I've had issues with some of my plants floating instead of staying in their planters. I've seen some someone mention (not on here) using soil beneath their sand. Has anyone ever tried this before, is it a good idea? Thinking if the plants had the soil for the roots to grab they would be less likely to float.
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Soil in aquariums?
- Thread starter Steve2717
- Start date
I'll suggest a deep dive on google. It is commonly done if you keep species that never dig (no Cichlids!). But it isn't something to do lightly, and it can go wrong. You have to learn how to treat the soil, and how to prepare the tank.
Avoid gurus as well, as there are a couple of cult-like sites guys have set up for versions of the technique. If it sounds like magical faith that's just too easy, it probably is.
Avoid gurus as well, as there are a couple of cult-like sites guys have set up for versions of the technique. If it sounds like magical faith that's just too easy, it probably is.
Maybe not a good idea then since I have cichlids. Any idea why my potted plants are floating or ways to prevent it? Tried sticking a ceramic weight on top to keep it in place till the roots can take hold but within 30mins it'll be floating again
I don't use pots - is something in there buoyant? Did you pot them yourself?
An easier fix would be to weigh down the plant with a weight. If you have a ring on top of the pot it can still float in my experience. If you have potted plants with rock wool it can hold trapped air I think, which causes the floating. I'd recommend putting a couple of rings at the bottom like the one in the picture. Another alternative that I've been using a lot recently is lead plant weights. They are perfect for stem plants especially ones such as Limnophila sessiliflora that need to be trimmed at the bottom now and then.
I bought them at lfs already in pots but weren't floating there. They seem to have some sort of padding inside. They have slots down the sides of the plastic pots so roots can escape
OK thanks I'll try putting the weights inside
Repot them into plastic icecream containers. Have an inch or two of gravel in the bottom. Put a thin layer of granulated garden fertiliser on top of the gravel. Cover that with a 1/4 inch layer of crushed/ powdered red clay. Cover with gravel.
Plant the plant into the gravel and as it grows, the roots get into the nutrients and the plant will take off. The clay and gravel stop the fertiliser leaching into the water.
If you don't want to do that, take the wadding out of the pots and put gravel in them.
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Don't add garden soil or potting mix to aquariums. they regularly have organic matter in that breaks down and releases ammonia, which will poison the fish.
If you have soil under sand in the aquarium, the sand ends up mixing with the soil and 6 months later you have brown mud on the bottom of the tank.
Just use sand or gravel but not soil, potting mix or anything else.
Plant the plant into the gravel and as it grows, the roots get into the nutrients and the plant will take off. The clay and gravel stop the fertiliser leaching into the water.
If you don't want to do that, take the wadding out of the pots and put gravel in them.
--------------------
Don't add garden soil or potting mix to aquariums. they regularly have organic matter in that breaks down and releases ammonia, which will poison the fish.
If you have soil under sand in the aquarium, the sand ends up mixing with the soil and 6 months later you have brown mud on the bottom of the tank.
Just use sand or gravel but not soil, potting mix or anything else.
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