moving plants

[pantherspawn]

OK so as a dummy.. I planted a tiger lotus bulb in the front center of my tank, not realizing how quickly it grew and how big it actually got.. so sometime in the very near future.. i need to move it to the back of tank and move some other plants around .. what's the best way to move rooted plants that have shoots and new growth without stunting or harming the plant? Not positive but I think the lotus and my crypts are intertwining roots as well..

 

[jetajockey]

I pull the root system out unless its really really well embedded. I've trimmed the roots down if they are insanely long, otherwise I just re-plant them all.

 

[pantherspawn]

Should I remove sons of the off shutes that are starting to grow up through the substrate and replant separate? Also.. because I'm doing the silent cycle.. how do I know when I can start removing some of the hordes of stem plants and replacing them with swords and such?

 

[jetajockey]

I've not kept that particular type plant so I can't say. If it's putting off runners (not sure if they do this or not), then I would say you can separate them once they have their own individual root structures.

One thing about stem plants, like anacharis, is they don't have to be planted, so let them float and put the swords in where they were planted at. As far as removing them goes, I'd let the tank establish for at least a month or so before you start pulling them out. Testing the water regularly whenever you do something like pull plants out will dictate what you can and can't do.

 

[pantherspawn]

That's the prob.. all of my tests have been normal like a cycled tank would be.. I'd hate to remove the stem plants and find oout that the tank wasnt cycled but that the plants were what was keeping it in check. I bought alot of wysteria and anacharis and some moneywort to do the cycle.. but don't want to keep them permanently.. at least not as much of them.. maybe a few stems of each will be OK. But they are just ugly plants. Lol

 

[rich311k]

I would wait until you know things are stable, growing well and you have your full planned fish load. After that you can pretty much do what you want.

 

[pantherspawn]

I would wait until you know things are stable, growing well and you have your full planned fish load. After that you can pretty much do what you want.

So wait a few months until after I've added my total fish population? I'm gonna have to do alot of trimming on that lotus.. lol thing grows almost as fast as the anacharis.

 

[rich311k]

That is what I would do. That way you have stability and a tank ready to support any kind of plants your light will support.

 

[pantherspawn]

I've not kept that particular type plant so I can't say. If it's putting off runners (not sure if they do this or not), then I would say you can separate them once they have their own individual root structures.

You should check into them.. the red tiger lotus had a beautiful red green color that is a nice contrast to the green in most tanks.. and unlike alot of other plants.. doesn't seem to be dependant on different parameters to keep the red coloring. And with an open tank they have awesome flowers

 

[pantherspawn]

Here is the red.. I also have a green in another tank.

 

[jetajockey]

That looks really nice. I'd like to get one I have just not run across any. I've been looking around (local) for different pots to put into my pond as well.

p.s. I love wisteria, when it really takes off it can be beautiful.

 

[pantherspawn]

I got mine from aquariumplants.com good prices.. shipping is a bit high though he does send healthy plants and alot of them.

The wysteria to me looks like weeds.. its just a tangled knot in the back if my tank.. the top of the plants are OK.. but the bottom 2/3 is just messy looking.. little root hairs grow out everywhere