# Tips for planting



## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

Heyas,
Could you guys please give me any helpful tips you might think of for a newbie tank planter.
I have a green thumb outside but inside a tank is all new.
I read that aquatic plants are grown outside of water?? They said it's normal that the plants might wither and lose foliage at first?
I read some of your old posts, one recommended poking sand with a fork periodically. Should I do that while planting.
Most of the tank is fine black sand but I have a strip of colored gravel down the center.
I know there is alot of misinformation on the internet and I find that you folks have given me solid advice.
Plants should be here by Friday or Saturday and I'm really looking forward to this.
yay!!
GG


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Most plants are grown submerged unless stated otherwise. Some plants will melt like crypts but will usually come back stronger. Stem plants can lose some leaves but not always. No need to fork substrate where you plant, that is usually done where there is no plants.


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

I have added Thrive to my never ending fish tank shopping list.
With all the nutrients you said were floating around how long do you think I have before I need to add anything?
Couple weeks, month?
thanks in advance


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

When you get your plants and fert. Do a 50% water change add fertsThen start weekly water change


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

Gotcha, thanks.
I read from numerous people to avoid duck weed like the plague, said it takes over and is then impossible to get rid of.
Is this total BS, the Co2 thing below? I was looking up the difference between injected Co2 and Air stones.
*Agree! Oxygen and co2 don't work together as you know! A co2 apparatus adds co2 while the airstone(doesn't add oxygen) causes the disruption of the surface which cause the co2 to go out and the oxygen to go in! Thus the 2 equipment will offset each other and you will be wasting the co2! Another thing with co2 is some people turn it off at night since plants don't take co2 in at night, at night it converts the C into sugar. However C4 and cam plants are the only plants that take in co2 at night instead of during the day. *


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## Kurama (5 mo ago)

Pressurized co2 slightly before and during photo period, most turn co2 on an hour before lights come on and turn off an hour before lights off - build up co2 so the plants can utilize it and then stop so when lights out there's not excess co2.

Some say air stone at lights off to keep the tank oxygenated but you probably won't need it.

Also, as for duck weed 🤣


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

hehe Kurama, you crack me up.
The last Clown Face might be stretching the truth slightly as many many folks say once Duckweed takes a hold you got it for the long haul.
What I was trying to determine was the falsity of saying Air Stones don't put air in the tank.
I have since read up on plants that do well without all this Co2 crap.
Thanks for your reply
GG


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Co2 is dependent on plants, lights and ferts. I don't run co2 on any of my tanks.


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## Kurama (5 mo ago)

I'm putting co2 on my 29gal that I'm building, but I'm going for an HC carpet


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

I received my plant order.
They sent a sheet for sterilizing the plants before putting them in my tank.
One is bleach [email protected]% solution
2nd option Peroxide solution
Which one should I use? I am leaning towards Peroxide but that one doesn't say kills snail eggs, Bleach does but isn't that a bit risky?
thanks in advance and Happy Friday
GG


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## Kurama (5 mo ago)

I just threw mine in the tank after a dip in dechlorinated tap water to rinse em off. There was one micro snail when I unwrapped the rock wool but it was already dead


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

I went for the lesser of evils and did a 3ml solution of Peroxide.
Tank is looking nice am so pleased I met you all and got steered in this cool direction.
I'm gonna have to get some small things to weigh down floaty plants for the future.
I got Hygrophila Salcifolia, Moneywort, Water Wysteria, Ludwigia Ovalis, Althernatera Sicoidea, Narrow Leaf Pogostemon Stellatus(say that 3 times fast)
Many thanks!


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

looks good.


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## Kurama (5 mo ago)

I like the plants! And I'm laughing at the filename, fitting - planty tank 🤣

It's nice having friends in the hobby, learning and getting cool ideas from each other. R.I.P. my wallet though


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

Kurama said:


> It's nice having friends in the hobby, learning and getting cool ideas from each other. R.I.P. my wallet though


 Oh my wallet is beyond CPR, it's DOA. lol
It is cool having you all to share this adventure with, I drive my poor roomie crazy with my prattling on about the tank. 

