Do you have a grow-out tank or two?

I'm setting up a small "fish room" and thought I might include a SMALL tank (1, 2 or 3) to grow out new plant species before I add them to my 2 types of display (& fish populated) tanks: RO and "DE-tap" (de-chlor'd EBMUD tap water).
1) Do you set them up based on the water conditions of your display tanks? Do you also set up by fertilizer needs? or soils? or??? How do you (those of you that do) set up for "emersed form" growing?
2) What are the basics (besides lighting & fertilize regularly)?
3) I'm assuming most would hand fert (and water change) their "grow-out" tanks. If not, how have you automated them? How often do you change the water anyway in a grow-out tank?

ANY other tips would also be nice. ...and Thank YOU!!!

Generally a shallow type tank, say a 75 gallon or a 40-50 gal breeder.

Not a lot of light, say a pair of T5's

CO2

Algae eaters

ADA As or Flourite etc

What's the KH in your area?
Most Berk and Richmond tap is about KH = 2 and PO4 of about 0.5ppm.
RO is not going top help that too much, I'd suggest a waste of time.
You can dose rich etc, 2x a week or 3x, up to you.

The other option, 2 x20 gal tanks and use a 48 long hood over both or 2x 24w T5's.

Regards,
Tom Barr

Thanks, Tom.

What got me thinking about doing grow-out tanks was an incident a couple of months ago when a "rare in the hobby" plant (Lagenandra meeboldii 'pink') nearly died off on me in a display tank (filled with our "DE-tap" water and with Flourite substrate). It had grown like weeds up to that point in that tank.

Thankfully I had a sprig in a temporary holding tank for the upcoming sfbaaps swap meet. Needless to say, it never made it to the swap meet and 7+ (or 7x70)water changes and a move later, that tank seems to have stablized again so the spig has gone back into it and the 'pink' is beginning to grow back in this "DE-tap" tank.

re. RO. I (began using and) keep RO water primarily for some killiefish and Anabantoids I'm (trying to) breed. It's just easier to start with "stripped water" and build up up desired conditions. However, I've come to find the RO water is also good for the ET, Toninas, etc. They seem to do better in the same tank, but now with RO. {ASIDE: It is interesting too how stargrass does in RO, smaller / more compact growth overall but still rather bushy.}

I was thinking that since I do have planted RO display tanks, it might make sense to have an RO grow-out tank for the ET, Tonina, etc. It could also serve as a "disaster recovery" tank for the "DE-tap" grow-out tank.

Sure, if you wanna use the RO, but Tonias should be fine at KH's of 3 or so.
In otherwords, there is something else wrong, not the RO water/tap.


Regards,
Tom Barr

Did I miss it... Would you even think to use a flow through filter/water (e.g., a sump filter) or just pour in water/top off as needed?

If the latter... How often do you actually "change" the water and what percentage (25%, more? less?)? Hope I'm not being a pain, but I think the answers to both of these questions impacts my design so I'd appreciate your (and anyone else's) perspective.

BTW...i AM glad I can keep the water type simple in the grow-out. That news helps in the design considerations. Thank you.

And, re. Algae eaters... I'm presuming = RCS or other algae eating shrimp? So there's no need for occasional feeding by me?

And, OK... so I've got more work to do. Namely: play detective (again) Oh well, I am sure to learn something new about this plant and the best water / ferts... cool Thanks again.