Bunched Plants

[Seal36]

I have lots of bunched plants in my tank and I was wondering when I planted them did I need to remove the lead weight and the cotton wall thing that keeps them all together or should I remove it at a later date. Or should I just keep it there from Tom

 

[BelldandyShanny]

if it were me I'd remove that stuff, it's not cotton over here it's fiberglass and quite itchy for fish and your arms when you work in the tank!  I plant all my plants anyway, or get them to root into some wood.

 

[Seal36]

Ok is it absolutely necessary to as the plants are planted and rooted and don't want to disrupt them too much. I also bury the fiberglass and led weight under the sand. The plants are growing well but should I still remove the fibre glass or just let them be from Tom

 

[Sophie]

I would remove and replant. The problem with being bunched so close together is they end up 'stunting' themselves effectively as there isn't enough space for roots and not enough nutrients to go around.
Think of plants in 'the wild', their mission is to get their seeds as far away from the mothering plant as possible either by animals eating them and passing them out elsewhere, the wind blowing them further a field or even firing them elsewhere! You get my drift..

If they have roots and your substrate is 'heavy' enough to plant them into, I'd 100% recommend this. You won't disrupt them, they'll love you more for it!
The lead weights also damage the stems etc

 

[Seal36]

I have removed the lead weights and fibre glass from the plants so hopefully they will be fine and carry on growing from Tom

 

[BelldandyShanny]

they should do better! and your fish will be happier trust me

 

[hobby5]

Always remove everything from your plants before planting.