I noticed with some of the plants they have free floating roots, as in up on the stems?
I guess they intertwine with each other to spread?
Obviously I cannot plunge all those roots into the sand but is there anything special they need?
Thrive is top on my list come pay day and I did do a sizeable water change before planting.
I noticed that a number of the plants I got could be planted on their side and or floated on top.
I'm not really going for a carpet but what are you guys thoughts please.
I also was seeing that plants consume Nitrate? Not Nitrite or both? Nitrate is the good stuff and my levels have been spot on.
Hope you have a great day
GG


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Those are water roots, as the stems get longer, they can be cut in 1/2 and the tops replanted.


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

Cool, thanks.
When putting around the net last night I find that I really like the Anubias species, the leaf shapes are really neat.
 welcome to the fantasy jungle

I had another question about the crazy glue.
I know it's fish tank safe but gluing a wet plant to a dry something, does it hold right away or do I need to tie it to the object holding it down?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I usually glue to wood but I let the wood set out an hour, so the glue sticks better. You can always tie it with string to hold in place for a while to make sure the glue dried good


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

Plants moved a bit and Under Water vs Aquarium camera mode.


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## acrews6505 (3 mo ago)

Looks awesome!


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## Deathdealer91 (Jul 23, 2014)

I've encountered both submerged and emmersed aquatic plants. Alot of them will melt when submerged into the aquarium but will come back. Some plants like bucephalandra won't melt. But you can definitely tell the difference with submerged or emmersed. For example when bucephalandra is grown emmersed it has bright green fat leaves with barely any other color but green. But when submerged it has small colorful leaves that kinda look like the stars in the sky.


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

Well if massive root production is a sign of good growth, we are happening over here.
The Moneywort which had no visible roots has sprouted a bunch up and down the stem.
The Althernatera Sicoidea had a lot of roots showing and they are definitely stretching down towards the substrate.
mini squeal of delight...grow plants grow


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)




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## Deathdealer91 (Jul 23, 2014)

Gamegurl said:


> Well if massive root production is a sign of good growth, we are happening over here.
> The Moneywort which had no visible roots has sprouted a bunch up and down the stem.
> The Althernatera Sicoidea had a lot of roots showing and they are definitely stretching down towards the substrate.
> mini squeal of delight...grow plants grow


I love watching them grow. My buce has finally grown roots that hang down like weeping trees.


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## Kurama (5 mo ago)

My ludwigia exploded, the other side of the tank has tons of side roots shooting out


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Cut in 1/2 and replant, will bush out more.


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## Deathdealer91 (Jul 23, 2014)

Also I've never forked my soil for planting. Get you a set of aquarium planting tools. Will do you a world of wonder planting. I love my curved tongs.


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

Nice Kurama  and check check for Susan and Death.
On my never ending list is a set of Hydro Garden tools 
Hey Kurama, what are the plants by your Ludwigia? A Sword and maybe an Anubias towards the back?
Cheers


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## Kurama (5 mo ago)

Gamegurl said:


> Nice Kurama  and check check for Susan and Death.
> On my never ending list is a set of Hydro Garden tools
> Hey Kurama, what are the plants by your Ludwigia? A Sword and maybe an Anubias towards the back?
> Cheers


It's 3 anubias(my favorite plant) rhizomes: two of them are anubias barteri, the 3rd I'm not sure might be Nana or Barteri

Some anacharis stems that have split growth ends and the ludwigia. The anubias in the back has grown a lot, I think it started as 4 leaves now it's 9 or 10.
(also dwarf hair grass and dead/dying pearlweed on the ground level)

I think the pearlweed died because it was the most pathetic little baby lead bunches and the stems outcompeted it for resources


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

Cool thanks.
I really like the Anubias a lot too and haven't got it in my tank yet.
They stay nice and small right or do their leaves get huge?
Maybe depends on the type.
I have looked at so many plants but seem to recall an Anubias gold coin or something.
thanks again


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## Kurama (5 mo ago)

Gamegurl said:


> Cool thanks.
> I really like the Anubias a lot too and haven't got it in my tank yet.
> They stay nice and small right or do their leaves get huge?
> Maybe depends on the type.
> ...


