extra hardy coldwater plants

[SA14mars]

I have a 55 gallon aquatic turtle tank and am looking to add some plants. the tank is all water (I know, unhealthy for the turtle...) and water quality isn't spectacular (these guys create a lot of waste). also, the plants need to be fast rooting and very sturdy as the larger turtle is liable to try to wack them to pieces until she gets used to them. Substrate is mixed gravel with several large rocks that I can use to bury plastic pots in and/or hold down root systems with

inhabitants:
1 RES, shell length 7 inches
1 Stinkpot Musk Turtle, 3 inches (full grown)
1 Rosy Red feeder fish (a survior)
2 small black feeder goldfish (not yet eaten)


Any suggestions?

 

[greendeltatke]

Just get a turtle dock- you can find them at any pet chain store and they work fine. For a live plant maybe a floating pond plant might actually work better. I have water hyacinths in my newt tank. They are fantastic nitrate filters and I think they would be difficult for a turtle to eat- lots of bushy roots, leaves above the water surface.

 

[TKOS]

For a floating plant duckweed is great. It grows fast and really helps to keep the water quality better. But it can be hard to control if you don't want it covering the whole surface of the tank all the time. I usually have to scoop a whole bunch out wach week with a water change. If it covers the whole surface then it will block light to other plants. But you won't have to worry about the turtles hurting it.

 

[Kissofthegorami]

turtles will eat almost any plant. I second duckweed. Its too tiny for the turtles to eat and u can never get rid of it anyways. It is a natural water purifyer. You need a large good mechanical filter for turtles. they also NEED land to sun on and get warm. They are cold blooded. You need to provide some land and a lamp for warmth.