heavily planted. Think of a Jesus Newt; being able to walk on water (plants). A gentle slope into the water is ideal. Get a new painting plastic roller tray and make it a newt beach. Cold water plants are best for newts obviously. Hornwort, Java Moss, Water Lettuce, Guppy grass (Najas), Milfoil. I would still use a sponge filter in the tank.

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Thanks, I was having trouble deciding on what to do with filters etc. Care sheets list a lot of things but I don't know what people have used and had work the best. I'm hoping to breed these guys as I have learned all about larvae care this year. I saved some from a retention pond that was re worked... they had dumped silt in it and pretty much killed everything inside. There were dead tadpoles and such all over. I found 4 red spotted newt larvae however, one was dying before I got him home(tossing and turning in the water). The water they were in felt hot to the touch and it was 90 something degrees outside then.