Need Advice On Planting

[as40]

Hello all...

I've done a lot of research on what environmental conditions effect plants positively and negatively, and how to best care for plants once in the tank, but nowhere have I found anything on the actual planting process itself. This is my first attempt at live plants, and I just received my plants the other day (I ordered them online). I addressed my questions to the seller, but have not heard back from him, and I desperately need some advice. Some of my plants are not looking so hot!

This is what I have in my tank:
Dwarf Sag (several which are looking a bit yellow) :sad
African Bolbitis fern
Java Lace Fern
Java Fern
Java moss
Petite nana
Egeria najans
Dwarf hairgrass (also, looking a bit yellow) :sad

I know the ferns and moss get attached to wood or stone; I assume the hairgrass, nana, and sag get planted in the substrate, but what about the najans? It didn't have any roots, so I assumed you just stick an end into the ground and hope it grows...

I felt rather clumsy throughout the process of planting, and hope I didn't do too much damage to anything. Any pointers in case I have to start over, or get new plants?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[MrGoodbytes]

With the ferns and the Anubias, plant them where you like, but remember to keep their rhizomes about the substrate. The crown of the Sagittaria should be planted just abouve the substrate too.

For stem plants, I take the stems between my index and middle finger and thumb and kind of push them through the gravel/sand, leading with my two fingers, until they are where I want them. Plant them about an inch under the top of the substrate so they don't float up.

Graeme

 

[as40]

Oops!
I planted the sagittaria a bit too deep!

Thank you very much for the advice!

I'll go fix them tonight! Now I wonder if anything at all can be done for my poor hairgrass, which I have a feeling is dying... :shake:

 

[djlen]

By "petite nana" I'm assuming you're talking about Anubia. The easiest way I've found for them is to lay them on the gravel and just pin them in place with paper clips opened in the shape of a 'U'. This will aid them in the rooting process.
"Rosette" type plants, like Sag. need to be planted so that the crown(just above the roots where the leaves bases are) is just level with the substrate.
Planting them becomes easy with practice. Grasp the plant gently at the crown and pick the spot where you want the plant to grow. Then go to an area 2" or so away from that spot and gently push and draw the plant toward the spot you've selected.
If you push down into the gravel(gently) as you draw the plant across, you will notice that the roots will be drawn into the gravel as you move the plant. Ideally, when you get to the spot, all the roots will be below the surface. Then just pull the plant straight up until the crown is even with the surface and the roots are buried and you got it.
BTW, if you have plants with 3" long or longer roots, you can prune them with a sharpe scissors before planting. This will stimulate later root growth and make planting easier.

Len

 

[carpguy]

If you take a look at Peter Hiscock's Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants (you can take a look at pretty much any Barnes & Noble, I think its worth the $25), he's got a pretty thorough section on planting. Also includes sections on the always critical areas of Light, CO2, and Fertilization. Planting technique won't matter much without the others.

With the dwarf hairgrass (assuming E. tenellus), its sometimes sold in its terrestrial form (more ovalish leaves on short stems) these will die off and be replaced with the submersed form. That might be the case with the hairgrass, I don't think that happens to sags. They may just need some time to adjust.

DJLen's info is all good. I also use the dragging technique he describes. You can push the plant quite deep as you drag. Its always easy to adjust back up and it'll pull the roots under the plant.

I usually find that my thumb and index finger take up way too much space and that stem plants will pop back up before I can fill in the space cleared by my fingers. Tweezers are great for getting the bottom of the stem down into the substrate. I started with a regular pair from the drugstore before finding a longer pair that rest closed and press open… ideal.

For my java fern and java moss, I tied it to a rock with plain brown thread. Unnoticeable right away and gone in a few weeks, after the plant had a chance to get its footing. Still a portable plant, although the paperclip trick sounds good. Should work the same with Anubias.

Egeria, just put the bottom in the gravel. Its the simplest one on your list.

HTH

 

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

I planted my Anubias in one of those 'planter rocks' that look like rocks but have a hole in the top for a plant. It's fourishing, at least tripled in size, and the really cool thing is that it has sent roots that trail alll the way down the side of the rock and into the gravel. (There are little root holes in the rock, but it seems to like to do it this way too). It looks really neat. Almost like mangroves... ?

 

[Sumpin'fishy]

I'd agree with djLen and Carpguy. They pretty much covered the info on actual planting. I have the same book Carpguy was talking about by Peter Hiscock. It's a great all around book for planted tanks. It even has a plant ID,info, and picture section, as well as a few bio-tope ideas for aquascaping.......great buy!

 

[as40]

Thank you all very much!

All the information you provided is very helpful, and I definately will be taking a look at the Peter Hiscock book that was recommended.

Sorry it took me so long to respond, but I was out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday. Hope all of you had a good week/weekend!

 

[Leopardess]

Just a couple of things...

the anubias can be planted on rocks or wood, it does not need to be planted in the substrate. Also, as mentioned, it is very important not to bury the rhizome - it will slowly rot.

And, Dwarf hair grass is not E. tellenus, but Eleocharis parvulus

Also, since no one asked, what is your wpg and are you adding c02? I've found hair grass grows well only under high lights with c02....

 

[as40]

I'm currently running 2wpg with no co2. None of my plants are looking too hot, but I purchased plants I was specifically told by the seller would do well in low light with no need for a co2 setup. I posted a while back about fungus growing on my wood (http://aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18826). Now I have a disgusting explosion of snails and long hair-like algea in my tank (the only two things that seem to be doing well ).
I'm going to take the wood out sometime this week and bleach the heck out of it, since I have nothing big enough that I can boil it in. I'm not sure about how much bleach in the water, or how to go about soaking it afterwards, maybe you guys would know?
As for the plants that were on the wood, I'll just wieght them down so they aren't floating all over the place, and add a loach and some ottos if I can find them to take care of the algea and snails.

Thanks for your input.