There are like 20 different species/varieties I think. The big one in the picture is Anubias Barteri and it's full grown, that plant is maybe 5-6" tall from rhizome to leaf tip. The smaller one beneath and to the left is from the same pot and is 3-4" tall ish

Anubias Aquarium Plants

Read the descriptions it has plant size and leaf size listed


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I had coffefelia that covered a 2foot section of a 75 gal, even barterii will have 4 or e species. Check out Buceplant.com they list several species


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

🤓 Wow! Just a couple species there.
_pulls jaw off floor_


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## Kurama (5 mo ago)

Kurama said:


> I just threw mine in the tank after a dip in dechlorinated tap water to rinse em off. There was one micro snail when I unwrapped the rock wool but it was already dead


It's been 2 weeks and the snail eggs I couldn't see have hatched, I now have about 6-7 snabies (that I've seen so far...) pretty sure they rode in on the anacharis. Guess I'll let them grow a bit so I can ID them but it looks like they've got pointy shells facing backwards. One is the size of an EcoComplete substrate pebble the rest are smaller and more see-through lol. Can't even get a picture it won't focus


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Sounds like pond snails. Pull them out or mash them, they will become a pest snail. Breed rather fast.


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## Kurama (5 mo ago)

I pulled the biggest one out for a picture - I think it's a bladder snail maybe


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Pond and bladder one in the same, pest snail


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## Kurama (5 mo ago)

Guess I'll be using my new 10g's to quarantine plants before I stock the 29g, it's fairly easy to handle these in the 3g but any bigger would be difficult


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

My plants are doing great. I have been watching for leaf melting but don't see any.
I ordered the fertilizer today and my plant tools.
I'll give them a week or so more but can see spots were I can snip and replant.
Fun stuff


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

Question: The plant I mentioned with long root trailers coming out, these are nearly 6 inches long now, should I try to direct them towards the gravel or let em fly free?
They look neat


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Pic


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

susankat said:


> Pic


Did you mean post a pic?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

yes


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

Pics


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## Kurama (5 mo ago)

I've also got lots of side roots shooting out the sides - it's my understanding that they weren't getting enough nutrients from planted roots so the side roots are feeding off the water column.

I can't tell if that's what's happening here or not


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Thats normal, once they get taller trim at a node and replant, more plants that way. The node will grow roots in the substrate.


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

Cool, thanks both of you. 
have a smurfy day


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## Deathdealer91 (Jul 23, 2014)

Kurama said:


> I pulled the biggest one out for a picture - I think it's a bladder snail maybe
> 
> View attachment 32997


I have these also. Good to have. If you over feed the tank the population of these will go nuts. I keep mine low. Fish are well fed and healthy


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## Kurama (5 mo ago)

The count is now:
6x bladder snails
2x pond snails
2x ramshorn

From just a small handful of stems crazy


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

Kurama said:


> The count is now:
> 6x bladder snails
> 2x pond snails
> 2x ramshorn
> ...


All those little hitch hikers from some plants?! That's pretty bad imho. What company may I ask? Seems to me folks that sell plants shouldn't have snails in there at all.


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## Kurama (5 mo ago)

Gamegurl said:


> All those little hitch hikers from some plants?! That's pretty bad imho. What company may I ask? Seems to me folks that sell plants shouldn't have snails in there at all.


1x $5 bunch of anacharis and a freebie bunch of ludwigia ($7 value) from Dustin's. Good quality plants, I didn't bleach dip or quarantine tho


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## Gamegurl (4 mo ago)

Those eggs must be miniscule. In better news my Ludwigia is growing like mad, I'm ready to trim and split the little beauty up.
Actually all my plants are growing really well.


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## Kurama (5 mo ago)

Took like 2-3 weeks before I even noticed anything so yeah microscopic lol


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