Plant weight strips

[Fishfinder1973]

I’m not a fan of these,but found I had no choice but to use them because my substrate is a thin layer of sand around one and a half inch thick.Add three yo yo loaches and it’s easy to understand why I’ve had to use weight strips.I cut pieces of sponge to help protect the plant and attached the strips around this sponge.

The questions are:
Will these hinder the plant growth?,and if not,will the plant eventually open the clip if the clip wasn’t too tight?
The roots will eventually take hold beneath the sand and therefore I do want to remove the clips sometime in the future.
Any tips or advice on the removal would be much appreciated thanks.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

Depends on the type of plant, but usually they don't hinder growth. In theory if the plants are stuck into the substrate, they'll eventually root into the substrate. Unfortunately this would make it harder to remove the weights in the distant future. Something to note is that yoyo loaches are pretty long-lived, and the bigger they get, the bigger the damage to the plants. As long as you still have them in your tank, I would keep the weights regardless.

 

[Fishfinder1973]

Depends on the type of plant, but usually they don't hinder growth. In theory if the plants are stuck into the substrate, they'll eventually root into the substrate. Unfortunately this would make it harder to remove the weights in the distant future. Something to note is that yoyo loaches are pretty long-lived, and the bigger they get, the bigger the damage to the plants. As long as you still have them in your tank, I would keep the weights

I was thinking the same thing,as long as I have the yoyo moles then I had better keep the clips for a while,if not forever.That’s also why I asked the question now,as I know later on the clips will be quite difficult to remove.

 

[mbsqw1d]

I'd add more sand, at least another inch

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Will these hinder the plant growth?,and if not,will the plant eventually open the clip if the clip wasn’t too tight?

If it is wrapped around it tightly, then yes. And no, the plant won't be strong enough to open up the clip as it grows.

The roots will eventually take hold beneath the sand and therefore I do want to remove the clips sometime in the future.
Any tips or advice on the removal would be much appreciated thanks.

Why not add more sand? I like having at least 2 inches of sand, so the plants have lots of area to anchor into to.

 

[Fishfinder1973]

I doubt another inch of sand would stop two fully grown yo yo loaches from digging the plants up.They are strong fish
Don't get me wrong it's a good idea for the future if the plant roots take hold in the sand depth I have at the moment.

 

[Colin_T]

My yoyo loaches never dug up plants

 

[Fishfinder1973]

My yoyo loaches never dug up plants

What size were they?
Mines have always dug up the plants

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I doubt another inch of sand would stop two fully grown yo yo loaches from digging the plants up.They are strong fish
Don't get me wrong it's a good idea for the future if the plant roots take hold in the sand depth I have at the moment.

How many do you have? Might be a stress thing.

 

[Colin_T]

What size were they?
Mines have always dug up the plants

4-5 inches, and there were 20-30 of them in a 4x2x2ft heavily planted tank.

 

[Fishfinder1973]

4-5 inches, and there were 20-30 of them in a 4x2x2ft heavily planted tank

The big female is obviously just grubbing around when she dislodges a plant.I only have three and it’s the big female who does the damage as she is very powerful.She used to click her mouth quite a bit and I could almost feel the clicking through the glass,but that has stopped since I introduced another two.