# General Topics > Plants, Plant Care & Plant Identification >  Plants I now have with my American Bullfrog Tadpole

## froggyman

Here is a picture of the tag that came with them

and here they are in my new enclosure 

Thoughts?

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## bill

I keep seeing these is pet stores and it makes me irate that they sell them as aquatics. They are all terrestrial species that will survive with their roots in water, but need to grow out of the water. My suggestion would be split them up and let their leaves exit the water and they will be much happier. 


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

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## froggyman

That actually makes them perfect for my purpose that is what I am doing with them, the label said to stick the roots in the substrate,  that is the gravel, right?

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## bill

Yes. Gravel=substrate. 


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

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## froggyman

Here is a picture of how I have them planted into the gravel.

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## bill

That's pretty much all you need to do. As long as you are using dechlor water, they should get enough nutrients to survive. 


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

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## froggyman

What kind of lighting do they need?

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## bill

You can use something as simple as a desk lamp with a cfl in it. But the bulb needs to have a color temp of around 6500k. Of course, there are options above and beyond that, aquarium strip lights, t5, t5ho, LED, ect. 


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

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## froggyman

Which of those options will be best for my tadpole the water is currently 73°F and I don't want to make him morph early by increasing the temp to much and I think he is an American Bullfrog,  still not quite sure yet :\

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## bill

It doesn't really matter. None of those will through off that much heat. The cfl would throw the most heat, but nothing like a standard incandescent bulb would. 


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

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## froggyman

So once I get the light, should I have a standard day night cycle?

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## bill

Correct. 12 on, 12 off. 


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

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## froggyman

Will this work?

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## froggyman

Don't plants need UV light, like from the sun?

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## bill

That bulb is an incandescent. No good for plants (despite what they may say on the packaging) and will throw off a ton of heat. 

Plants to not require UV light. They require light in the correct color spectrum, but ultraviolet is not one that they require. 


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

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## froggyman

That makes sense I will go check the pet shop,  thanks again for all of your advice.

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## bill

No problem  :Smile:  


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

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## DiggenEm

No need to spend a lot of money on a bulb at the pet store. You can get a CFL at Wally World for under $10. Look for daylight or cool white.

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## froggyman

That's actually what I was just looking at it says 5000+ on color temp the only one I found that was 6500 was $35

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## bill

5000k will en fine for what you have there. 


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

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## froggyman

Hey everyone,
I went ahead and got a full hood for the tank with a crazy bulb that is good enough to grow coral, what do you think?

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## froggyman

The light bulb I got is a10,000K Daylight and True Actinic Blue Light bulb. I just want to make sure it isn't to powerful, for my plants and my tadpole,  it seems to radiate some heat I got a 2 degree increase from 73°F to 75°F after running it for about 6 hours today, thanks.

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## froggyman

Hello again,

Today I noticed a spot on a leaf from one of my plants with Casper got kinda worried that maybe it dying and I know some plants excrete toxins when the are dying here is a picture in the light where it isn't as noticeable

and here is it in lower light (without the tank light on)

please let me know what you think, thanks

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## froggyman

Hello here is the light bulbs I am using for Casper


Here is a great shot of Casper

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## Heather

The 10,000K bulbs are actually for coral. Wrong spectrum for plants. You'll want a 6500K-6700K full spectrum bulb.

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## froggyman

Yea I switch that one out with a 6,500K

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## Amy

> Yea I switch that one out with a 6,500K


That is incandescent and will not work either.  What is your price limit on new bulbs?  Honestly, I'd spend the money and get a decent LED instead of continually wasting money on stuff you hope will work.  I spent way way too much money on hoods and bulbs trying to find something I felt was reasonably priced and would work...and usually ended up not working very well.  I'm so happy I finally switched to LED's on both of my tanks and my plants are happy also.

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## froggyman

I am holding two different kind of bulbs on my hand next to each other I am using a incandescent to give off a little heat, and the florescence which is for the plants it give off 6,500K light color temp.

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## froggyman

> 5000k will en fine for what you have there. 
> 
> 
> Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela





> Hello again,
> 
> Today I noticed a spot on a leaf from one of my plants with Casper got kinda worried that maybe it dying and I know some plants excrete toxins when the are dying here is a picture in the light where it isn't as noticeable
> 
> and here is it in lower light (without the tank light on)
> 
> please let me know what you think, thanks


Hey again update on my plant with the spade shaped leafs it seems to have lost rigidity in its stems, should I take it out?

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## froggyman

I guess I will just remove the plant it keeps looking worst

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## Heather

Bummer. You'll have to get a good LED  :Smile: .

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## Paul

I believe bill suggested the type of light you should get, but I dont think you have done that yet. Without proper light the plants will slowly wither and die.

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## froggyman

I got a light with 6500 K color temp which is the kind Bill told me to get it just took me a while to find it and the plant started dieing before I got it. I think I am good to go with my lighting now, on another note Casper seemed to really like the big leafs and I think he  misses them, any suggestions on a good plant that is pseudo aquatic with big leafs, would lily pads work in my small tank?

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## Paul

Just toss in some aquatic moss. He probably enjoys the breaking up of the big open space and the security the leaves brought. Moss will so this same thing for them and is super easy  :Smile:

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## froggyman

Is there a thread that explains the kind of moss and how to do it?

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## Paul

Java Moss is a very common aquatic moss. I believe Christmas moss is also an aquatic moss.

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## froggyman

So do you mean the moss balls it's the only thing I can find online aquatic moss I have found a petco, so I just get some moss balls and have them float in the water?

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## Carlos

Not ball moss, Java Moss  :Smile:  !

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## froggyman

So what should I have the moss grow on, drift wood or something

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## froggyman

I just called every pet store in my city and none of them have java or Christmas moss one store had flame moss he said it looked similar but wasn't sure if it would be good for Casper,  is it good?

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## froggyman

Bump?

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## Heather

It is often sold at the reptile shows.

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