Weighting Plants?

[CletePurcel]

I recently set up an aquarium (100 litre tank with gravel substrate).

I got some plants from the LFS and planted them in the gravel. Some of them do not want to stay down and keep uprooting especially those near the flow of filter.

They came with small flexible metal bands holding them together at the bottom. I have used this band to weigh some of the plants down so that they stay put. Is this wise? It seems to be working.

Cheers.

 

[KittyKat]

In my opinion, not wise. Last time I looked at them closely, they were made of lead.. I'm sure you can make up your own mind about the pros and cons of putting a heavy metal into your aquarium.

 

[CletePurcel]

Thanks. I thought lead was practically illegal nowadays, but you may be right.

What else can one do to keep plants in place until they start to establish decent roots?

 

[peter shogun]

I will watching this as i have just put a few plants in my tank and ive left the lead weights on so i am also unsure now thanks for posting this thread

 

[KittyKat]

Which plants are they? How deep is your sand bed? Some can be tied to rockwork or wood, others just buried deeper.. I sometimes even use plant pots full of substrate to plant stems into while they grow roots. Other times, I will plant something in the quiet part of the tank for a while, then move it.

 

[CletePurcel]

Which plants are they? How deep is your sand bed? Some can be tied to rockwork or wood, others just buried deeper.. I sometimes even use plant pots full of substrate to plant stems into while they grow roots. Other times, I will plant something in the quiet part of the tank for a while, then move it.

I actually don't know what the plants are, but some of them had hardly any roots at all to speak of. There is about an inch layer of gravel.

I'll try and look them up now.

I asked my father (who gave me the tank) and he said he used to leave the weights on (but that's not necessarily a recommendation )

 

[CletePurcel]

I can't ID the plants, but I took some pictures:

The first type is :

2nd:

3rd:

And last type:

 

[Piti]

US/Canada/UK Lead may be looked down upon, but they still sell it in my lfs in the same form you would but the plants in, but also keep in mind, sometimes your LFS buys thier products from Malaysia or wherever they happen to be from where rules may be different on such metals, and honistly, it's easier to take a plant out of a bag and stick it in the sub if your doing it on mass for display(LFS)

How do people feel about fishing wieghts? Little metal balls for fishing lines?



The first two, don't worry about roots, once they start growing, you may worry about to many roots, and the last two (i have last one floating in my tank), they wont make many roots at all, maybe some stringy ones on some of the lower nodes, but unless you have a ton of current, they would be good if you burry them properly.

 

[FishFanatic13]

your first plant is not truly aquatic just to let you know

 

[CletePurcel]

US/Canada/UK Lead may be looked down upon, but they still sell it in my lfs in the same form you would but the plants in, but also keep in mind, sometimes your LFS buys thier products from Malaysia or wherever they happen to be from where rules may be different on such metals, and honistly, it's easier to take a plant out of a bag and stick it in the sub if your doing it on mass for display(LFS)

Thanks. You are probably right, although I got an email from the shop this morning saying that they are 'perfectly safe'.

How do people feel about fishing wieghts? Little metal balls for fishing lines?

Lead shot for fishing (and shooting?) is no longer allowed in this country AFAIK. There are non-lead alternatives.

The first two, don't worry about roots, once they start growing, you may worry about to many roots, and the last two (i have last one floating in my tank), they wont make many roots at all, maybe some stringy ones on some of the lower nodes, but unless you have a ton of current, they would be good if you burry them properly.

Do you (or anyone else) know the names of these plants? I have been poring over tiny internet pictures on websites and badly focussed pictures and drawings in my 2 aquarium books, but cannot be sure what they are.



Cheers.

 

[CletePurcel]

your first plant is not truly aquatic just to let you know

Thanks for your reply.

Is it a Japanese Dwarf Rush?

This was what I came up with in my search but I am not sure.

Does that mean it will die? And shouldn't the shop have pointed this out?

 

[FishFanatic13]

your first plant is not truly aquatic just to let you know

Thanks for your reply.

Is it a Japanese Dwarf Rush?

This was what I came up with in my search but I am not sure.

Does that mean it will die? And shouldn't the shop have pointed this out?

not sure its Japanese Dwarf Rush i think its and spider plant
and shops often sell non-aquatic plants
and yes over time they will rot and if it does not rot it will not really grow
but read this http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/297782-a-survey-of-non-aquatic-plants/

 

[CletePurcel]

your first plant is not truly aquatic just to let you know

Thanks for your reply.

Is it a Japanese Dwarf Rush?

This was what I came up with in my search but I am not sure.

Does that mean it will die? And shouldn't the shop have pointed this out?

not sure its Japanese Dwarf Rush i think its and spider plant
and shops often sell non-aquatic plants
and yes over time they will rot and if it does not rot it will not really grow
but read this http/www.fishforum...aquatic-plants/

Thanks again. That article is really useful.

Yes it does look like a spider plant. I am a bit angry now with the LFS. I finally thought I had found a good one and they were well aware that I was a beginner and asking for advice so they should have told me.

 

[FishFanatic13]

well glad i could help
and yes its very annoying

 

[Piti]

1 Maybe a pond plant that requires open air to survive (may take weeks, may take months)
2 Cryptocoryne walkeri
3 Didiplis diandra (very unsure)
4 Cardamine Lyrata or maybe some type of Hydrocotyle