# Can I grow plants in gravel



## Noeler48

Hi I'm looking for help on growing plants in my tank it's a 45g julwel tank.. When I bought the tank a year ago as a bigginer I just put gravl in and no course gravl under neat... I have a few tall plants at the back but every time I put small plants they just flout to the top.. How can I sort this out.. Or is there something I can do with the gravl...


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## Kehy

How are you planting the smaller plants? Are you using ferts of any kind, and what is your lighting? There are some plants that you simply don't have to plant in the gravel (usually by just tying them to rocks or driftwood). Also, depending on your fish, they might be helping to knock the plants loose


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## Noeler48

I'm not sure what the lighting is. Cause I'm new I didn't even no it had anything to do with the growth.. The shop gave me some kind of led to tie on the plants but I taught it would may be harm the water... Iv just put new drift wood in my tank last week.. What plants can I tie on the wood?


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## Kehy

Lol, there's a lot that goes into making plants grow well...
The plant weights usually are harmless for the tanks, they can just end up rotting the end of the plant that they are attached to, if they are attached too tightly. Three types of plants that you can attach to driftwood or rocks (and are apparently nearly indestructible) are: 
*mosses *(java moss is most durable, but there's others like xmas, sugwassertang(sp?), and flame)
*Java Fern*
*anubias*

All of these can handle lower light conditions, but with moss you have to be careful of hair algae, and with the others, of algae growing on their leaves.


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## ZachZaf

Also dont use the lead the store gave you... just store it somewhere... like in the basement, not near water... and wash your hands afterwards if your under 23 years old...


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## Noeler48

What is the easyist way to tie the plants on the wood. Sorry for the stupid questions...?


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## hanky

I use sewing thread, which ever color will blend in with the rock/wood, just tie the "roots" on and eventually they will grab hold of the rock/wood. some people use small rubberbands also fishing line will work , but I find thread the easiest.

Also your light bulbs should have writing and numbers on them, If you can tell us what it says and how many bulbs you have we can help you.


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## beaslbob

Try using super glue to glue the plants to a rock or two.

Sand it much better for rooting plants but they can be grown in gravel as well.


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## jrman83

Smaller pea-sized gravel is better suited for it.


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## Cadiedid

Other options for growing in gravel are swords because they have large enough root systems to cover in gravel enough to keep the plants down and if you stick a couple root tabs in the gravel a little distance away from the plant the roots will grow even more. I have also had luck with wisteria and crypts in plain gravel although the crypts are a little tricky to plant and keep planted until the root growth takes off.


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## Kehy

I hear most sword plants get too big to keep in small tanks. There are some smaller varieties though, so maybe look into them.


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## Cadiedid

Kehy said:


> I hear most sword plants get too big to keep in small tanks. There are some smaller varieties though, so maybe look into them.


Very true. An amazon sword would not work, LOL. I have a nice melon sword that seems to be staying pretty small.


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## jeff5347

Figured id jump in as im plated with gravel. I have Water Lilys, aponogetons, water wisteria and hornwort. They all grow very well. The wisteria just sinks it roots into the gravel and went i had to trim some of the excess plants that were growing it took some umph to get the roots out. Also the apongetons root well too. I have left the hornwort floating but just stuck the ends in the gravel before to hold them in place. They are a arial plant so they wont grow roots in the gravel just rot but will hold in there before that for quite a while. ALso if you have gravel i would not so much as advise but let you know.. if you make small pea sized iron balls and use osmocote in pill tabs (10 osmocote balls in each) and place them deep in the gravel your plants will love it. Mine eat it up and the growth is crazy. Oh and dont forget the lighting and CO2.

With the 45 gal i would say if you can swing 2-3 watts/gallon you will have good lighting. More than that and i find algae just takes off.


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