Stupid question --- transplanting

[brimac41]

This may seem a stupid question but here it goes.....

I have finally made up my mind to try my hand at live plants . After some advice and recommendations from Rookie , I bought some Java Fern . I am going to try and get my hands on some Anacharis this week . But here is my question , how long does it take them to show signs that they are doing well , such as yellow leaves ? The Java Fern has been in there for a full week as of yesterday and they are still so green that they do not look real . I had one little one that broke off one of the main plants when I was weighing it down , I guess it's called a "daughter" (is this the correct name/usage?) . I tucked it in a crevice of lava rock and it's leaves have grown quit a bit since last Saturday .

 

[DragonFish71]

Plants, like fish go through an adjustment phase. When I get new plants, I acclimate them like I do fish, not for as long however. Just letting them float in a bag, dip water every so often. I found that helps avoid shock. As for how long before you know they are doing well, that depends on the plant. Crypts have a tendency to "melt", swords have a tendency to yellow etc. When I do java and anubias they take to everything right away. It takes about a month for the roots to get a firm hold. Vals, dwarf sag kind of do a mix of melt and yellow then perk right up. But stargrass, ludwigia repens and the rotala indica that I grow don't seem to have any issues either. I plant them, they grow. The only good luck I've had with anacharis is letting it float, planting it killed it. We only use it in the pond now.

So really, there isn't a time line for plants. They do their own thing once they get used to the water, nutrients and light source.

 

[brimac41]

Good to know , they seem to be doing fine and still yet look very healthy . I meant to ask about how long they take to take root also . I have an anubias also , just forgot to mention it , My lfs guy gave it to me to try (I have a good lfs) . It seems to be looking healthy also .

 

[mfdrookie516]

are you trying to attach them to driftwood or have them root in the substrate? if you're trying to attach to driftwood, just take a piece of sewing thread and tie it to the wood. by the time the thread has rotted, the plant should have attached itself. Sounds like everything is going good.

 

[brimac41]

are you trying to attach them to driftwood or have them root in the substrate? if you're trying to attach to driftwood, just take a piece of sewing thread and tie it to the wood. by the time the thread has rotted, the plant should have attached itself. Sounds like everything is going good.

I have no driftwood anymore , my local Pet stores want way ,way,WAY to much for it . I am not going to pay $60 for a small chunk of wood , though I would like to have some more , just can't afford it . Some painters spilled paint thinner in an empty aquarium I was storing my driftwood in . Don't ask me how they managed it , I am still stumped on that one . But I digress , I have used some fishing line and gently tied a small river stone(more like a large pebble) , large enough to keep them from floating around so they can root to the crevices in the caves I have made , took some doing . When it takes root , to where they will hold fast on their own I will cut the line away .