New plant help

[epicfish]

I admit it, I'm a newbie and need some help!

I just got an assortment of plants from another member on this forum that threw together a package of hardy plants for a beginner.

I put the entire bunch in the sink and a lot of free leaves came out and whatnot, and then small bunches of what looks like java moss (I think?) came out...just tiny little strands...will those grow when they float on top of the water, or should I just throw it away?

There's bits and pieces of some plants as well as large pieces of others, so I don't know which are worth keeping, which aren't...help!

Will they survive floating on the water until I can figure out what to do with them, or should I stick them into my gravel and hold them down in the meantime?


Thanks.

Oh, and would pictures help with helping me figure out what I should do next? I haven't the faintest idea which plants are which!

 

[phanmc]

java moss will grow if you just float it, the tiniest strands can become quite bushy in good conditions. Float the plants that don't seem to have roots, bury the ones that do have roots.

A picture would definately help.

 

[epicfish]

Plant 1:


Plant 2:


Plant 3:



Plant 4:


Plant 5:



Tell me if you want any clearer pictures of anything...it's hard to take pictures of plants that you force down and then try to snap a quick picture before they float up again!

Click on the pics for a larger image.

Thanks!

 

[aardvark1]

First plant is a Java Fern, not planted in substrate-attach it to some driftwood. It'll "grab" onto the wood after a while. Got mine stuck into the top of my fake PetSmart stump.

Other plants need to be planted-good roots on them. You will need a deeper substrate though!

A side note: those pics are HUGE!. Might want to resize them the next time you post pics!



ok, they were huge when I first looked at them.....

 

[plah831]

Number 2 is Anacharis/Elodea. Number 5 is Ludwigia repens. At least you've got nice root growth on all of them I had problems getting my Ludwigia to grow roots (received it as clippings).

 

[epicfish]

Another plant:


Fuzzy looking...as you can tell, I haven't mastered the art of aquarium photography. Bear with me.

 

[epicfish]

First plant is a Java Fern, not planted in substrate-attach it to some driftwood. It'll "grab" onto the wood after a while. Got mine stuck into the top of my fake PetSmart stump.

Other plants need to be planted-good roots on them. You will need a deeper substrate though!

Will regular aquarium gravel with flourish plant tabs work?

 

[phanmc]

1. Java fern - doesn't need a substrate, should be tied to a rock or driftwood or just weighed down to the substrate.

2. anacharis - can be planted or left floating

3. I think that's crypt wendtii - will need to be planted fairly soon

4. I think that's hygrophila polysperma - can be left floating for now but should be planted once it develops more roots

5. ludwigia repens - can be left floating for now but should be planted when it grows more roots

6. java moss - treat the same as java fern

 

[epicfish]

1. Java fern - doesn't need a substrate, should be tied to a rock or driftwood or just weighed down to the substrate.

2. anacharis - can be planted or left floating

3. I think that's crypt wendtii - will need to be planted fairly soon

4. I think that's hygrophila polysperma - can be left floating for now but should be planted once it develops more roots

5. ludwigia repens - can be left floating for now but should be planted when it grows more roots

6. java moss - treat the same as java fern

So to let them develop roots, just let them float at the top of the water with constant lighting?

 

[phanmc]

Yes, you can leave some of the hardier stem plants (which are what the hygro and ludwigia is) floating for quite awhile and they'll survive and grow, but they'll grow much better when they're in the gravel that has nutrients.

You can use regular gravel with plant tabs. It's better to use small grain gravel to hold the plants, the smaller the better. You'll want at least 3 inches of gravel around the area with the plant tab to prevent it from leeching nutrients into the water.