# Do you "plant" your plants?



## UnderseaGal (Mar 4, 2014)

So I have two small tanks (12g and 2.6g). The 12 gal is the fluval edge - super hard to fiddle in as tank is tall and opening is tiny.

Both tanks have ADA. I'm a newbie but I'm trying to embrace the real plant thing. Since I got the Edge it's been fairly sparsely planted with wisteria and anubias. I struggled A LOT with the anubias - trying to get them to sit where I want them through that tiny opening - in the end as per forum advice I used lead rings (they work well, but don't look great) (I know anubias are meant to sit on a log or a rock but that wasn't possible and I was told I could plant them in the soil so long as I don't bury the entire root bit).

I just bought a bunch more plants to step up my game.  A lot of them are going at the back of the tank (windelov), plus some more anubias. 

I tried planting these in the ADA but all I did was make a mess and get nowhere - the soil is too light and doesn't hold down the massive plants I'm adding. So right now everything is just "sitting" on top of the ADA rather than buried in it, if that makes sense. I know from experience (newbie experience... haha) that plants like wisteria will eventually get some roots into the ADA and stay put. Can I just let everything sit there and wait until that happens? Or is there a benefit to properly "planting" the plants?

I have a similar thing going on in the 2.6gal but to a smaller extent because it's much easier to fiddle around in.

Honestly, planted tanks look awesome, and I've picked hardy kinds and managed to keep them all relatively healthy, but attempting to plant these in the soil is a terrible nightmare.

Thanks for reading!


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## UnderseaGal (Mar 4, 2014)

Just found out, off line, that the windelov should attach to wood, so I think I'll just put a piece of flat driftwood on the bottom of the tank for that one.

The question remains for other types of plants, though! (e.g., bacopa)


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## luca (Jun 5, 2010)

UnderseaGal said:


> Just found out, off line, that the windelov should attach to wood, so I think I'll just put a piece of flat driftwood on the bottom of the tank for that one.
> 
> The question remains for other types of plants, though! (e.g., bacopa)


This video pretty much shows you what to do:


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## UnderseaGal (Mar 4, 2014)

Thanks for sharing the video, luca.
Seems simple enough, but for me it all breaks down at the "plant in substrate with tweezers" stage. The plants don't stay put, and I make a big ADA mess.
I guess I just need more practice!


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Lower the water down when you plant. Fill it back up when done. I always do a replanting/planting with a water change when using substrates like Florabase or ADA. The other trick is to overfilter, which I know in your case is difficult.


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## UnderseaGal (Mar 4, 2014)

2wheelsx2 - thanks for the tip. I also usually do the plant stuff at water changes, though for tall plants I find that makes it harder because the plants fold over onto themselves.

Overfiltering sounds like a great idea, but yes, not sure if I could with my set-up.

I've been thinking, and I like this idea of setting up the plants onto a flat piece of driftwood that can sit at the bottom. At least for the plants that do better attached to wood or rocks.
Thanks again!


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Your plants will grow out in no time anyway. I would trim off the bottom parts of the stems like Bacopa and plant the tops. That way they won't fold over. And your method of attaching to flatter pieces of wood is what I do in my pleco tanks. All my ferns and Anubias are attached that way. Then the plecos can root around all they want but they have an overhang to shade themselves from the light.


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## Bobsidd (Dec 28, 2012)

How deep is your substrate? More depth means you can jam more of the stem into the substrate for a better hold. Also, make sure you plant a single stem at a time and I always trim some of the bottom leaves, those that will be beneath the substrate, to act as anchors. This works particularly well with bacopa. 

Also, open the tweezers very slowly once the stem is in place and jiggle them slightly as they are opening to help the substrate settle around the stem and makeshift anchor, holding it in place. Once the tweezers are fully open, I drag them out at an angle, not straight up, so as to avoid catching them on some of the exposed stem and yanking it out of place. 

I have a fluval edge too. I feel your pain!


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## UnderseaGal (Mar 4, 2014)

Thanks 2wheelsx2 & Bobsidd - I will follow your advice next time.

I guess one of my problems is that when I only have half the water in my tank and I'm rooting through the ADA things get real cloudy real fast - so 1) I can't see what I'm doing, and 2) I worry about the fish so I try to rush.

But next time I work on plants I will try to be calm and I will follow your suggestions. 
Thanks again!


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