# Grow Out Tank - was this a bad idea?



## frankrom (Jan 14, 2012)

Hey Guys,

I built a 10 gallon grow out tank... it is more like a little vivarium if anything. I put some plants, bromes etc in there. There is also a decent layer of leaf litter....

The issue i did not think of really was... when I put my froglet in here... I can no longer see or monitor him. I've been looking into the tank for a few days now and I cannot find him. There is a good amount of springtails and fruit flies in the tank... however like I said it makes monitoring him hard... actually near impossible. 

Is this a bad idea to put froglets in a tank like this??? I dont even know if he is alive anymore.

thx


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

I actually make all of my grow outs and holding tanks like that...I haven't had an issue doing it that way.


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## frankrom (Jan 14, 2012)

Azurel said:


> I actually make all of my grow outs and holding tanks like that...I haven't had an issue doing it that way.


How do you monitor your froglets???


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

frankrom said:


> How do you monitor your froglets???


Once they settle in they come out quite often as well when I feed springs or if they are big enough flies. I will also every so often pull them out to check their condition to make sure they have been putting on size and weight. 

I use 5g but have thought about using 10g with pums. I have had no issues or losses doing grow out tanks this way. It just seemed to me to give them better security then a grow out with paper towel and a few leaves...


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## Tinctoc (Sep 15, 2012)

Pothos is a wonderful plant for this purpose. It tolerates serious neglect and replenishes fast. Some may argue with me on this, but you can reuse it if you sanitize it in a mild (5%) bleach solution and rinse well.


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

Tinctoc said:


> Pothos is a wonderful plant for this purpose. It tolerates serious neglect and replenishes fast. Some may argue with me on this, but you can reuse it if you sanitize it in a mild (5%) bleach solution and rinse well.


Yup Pothos is one of my favorites to use in holding/growouts... Cheap and easy to grow. I don't reuse but you could.....


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## daryl34 (Feb 24, 2007)

they are not going to be out constantly , but rather in the leaf litter. looking for food. That is completely normal.

Daryl


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## Dendrobati (Jul 27, 2012)

I think your approach of giving them a comfortable environment is very well, but as you see, monitoring is very difficult. 

I do my grow outs in stages, all in 10 gallon tanks. 

1st stage is 1/2" of ABG and a moderate amount of leaf litter. I like this WAY better than paper towels, and I believe the frogs do too. I move the leaf litter around to check on them once in a while. They are easy to find. (I _almost_ never use paper towels, unless it's an extreme circumstance, like a very sick frog - even then I'll add a few leaves).

2nd stage, once they get some good size, around 2 months old, I'll add more leaf litter and some small plants. 

3rd stage, a more robust 10 gallon tank with plants and broms, much like a long term home, just on a smaller scale and no background. I find this is a good intermediary step before going in a large tank. 

I through away substrate and leaf littler but move the plants to their tanks or clean and reuse.


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