# Grow out options



## kitcolebay (Apr 7, 2012)

I've read many different styles and methods of setting up grow out tanks. I've tried a couple ways and haven't quite found something I'm happy with. Currently, I have a plastic storage tote that has a eggcrate ramp on one end, gravel as a drainage layer, a screen substrate barrier, followed with sphagnum and leaf litter. It also has some pothos and a coco hut in it. Works ok.

One thing I've struggled with is feeding growout setups. I like to have a piece of banana for a feeding station so the FF's aren't crawling all over the babies and stressing them out. Unfortunately, the tubs begin to stink after a while. I use film canisters filled with bananas in my other vivs and they work great without the smell. Just not so lucky in smaller growouts.

I had a thought and I don't recall any threads about it. I know some use hydroton/LECA, pebbles, and such for drainage layer options. What about essentially using a springtail culture as the drainage layer(heavily seeded charcoal layer)? Cover it with a good layer of sphagnum and leaf litter. Wouldn't that allow a continued source of springs, a drainage layer, and the charcoal acting as a natural way of absorbing any odors and such?

I'd imagine this has been covered and I've just missed it. Is there any problems with this? Any other recommendations for a good growout setup?

Thanks, Chris


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## Gocubs (Apr 23, 2012)

Well you have seen my method. I keep them in deli cups until the tail is almost done. I then take them out with a film canister with some water. Place the canister in my growouts tilted so the water stays in. That way they leave the cup when they are ready. 

No Stagnant water smell. And in my growouts I use lemon... way less smell and healthy frogs!

Joe


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Tupperware container
Washed turface bottom layer
Leaf litter over top

Morphing froglets go 5/cup into the tub, cup angled slightly
Froglets morph out, climb out of the tub, and disappear into the leaf litter where they eat springtails/stunted melanogaster

Simple, effective


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## B-NICE (Jul 15, 2011)

Temporary Dart frog enclosures... - YouTube

Poison Dart Frog grow out tanks - YouTube


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

This is something I've struggled with for awhile too. A fully planted viv is unacceptable ase you cannot get to and capture froglets easily when its time for anew home and you cant easily monitor their health in a tank liek this. I've used essentially 1 gallon tupperware containers with a peat/coccoa fiber substrate with spagnum over the top then leaf litter (currently) and a few plant cuttings, but I have problems with molding. 
One of the books I have, shows a good idea: http://www.amazon.de/dp/3934300995 Yes, its in german. Theres a great picture of Harald Divossen's grow out setup. Essentially its one tank that looks to be approximatly 48-60 inches long, maybe 12-15 high, and 8-12" deep. Its obviously set up for thumbnails. This tank is then divided about 10-12 times. It is front opening and instead of the typical slidign euro front, they are slope/slanted fronts. Each tank "section" has its own door. Maybe not an ideal solution, but its much more practical than tupperware, 5 or 10 gallon tanks, or anythign else I've seen. My scanner is not currently working or I'd post a pic. Naybe I could take a picture of the page, I dunno.


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## tongo (Jul 29, 2007)

frogparty said:


> Tupperware container
> Washed turface bottom layer
> Leaf litter over top
> 
> ...


could you point me in the direction of where I would find turface?


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Landscape supply companies like John Deere


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## kitcolebay (Apr 7, 2012)

Thank you everyone for all your input and suggestions!

Nobody happened to mention, do you think charcoal as a drainage layer would be a good idea under the sphagnum and leaf litter? That way it acts as a continued springtail culture and drainage layer. I'd like to give it a try, but I figured either someone has tried it before and/or there's a good reason not to do it.

Many thanks, Chris


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

@ Gocubs: Why do you use and how you use lemon in your growout tank?


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## B-NICE (Jul 15, 2011)

kitcolebay said:


> Thank you everyone for all your input and suggestions!
> 
> Nobody happened to mention, do you think charcoal as a drainage layer would be a good idea under the sphagnum and leaf litter? That way it acts as a continued springtail culture and drainage layer. I'd like to give it a try, but I figured either someone has tried it before and/or there's a good reason not to do it.
> 
> Many thanks, Chris


I use turface and that works pretty good for the bugs...


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## The Mom (Jun 1, 2013)

Gocubs said:


> No Stagnant water smell. And in my growouts I use lemon... way less smell and healthy frogs!
> 
> Joe


Lemon? Lemon what?


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## Gocubs (Apr 23, 2012)

I use lemon to prevent the rotten smell chris mentioned. I cut it like avocado, and use only the fruit. I also use it in my tanks. In the large tanks I place the fruit inside of film canisters (thanks chris). I have found lemon lasts longer and does not have a rotting smell. The bugs, esp. Microfauna love it. And the frogs dont mind the acidicness at all

ITs worth giving a try if you dont like the rot smell. The fruit I dont use after cutting gets placed in a ziplock in the fridge and iz used weeks later. also something that cant be done with banana. 

Joe


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

Thank you. I will do the same.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

A rotten smell? from using fruit as a feeder station or just in general. If your fruit is rotting, use smaller pieces so its consumed before it goes rancid. If your viv in general smells " rotten", youve got issues, like an anoxic substrate layer due to too much moisture. 

In growouts, I actually prefer to keep the permanent population of microfauna low and controlled, so froglets arent unduly stressed from an excess of critters crawling over them.
Consistent feedings with springs and stunted melanogaster 3x a week


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## jrodkinsey (May 27, 2013)

Awesome thread! Gives me some choices for my green sip and mint tadpoles.


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## Gocubs (Apr 23, 2012)

The smell from the fruit. It is the same when cleaning culture cups. Noone likes that smell. I have found with lemon, there is much less. So instead of banana, I use lemon.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

I can not stand the smell of rotten banana as feed station. I used orange last winter, now I will use the lemon. Thanks for the tip.


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## morg (Jul 28, 2012)

I use a plastic bottle cap with ff media for all my Vivs. Then, replace each Saturday when making new cultures. 

Sent from my Galaxy S4


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