# How do you keep your live plants down?



## mattbirk (Aug 3, 2011)

How do you keep your live plants to stay in the rock? Just bury them? Is there any tricks? Most of mine stay down, but I have had a few eventually come up and start floating.

Thanks,
Matt


----------



## Rob72 (Apr 2, 2011)

what kind of plants are you having trouble with, i burry them good and pack the substrat tight around it to hold them down, some do take a little time for there roots to anchor them self down


----------



## mattbirk (Aug 3, 2011)

I don't know exactly what they are called, but they were real piney, and there were basically like 5 or 6 branches all at the bottom, and some came up later then others...and it took quite a while for me not to see any pine leaves in the tank anymore. another one, I don't remember exactly, might just me not giving enough effort to it.


----------



## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

I keep mine down by insulting them constantly.


OH not what you meant?

Anyhow,it depends on the type of plant.If its a rhizome plant(which has a horizontal stem)then its best tied to a piece of driftwood or large rock.Stem plants just bury the stems.Rozette plants like swords,bury the root to the crown(where the leaves are coming from the roots,itll be almost a whitish color).Moss can be tied to decor or left afloat.and some plants are better floated.

Also a pic would be very helpful on the plants you are describing.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Is it Cabomba?

You can order plant anchors from a few different sites. I use to use the ones from here AquariumPlants.com.


----------



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I pack the substrate around the plants as tight as possible. If they still float, I put a few rocks around the plant to try and hold it down. Once the roots start to grow, the rocks can be moved.

(Hahahahah Bev!)


----------



## Kehy (Apr 19, 2011)

My method is pretty simple. If the plant floats, and it's not supposed to, I yell at it. If it floats and IS supposed to, I go have a drink.


----------



## mattbirk (Aug 3, 2011)

I don't have them insulated in anything, just bury the roots themselves. Am I doing it wrong? Seems to work for most of them.


----------



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

You don't have to insulate them. Just bury the roots as you're doing - unless it's a plant like Java Fern or Anubias - those need to be anchored to porous rock or drift wood. With Amazon Swords, I've been told not to bury them too deep either.


----------



## ufimych (May 9, 2011)

I burry roots in the gravel. Sometimes I press base of the plant with small, but heavy enough rocks. This is usually enough; when the plant develops its own roots, everything is going well the natural way. I keep ferns and mosses in place by keeping small rocks on them.


----------

