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RES Substrate with Plants

PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 12:43 am
by Adamsv7
Just upgraded from a 40g breeder to a 75g for my RES! With a bigger tank i'm now looking to experiment with live plants! After much research i've failed to decide what the best substrate option would be for a RES and planted tank. I'm aware the two don't mix well however, i'm looking forward to the challenge of choosing non toxic plants like java fern that should be able to prosper, even with a RES in the tank.

Does anyone have experience with this and would recommend guidance on the best substrate/plants to grow with a RES? Thank you in advance!

Re: RES Substrate with Plants

PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 2:09 am
by litefoot
To be honest don't worry about a good substrate for the rooted type plants. The curiosity of a turtle to see whats under them is just to strong will dig them up all the time and that substrate will cloud up the water badly. They will also break them off too. Floating ones stand a better chance. The rooted ones you may try to tie them down to help but I have observed my Piggley work on the fishing line I used to cut it and release the plant. Turtles are smart and very persistent. You will find a separate plant tank is also needed to keep up with an adult turtle , cheaper than keep buying them. Be prepared to do a lots of extra maintenance with live plants.
Java fern for a turtle grows to slow maybe 1/4 to 1/2" a month and that's with proper light , co2 and good nutrients in the tank. Plants that reproduce by rosettes grow faster like water lettuce also types like anacharis , hornwort are some fast ones with the type of light we use for a turtle. The hornwort and anacharis just let it float , it gets more light that way and does well. But a turtle will win in the end so the plant tank ! In some of Piggley's picture's you do see some in the ground that's only due to me putting them back in the ground every day. It's a 150 gallon stock tank so I try to keep the surface open to see better and used 8-10 #'s of plants which not much for one that size. Problem turtles just love them so it's thinned out fast , again a separate plant tank a must to keep up.

Here's some ideas on safe plants : http://www.redearslider.com/plants.html