anchoring plants.

[cabezon]

Hey. Does anyone have any suggestions for keeping my plants in the substrate until they get a good hold? pretty much every plant except for some large swords has been up rooted by the inhabitants.

I tried the lead strips.

Also I have a pretty large grain aragonite? larger than pea size with sand below. Could I use some sort of gauze or something to cover the small stuff?

 

[CA_BroncoFan]

I have used underwater pots to plant them in, the pots you get when you buy them. I just fill it with sand/substrate and then bury the pot.

 

[BigJim]

I use the lead strips and I attach a split shot fishing weight to the end of the strip. It keeps the plants at the bottom even if they're dislodged.

 

[taylorodw]

If it's a stem plant, you can just lay it under a rock.

 

[JustOneMore20]

How deep is your substrate? That might be the problem if its not 2-3 inches. I use some over sized tweezers for planting and while they don't always stay put, most of them do. I use that to shove them to the bottom of the substrate.

 

[Lowryder]

Arent you guys worried about lead in your tanks?

+1 on the tweezers, I just planted a ton of micro swords that way. My cories root around in the substrate and I find some floaters every now and again but for the most part they are ok.

 

[zach_1_6]

the same thing is happening to me! i have several plants in my tank and loved these ones i saw in the store. i bought them and they came with the lead strips, i planted them and they would just rot at the base of the stem and i would have a huge clean up to do every so often! a few have rooted but i lost the rest!

 

[cabezon]

I have tried rocks too. Somebody is doing some rooting, not sure if it is the severums, or the pleco. all the cories and botom boys are too small to move plants. The substrate is deep, but feels kind of light.

What I really think I am looking for is a plastic mesh or something to cover the plants to allow them to root.

Lead is not an issue in a FW tank.

 

[BigJim]

Arent you guys worried about lead in your tanks?

Lead is rather inert in most water. Very hot or acidic water may be cause for concern, but not any water you'll come in contact with. They used to use lead pipe for house water supplies and lead is still used to seal cast iron pipe seams.

 

[Lowryder]

I learn something every day around here, thanks!