# Organic fertilisers. Safe to use prior to frog introduction?



## pako (Apr 30, 2015)

I need some more help, please.
This is my case:
In a few days I am moving and then I will start setting up a few more tanks for the froglets I already have and for some species I would like to purchase in the future.
They will be planted and seeded waiting for the frogs. And this is the difficult part. Frogs are hard to be purchased here. It takes several months to find some of the ones you want.(It took me almost a year to find blue and black auratus).
Without inhabitants in some tanks there will be no waste produced for the plants to feed and I was wondering if it is safe to use an organic fertilizer. I found the one in the picture which is bio-organic, made of plants and labeled as safe for pets.
Could I use it for the period the tanks lack frogs?
I understand a PDF is not a "classic" pet but I was considering of stopping the use of it a month before I introduce the frogs and wash everything away by misting. If you don't like the idea of using an organic fertilizer, how would you suggest to feed the plants for such a long period? Wouldn't they starve without any help?


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## waterbed fred (Jan 10, 2010)

Great question...I was wondering the same thing myself. I'd like to add a part 2 to this inquiry if I may: Does anyone also "supplement" their tanks with fertilizer WITH frogs already in it? If you have a large tank with only a few frogs in it, they can't possibly excrete enough to "feed" all the plants, including the Higher-up placed plants that can't get pooped on. Not looking to hijack this thread, but i think these questions are inter-related, in the best interest of the safety of the froggy's, and some of you out there will have some valuable input.


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## Exasperatus2002 (Jan 21, 2014)

Following. I'm setting up a tank before i get the frogs, wondered the same thing. 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


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## MasterOogway (Mar 22, 2011)

Most, if not all of the plants we grow are found naturally in nutrient poor soils, or they are epiphytic. I've never had a need to fertilize anything. Even heavier 'rooted' plants like my Alocasia grow fine with no fertilizer at all. It's unnecessary and potentially dangerous to frogs, not worth the risk IMHO.


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## oldlady25715 (Nov 17, 2007)

Having it seeded with leaf litter, springtails, and Isopods will fertilize it . the leaf litter will need to start decomposing well before it gets going. Throw some extra food in for the springs, like bug burger?


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## pako (Apr 30, 2015)

thank you all for the input.
No, by all means I wouldn't like to risk the lives of the frogs.



oldlady25715 said:


> Having it seeded with leaf litter, springtails, and Isopods will fertilize it . the leaf litter will need to start decomposing well before it gets going. Throw some extra food in for the springs, like bug burger?


 I understand that decomposition of leaves and fauna will offer nutrients to the terrestrial plants, and offering some extra bug food is a great idea, but what about epiphytic plants like bromeliads and orchids that won't have any contact with the substrate and leaf litter, and no frogs producing waste? How will they feed for a very extended period of time??


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## MasterOogway (Mar 22, 2011)

pako said:


> thank you all for the input.
> No, by all means I wouldn't like to risk the lives of the frogs.
> 
> I understand that decomposition of leaves and fauna will offer nutrients to the terrestrial plants, and offering some extra bug food is a great idea, but what about epiphytic plants like bromeliads and orchids that won't have any contact with the substrate and leaf litter, and no frogs producing waste? How will they feed for a very extended period of time??


Water and light. They'll be fine. Plenty of people grow those plants 'frog free' and they do quite well.


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## pako (Apr 30, 2015)

Thank you. 
I sure was wondering about the plants in frog-free tanks,too. Its a mystery to me. I would love to learn more about the way they get sufficient nutrients.


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## MELLOWROO421 (Feb 21, 2007)

Some people do use occasional ferts in their vivs. I have never found the need to fertilize any of my vivarium grown plants. There are safe ferts that can be used with frogs. Dyna-gro makes a fertilizer that has been recommended in the past by those who are proponents of fertilization.

Dyna-Gro Fertilizer - Liquid Grow 8 oz.


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## Sammie (Oct 12, 2009)

Years ago I made "tea" from cow dung and added to my tanks before I added frogs and the plants was growing in. But as previously stated it's not necessary.
I also remember reading that people use diluted orchid fertilizer (1/2 or 1/3 of what it says on the bottle), even with frogs in the tank and supposedly its safe. I cant vouch for that though and I probably wouldn't dare to try.


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## cam1941 (Jan 16, 2014)

Also keep in mind that if the fertilizers effect the frogs negatively its probably not going to be a drop dead situation. I've seen people state that they haven't noticed any negative effects when fertilizers were used which is irrelevant.

It could effect the frogs reproductive abilities down the line or the reproductive abilities of their offspring... No one seems to be able to say for sure. Not to mention it may take a long time for the ferts to accumulate enough in the environment to even become a problem in the first place.

I personally wouldn't try it and I wouldn't buy any frogs/ herps that were kept/ raised in an enclosed fertilized environment. Why would anyone as there are too many people that don't keep their frogs that way so why risk it.


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## pako (Apr 30, 2015)

thank you all. 
Its encouraging to see that people do keep frog-free tanks for a longer or shorter period of time and face no plant-starving issues. 
Perhaps I worry too much not to loose my plants that are very hard to collect over here.
I will take the frog-safe path and let you know how are the plants going without ferts.


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## Auri (Jan 7, 2016)

I had a frogless tank for nearly a year. Lots of plants, no leaf litter, no microfauna, no fertilizer. The plants did just fine. Of course they're doing even better now that I have a) added frogs and b) upgraded my light. But I think you should be fine while you wait on your frogs.


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## Mork (Mar 14, 2016)

In the carnivorous plant world, there is a fertilizer that rules them all called Maxsea. 

MAXSEA - All Purpose Plant Food

Used at 1/4 strength it fertilized very sensative plants without killing mosses or other plant life. 

I would imagine that this would be good to use in a Vivarium very sparingly if you targeted certain plants.


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## skanderson (Aug 25, 2011)

i use ecogrow organic fertilizer, 3 different orchid soluble ferts, thrive, and fish emulsion on my big viv. I probably use one of them about every couple of months. I have never noticed any ill effects of using a dilute fertilizer spray. I also have no idea if any of it is needed at all with the amount of frog poop that is generated in my viv. the only ill effect is that the fish emulsion makes my basement smell for a couple of days.


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## dmartin72 (Oct 27, 2004)

This stuff works very well even heavily diluted. I'm not sure how frog safe it is.



Mork said:


> In the carnivorous plant world, there is a fertilizer that rules them all called Maxsea.
> 
> MAXSEA - All Purpose Plant Food
> 
> ...


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