planting bunch plants

[James_in_MN]

I've recently rescaped my tank with some new plants that I purchased at an event my aquarium club held. Two of the plants I added to my tank were bacopa australis and moneywort.

When I tried to add these two bunch plants to my tank, I relearned one of the things I hated about anacharis: getting the stems to remain planted for any period of time longer than 30 seconds. I'd add a few of them, then one would come out of the gravel and float back to the surface as I'm adding more, then others would follow. I about drove myself insane trying to get them to stay put.

What I ended up doing was breaking up the lead band that was originally wrapped around the bunches, wrapping a few of the plants with the smaller band, then planting that in the tank. The lead kept the plants (and my blood pressure) down.

Is there any other suggestions or ideas folks might have to keep bunch plants planted?

 

[ashleynicole]

I stick the whole bunch of 3 or 4 stems in the substrate together. I have sand so it usually stays where I plant it. And it grows roots eventually and will stay put.

 

[maestromad]

Are you able to leave the lead banding on then?? I struggled for ages to get my plants to stay put!! Doh!

 

[gabysapha]

Sometimes i rubber band stems together, not really tightly but tight enough to make it easier for me to plant it.

I found that it's a lot easier to let the plants float for a while until they grow some roots, and then plant them. Otherwise I get very frustrated when they Pop out of the substrate!

 

[mfdrookie516]

If they have somewhat flexible stems, I would always just curl them under a bit, to add some resistance to floating up.

 

[ashleynicole]

No I don't leave the banding on or anything. I just bury them pretty deep in the substrate. Sometimes even bury a few leaves to help keep it down.

 

[Koikid88]

Use all of these tips to your benefit? Curl the stems slightly, bury a few leaves to help keep it down, maybe use a rock at first to place ontop of the curled stem. Roots will grow within a week if good water and lighting, then move the rock where you want. If they pop up to the surface, I let them float for a day or 2, so I'm not fighting with the same stems everyday, it gives them a chance to heal before trying to plant them again. The fish like floating plants and they are closer to the light, so nothing wrong with leaving them floating for a bit other than because a bit unsightly.

 

[RedFlame]

I'll give you the secret method I created ... Hold stems in left hand like chopsticks, dig a whole with right hand, place stems in said whole with left hand and move substrate back to whole with right hand. Dry hands and admire your work. That's the insanity saving method.

 

[gabysapha]

I'll give you the secret method I created ... Hold stems in left hand like chopsticks, dig a whole with right hand, place stems in said whole with left hand and move substrate back to whole with right hand. Dry hands and admire your work. That's the insanity saving method.

You made me laugh!!!