Out of control roots?...

[Corbo]

Hey guys, just want some opinions--

Seems to me like the roots on my plants are going bonkers... They're all over the substrate on the right hand side of my tank. Is my substrate too thin? Or is it normal? Trying to hide them with shorter plants like crypt parva. Should I try to thin out the roots or just leave them?

 

[mfdrookie516]

swords will be swords... and crypts are the same way... you figure out how to make it stop, let me know!

 

[jetajockey]

It happens. Your substrate is pretty shallow though, for sure. Wouldn't hurt to add another inch or two.

 

[Corbo]

Yeah. I guess it's just part of planted tanks. Haha. The argentine sword I have in the front stays small, despite me reading it gets up to 18"... But it does send runners... What the heck? Seems like my aponogeton ulvaceus has hardcore root systems too. Sorry for the noob question haha.

 

[Corbo]

I would add some but that would be A LOT of work. Haha. Gosh, I don't even want to think about that. Would be a fun rescape opportunity though.

 

[jetajockey]

Yeah it's not a big deal if you don't. I have a planted tank with really shallow substrate like that, and it's great. It's just hard to plant some things in to, but a few plant weights keeps everything where it should be.

 

[Corbo]

Yeah. I got new stem plants a while back and they have weights right now as you can probably see haha. but they're getting roots so I'll probably plant soon. Normally have enough substrate for rooted plants. I have fluorite/sand so I think that may help

 

[jetajockey]

Looks kinda like rotala rotundafolia, but hard to tell. I have some weighed down like that and it never really put enough roots in to bother taking the weights out lol.

I ended up separating it after it got bigger and leaving the extras floating in a tank.

 

[Corbo]

Yeah it's rotala rotundifolia... Either that or indica. Not sure. I like it though. Almost orange on top