moving plants

[Keeper]

Is there any special way to move plants around in a tank. I currently have a 5.5gal planted and want to add some more plants and at the same time move others around. Is there a safe way to do this so that I don't damage the plant too much.

Thanks

 

[MikeWinLDS]

Pick them straight up. I was surprised when I pulled up some of my Rotala Indica. It felt kinda snug when I was pulling on it, and apparently so, it has a whole bush full of roots. Maybe they don't like it, but it didn't kill them. I just plunked it back down in the gravel. I guess if you wanted to be "careful" you could gently sweep back the substrate surrounding the roots and all that. I wouldn't waste time doing that though.

 

[medge00]

very carefully. sometimes i grab the soil around it to try keeping the root ball in tact. they may looks scruffy for a few days, but if you leave most of the roots connected to the plant, they'll do fine.

 

[marcus russo]

If you remove the plants I suggest also trimming the roots to 1/2 to 1/4 inch if they are longer

 

[malkore]

good advice so far. stem plants like moneywort and bacopa usually don't form huge root balls...but cabomba can form a ball the size of your fist.

as long as you're gentle you shouldn't have problems

 

[Keeper]

perfect...thanks for the help.

 

[Keeper]

just one more thing...if i'm doing alot of moving around in the tank, should I remove the fish while I am doing it. I don't want to cause too much stress for them!

 

[savga]

If I have to pull up plants I usually do it with the gravel vac going to pull out all the mulm and stuff so it doesn't foul the tank to much. Since I have flourite as a substrate, things can get pretty muddy if it is stirred up.

 

[malkore]

actually, netting and moving all the fish will stress them more than your hands being in there longer than normal with some cloudy water. they'll be a little freaked, but they're used to their surroundings in the tank, and the cloudiness won't hurt them.

 

[Guest]

Agreed, leave the fish in the tank, unless you are doing this to try to re-establish territories, that's about the only reason I'd take them out.

 

[Keeper]

awesome...thanks alot...that helps alot