Grow tank looking for suggestions and answers

[Deadpool66]

Hey guys I'm thinking since my my tank with my fish was ravaged by ick damn you pet smart!!! That I would take the tank clean it up and start over and just use it to grow plants for my other tanks. I'm looking for a few suggestion for plants and would like to know if I could use fertilizer in the grow tank if there would be any problem potentially with moving the plants to the newt tank later on after using the fertilizers and such.

 

[Jennewt]

The one good thing about Ich is that it does not have a "resting" stage. It dies when there are no fish around. So as long as the tank has no fish for at least a month, the plants should be safe to use. There should be no problem with using fertilizer in the grow-tank, then moving the plants to a newt tank.

 

[Shizeric]

I'd suggest Java Ferns/any Anubias/Java Moss...I love all 3 and they all grow wildly under the correct conditions, and even when put in low light/cold setups they do well.

 

[Deadpool66]

The one good thing about Ich is that it does not have a "resting" stage. It dies when there are no fish around. So as long as the tank has no fish for at least a month, the plants should be safe to use. There should be no problem with using fertilizer in the grow-tank, then moving the plants to a newt tank.

Thanks for the advice. I´m going to tear it down and order some plants this weekend.

 

[Azhael]

I too recommend java fern, java moss and Anubias sp. They are excellent plants for caudate tanks.
I would add Elodea, although some people seem to have trouble with it (and others have great success).

I would personally be wary of using chemical fertilizers (but i´m a bit paranoid). There´s always using more natural ways instead, like adding nutrients to the water by way of introducing decomposing matter.

 

[Shizeric]

As far as fertilizers go, I agree with Azhael on being skeptical in terms of adding chemicals to the tank...you can however, buy certain substrates that are specifically designed for plants tank that can be amphibian friendly.

"A solution is to use a plant-specific substrate, such as Flora Base, by Red Sea, which is especially designed for supporting plant growth. It has the following benefits:

• It's small and soft so no impaction risk.
• It doesn't adversely alter the water chemistry.
• It's easy for rooted plants to get established in.
• It contains nutrients for plant growth.
• It doesn’t contain toxic substances.

There are several different types of plant substrate on the market, but not all are appropriate for an axolotl tank. When choosing one, ensure that it fits the above list of considerations.
Plant-specific substrates are not cheap - Flora Base is about AU$70 for a 5.4 kg (12lb) bag and the other choices are very similar in pricing. That doesn't go far in a large tank since you aim to lay an inch thick of substrate cover over the base of the tank. Though it is expensive it will promote much better plant growth and provide a safe and attractive base to your tank.
When laying the substrate, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If you’re keen to save some money and have a reasonably clear idea of where you will be planting rooted plants in the tank then you can place areas of sand down in the space where there won’t be any. This way, when you’ve finished laying your substrate you’ll have a bit of a patchwork between the sand and the plant substrate - quite an attractive effect in its own right. "

From Axolotl Sanctuary

 

[Deadpool66]

Thanks for the info. I already have a lot of java moss in my tank with the newts. I plan on taking a bit to establish it in the grow tank. I also really like frog bits and duckweed. I have the former in my tank but I'm thinking of ordering some duckweed. Anyone use this in their tanks? Once again thank you guys for all the information.

 

[Deadpool66]

I have settled on Eco-Complete for a substrate after reading that Flora-Base turns into mud after about a year. Ill post some pictures once I get everything setup in the next day or so.