Adding New Plants - With Or Without Pots?

[New tropical gal]

Hi all

I'm new and I'm currently trying to plant up my new 100 litre tropical tank.

I see that most pet shops sell aquatic plants in pots but some hobbyists remove the pots and plant by the roots.

In all honesty I'd rather keep my plants in their pots (for simplicity) but my concerns are

- Will the plant still be able to absorb nutrients from the substrate whilst in the pot?
- Will the plant die earlier if planted in the pot?
- Will the plants growth be inhibited if in the pot?

Really appreciate all help.

Thank you

 

[mr130gallon]

i had my plants in pots for about 2 months, then removed them, and now they are spreading better.

 

[flyhawk]

its better to take them out of the pots
arent the pots unsightly?
they also get better nutrients, and the stuff that they are embedded in in the pots have little nutrients

 

[New tropical gal]

its better to take them out of the pots
arent the pots unsightly?
they also get better nutrients, and the stuff that they are embedded in in the pots have little nutrients

Thanks to you both.

Re the pots being unsightly, I have burried the pots in gravel so you can't really see them.... that said I layered the base of my aquarium with Laterite and if my efforts will be in vain due to the pots then I'd rather take them out of the pots so that they get full benefit.

In fact, I'll have a go at removing the first few from their pots today.

Out of interest, provided that the plant receives sufficient nutrients etc. how long can one typically expect a plant to live for? I wouldn't like to go to the effort of individually planting each one and tying it down if I'm going to have to repeat the process every few months.

Again, thanks for your help

 

[Ben M]

a lot of plants could last for ever, in the sense that a lot make plantlets, or you can split rhizome plants, and cut new bits off stem plants, so if the original plant did die, then you would still have the babies.

 

[flyhawk]

most plants will live forever and reproduce
usually if they are growing right you have to trim them before they could die