Plant weights?

L

Lady Friesian

AC Members
Sep 26, 2006
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Hi,
Does anyone here use those soft metal plant weights to keep bunches of stem plants together? My stem plants are driving me crazy, and looking at the bunches of plants at the store today made it seem like such a good idea to just leave them in those. Of course, taking them out and trimming them sometimes.

I've read both that they are made from lead and that they are zinc/magnesium. Before using them in my tank, I'd like to be sure they are safe for the fish.

Any thoughts?
 
make your own!!!!!!!
 
The best thing that you can do is avoid these. Typically they will literally kill the part of the plant below the weight. Ideally, a smaller substrate that allows the plant and roots to cling is best. I use play sand in all my plant tanks and it works GREAT!
 
avionics30 said:
The best thing that you can do is avoid these. Typically they will literally kill the part of the plant below the weight. Ideally, a smaller substrate that allows the plant and roots to cling is best. I use play sand in all my plant tanks and it works GREAT!
Click to expand...

You just use regular sand box sand? How deep do you have it? I want to use sand in my new 55 gallon with a canister filter. Does it blow around or stay where it should be?
 
I use quickcrete play sand from home depot. It's about 4" thick and it stays right where it's supposed to go. Play sand is cleaned thoroughly prior to bagging and sale. It's supposed to be safe for kids, so it' great for your tank. I still rinse it just to cut back on any dust. I have it in all three of my tanks. Here's a picture!

Discus Tank.jpg
 
Bunch plants are sold that way but not planted that way. Individual planting of each stem is best. Individual planting can be an agravation trying to keep them in the gravel but perservere.

No one sells lead strips anymore but you can use a strip (they can be bought or scrounged) to hold a stem down but as has been mentioned the plant can be crushed where it is fastened and will rot after that place so most experienced folk do not use them.
 
Is that Lagarosiphon major (aka "Elodea crispa") you've got growing at the back? It's usually sold as "goldfish weed" and I've always wondered how it grows in a tropical tank, because I actually think it's rather a nice looking plant.


Edit - scrub that. Just zoomed in and it's good old Egeria densa.
 
jackiomy said:
You just use regular sand box sand? How deep do you have it? I want to use sand in my new 55 gallon with a canister filter. Does it blow around or stay where it should be?
Click to expand...

Pool filter sand is much better than play sand - it is heavier so will not float around and get in your impellor and it is much cleaner from the start. I have it in all of my planted tanks and it works great.
 
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