How Do I Plant Stem Plants?

[EliteFishy]

Everytime I plant stem plants they get loose from my gravel and float away or the plant dies from top to bottom.

 

[blackfinshark_3]

well how mcun lgith do you have?

are u using ferts?

co2?

how deep is your gravel?

any info would be appriaciated

 

[Ami]

Everytime I plant stem plants they get loose from my gravel and float away or the plant dies from top to bottom.

I was going to say 'stick them in the substrate....?', but it sounds like you've got a bigger problem than that!


I've planted hygrophilia as a stem plant and wasn't sure what to do with that at first. You're supposed to plant individual stems and spaced, but they'd either float off or I'd break them. I've got sand in my tanks, so I tend to stick them in then pile little pebbles around.

Some have died from the top (not enough nutrients in the sand, my fault so corrected it with iron tablet fertilizer) but most start to put out roots very quickly and then are fine. Some do float away still, but I just leave them until they've rooted a bit (they'll do this even in a vase with some sunlight) then replant them.

I'm sure someone can give a better answer!

Ami

 

[EliteFishy]

Ooooooo. I never spaced mines so the bottom was rotting due to lack of light. I still dont know how to get the plants to stay put. How deep should I burry them and the bottom wont die?

 

[George Farmer]

Float the stems for a week or so. The extra light and CO2 will allow new root growth. Then plant the stems an inch or two into the substrate using tweezers for smaller stems, fingers for larger.

What substrate do you have? Large grain sizes i.e. standard pea gravel are not suitable as it blocks root growth. It is also raises pH and hardness due to the lime present, not ideal for plant growth (or most fish) either.

Jimbooo's in the process of writing a thread on how to plant and maintain stems etc. soon.

 

[EliteFishy]

I use Flourite.

 

[George Farmer]

I use Flourite.

Excellent