Axolotl Planted Tank Setup?

[anthonyle17]

Hi! I've been lurking on this forum ever since I got my axies, but finally decided to post! I am thinking about setting up a Planted tank for my axolotls, and was wondering what everyone's opinions on Planted tanks are. Of course, my Axie's wellbeing would come before the plants, but I want to know if it's actually feasible to have a Planted tank before I try one. I've never worked with plants before, so I'm a bit of a dummy. But from some brief research, it looks like Java Fern and Moss are the easiest to care for under Axolotl tank conditions. So my question is, what kind of lighting setup works well for the plants and is okay for the axolotl? And how long do you generally have to leave the light on per day?

 

[LippyNix]

I have moneywort, java moss, java fern, marimo moss balls, and potted anubias in my tank. I use a standard fluorescent tube in the regular fixture, and it's on 8-ish hours per day. My axies don't react when I turn it on, even when they are at the top of the tank, so it must not bother them. Any plants not really secured will be uprooted by axies. Mine seem to enjoy sitting on the tops of the moneywort (how it gets uprooted, I'm sure) and lounging on the clump of java moss. They also move the moss balls around, although I've never seen them doing it (that, or the moss balls secretly walk around at night! ). I have flourish excel for the plants, but I read on here that it's not good for axies, so I don't use it. My plants are doing fine under these conditions, and the axies seem to like them.
Java moss and java fern grow like weeds with minimum care, so don't bother buying a lot of them unless you're too impatient to wait for them to grow. My java fern has begun to produce baby plants on the tips of leaves already, and has only been in my tank about 2 months. Also, all my plants were in the low light plant package from Aquatic Arts on Amazon, the price was amazing considering what I got, and I had zero snails show up (I rinsed the plants, of course).

 

[Aschneider8]

I am also looking for suggestions. I don't have a soil tank, but do have fine substrate. Does anybody recommend any online sellers in the US?

 

[Cloppy]

Java fern and Java Moss will be fine with your axie. What lighting fixture are you using?

 

[Wyvell]

I currently have 2 Anubias, a crested java fern, a marimo ball, quite a bit of java moss and a Compacta (which she constantly uproots) in my tank, there is also some Salvina floating on top. I dont have a light on my tank but I leave a small light on in my room about 8 hours a day and there is a small bit of sunlight that reaches the tank.
my substrate is very fine sand and all of these plants seem to do well.
One of my Anubias is large and in the sand and the other is small and attaching to some driftwood. My axolotl LOVES the big Anubias. She sits under it as a hide.
I plan to get some kind of bioavailable carbon soon but I am not sure what I can use with my axolotl yet.