A Question About Stem Plants

[CatoeSc]

I hesitate to ask, because this could be a really dumb question, but are you supposed to remove the binding wrapped around bundles of stem plants or do you leave them to help in planting?

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Those weighs are metal, and soon enough it will start to release meal toxins, poisoning your fish

 

[junglefowl]

Remove it and plant the stems

 

[aqua_chem]

You can leave it there or remove it. The lower stems will get more light if you remove it and spread them apart, so that's what I recommend doing.

The weight itself is completely tank safe.

 

[Rivercats]

I remove the band and plant each stem individually with the leaves of each stem almost touching the leaves of the stems around it.

 

[CatoeSc]

Okay, so it sounds like I'm pretty much doing it right, though I'm not intentionally spacing them. I will do that going forward as I can see obvious value in that.

Here's my problem... Once I go to plant them, my hands turn into "Wreck It Ralph" hands! I have aSeacham Fluorite substrate which is a bit large. Every time I manage to plant a stem, I knock another one loose and off it floats. I've got some parts of my tank that are really looking good, but then other parts that I can't quite get right b/c my hands are too big to get in there.

I'm sure others have experienced this. How do you address it?

 

[eAts]

Okay, so it sounds like I'm pretty much doing it right, though I'm not intentionally spacing them. I will do that going forward as I can see obvious value in that.

Here's my problem... Once I go to plant them, my hands turn into "Wreck It Ralph" hands! I have aSeacham Fluorite substrate which is a bit large. Every time I manage to plant a stem, I knock another one loose and off it floats. I've got some parts of my tank that are really looking good, but then other parts that I can't quite get right b/c my hands are too big to get in there.

I'm sure others have experienced this. How do you address it?

Stainless steel Tweezers are what I use to avoid knocking everything around.

 

[Rivercats]

I have 24" stainless steel planting tweezers due to the size of my tank. For smaller tanks, except nanos' I like 12" ones. The allow you to put stems in yet are long enough to totally keep hands out of the way.

 

[Convict2161]

I have 24" stainless steel planting tweezers due to the size of my tank. For smaller tanks, except nanos' I like 12" ones. The allow you to put stems in yet are long enough to totally keep hands out of the way.

Funny I have the 12" tweezers, can't wait to use them.

To the OP I'll post how I like them after I use them

 

[aqua_chem]

I have some 12" tongs I got from a chemistry research lab that shut down. They are pretty fantastic to use. Before that I used a cheapo plastic pair of tweezers that I found in a first aid kit (I have pretty long arms).

 

[Rivercats]

Funny I have the 12" tweezers, can't wait to use them.

To the OP I'll post how I like them after I use them

Some people have to get the hang of them but once they do they can't believe how easy it is. Those 24" ones were hard for me to get used to after using 12" ones but I finally got the hang of them and actually couldn't work in the 220 without them.

 

[jetajockey]

Pro tip: Drain the tank down before planting, makes life much easier

 

[CatoeSc]

Do you recommend the strait or the angled? Brand recommendations. Shopping Amazon and see several options. Only brand I recognize is Fluval.

 

[Albino Sick Led]

The man with the "Wreck It Ralph" hands

Stainless Steel aquarium tweezer will work great, as mentioned above. Here's a link to some:
Amazon.com: Fluval Flora Stainless Steel Planting Tongs - 10.63-inches: Pet Supplies

Also, if you are doing a planted tank, it would be a good idea to look into stainless steel scissors to trim your plants later on. (don't know if you have some already)
here's a link to some as well

Amazon.com: Nature's Aquatic Planting Curve Scissors 6.5 inches for Planted Aquarium Tanks: Pet Supplies


There are the curved angle type and the straight angle. Which ever you feel works best for you.

 

[Rivercats]

I have an aqua scaping kit with both angled and straight sissors and tweezers and I can honestly say I use the straight ones 99% of the time especially the tweezers.