How To Plant Plants?

[JohnDyer]

How do you physically plant plants, so that the roots don't pop out and the plants don't float? I have pretty deep sand substrate, at least 1.5 inches. 
 
Plants with bigger roots like anubias and crypts, I can't get all of their roots under the sand. There are always bits that stick out, and if I push them under, the plant shifts and other parts are uncovered. I tried digging a bigger hole for them, but the sand just flows back into place.
 
Plants with small, straight roots like dwarf sag and pygmy chain sword, I can't get to stay in the sand well. I kind of just shove the roots in with my finger, but, especially with the swords, the roots are only a few millimeters long and my finger makes a hole bigger than the roots. Even when it holds in place, siphoning and pouring water for water changes just uproots it all again. Also, the roots are rotting on one of the mother sword plants, but the other one is fine.
 
I don't know how to plant Java Fern at all without burying the rhizome, so it's kind of just sitting on the sand.
 
Seems pretty silly, but I really don't know how to do it. Advice appreciated!
 
 
 

 

[Rak9378]

I recently purchased an aquascaping tweezer which has really made planting much easier. You don't have to use your finger to make a hole just use the tweezer to gently push the root under the substrate. I have gravel but I would imagine if would work well with sand too. Also, FYI Anubias does much better when attached to driftwood or rocks. If you do plant it in the substrate don't bury the rhizome.

 

[coolie]

It's actually a very good question if you have plants that want to float but you try to bury the delicate stems deep, but you find if you crush the stem planting it, it begins to rot due to the damage.
I'm actually trying to work out a way such as superglue the stem to a small pebble and drop it in. I might try this, this afternoon.

 

[daizeUK]

If the plants have long roots simply trim them before planting.  I usually trim long roots to about 1-2 inches.  If the plant is healthy it will soon grow new ones!
 
Small plants with no roots are trickier.  Sometimes you just have to weigh them down somehow.  Temporary lead weights or similar might help.
 
The java fern should ideally be attached to something like a pebble or piece of wood.  You can use superglue or fishing line to attach it.

 

[fluttermoth]

The anubias and Java fern are definitely better attached to rocks or wood; it is very difficult to plant them in the substrate without covering the rhizome.
 
For the smaller plants. First of all, you don't need to bury every single root; they'll 'pull' themselves down eventually. Pebbles can really help, as Daize says.
 
Don't try and gravel clean anywhere near plants when they're new. Actually (as long as it's not left over food) mulm does no harm to a tank, so as long as you're doing your water changes, leaving it for a couple of weeks will be fine and will help give your plants a chance to root in.
 
Try using a colander to pour the new water through so you disturb things less. Or a jug. Or, I always set my tanks up so there's a nice rock in a convenient spot for me to pour my new water back on top of.
 
It gets easier with practice too!

 

[bluesword23516]

What is the Rhizome of a plant? I want to do a nice planted tank, but I am not sure what to get. I want really basic plants, and really easy to care for. I have soft water and have a water safe maker thingy. I don't have testing strips but on my next run to the store I plan on getting some.  BUT I have taken the water to the pet store after I have first made the batch and they say its "ok"  (which I know isn't as good as the actual numbers, but what can you do).  

 

[Ch4rlie]

I find using long tweezers which are about 10" long which can be easily obtained online.
 
Something like this would help greatly in planting plants in any substrate.

 

[fluttermoth]

What is the Rhizome of a plant?

It's a thick stalk that both the leaves and roots grow from, on Java ferns and anubias (and some other plants, but not all plants have a rhizome).
 

I want to do a nice planted tank, but I am not sure what to get. I want really basic plants, and really easy to care for. I have soft water

Try Amazon swords, Java ferns, anubias, cryptocorynes, sagittaria or bolbitus.
 

and have a water safe maker thingy.

??? I have no idea what that is..could you post more details?
 

I don't have testing strips but on my next run to the store I plan on getting some.  BUT I have taken the water to the pet store after I have first made the batch and they say its "ok"  (which I know isn't as good as the actual numbers, but what can you do).

Say, "could you write those down for me please?" 

Made the first batch of what? I'm sorry, I'm not with you on that either...

 

[bluesword23516]

I have a water dechlorination droplets (liquid form).
 
By batch I mean the first bunch of water I made.

 

[majerah1]

Is it an RO unit or a water softener unit? Does it run through the entire house? I believe the chemicals used in that can be a bit of a pain for the fish but yeah, I am not understanding what you mean either. 

 

[bluesword23516]

I don't know what to call the bottle, it just makes the water safe for fish.
We have a water softener in our house.

 

[JohnDyer]

I never understood how temporary lead weights are supposed to work. Don't you end up uprooting the plant to take them off?
I will look into getting some driftwood and rocks, been a bit busy recently and haven't had time to shop around.
I can just use regular tweezers, as long as they are clean, right?
 
Thanks for all of the advice!

 

[daizeUK]

You can bend the lead weights around the stems of some plants and unbend them when they are rooted. A pebble may work just as well.

 

[coolie]

I've recently trying to plant the very delicate stems of the plant Pennywort. I find that the delicate stems rot and snap if you damage them either by pushing them through gravel or by crushing lead weight around them. This afternoon, I have an experiment going and 2 out of 4 stems I have superglued to a rock.
 
I don't know if roots will now grow downward from the stems, hopefully.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Yeah, there are a variety of ways you can do this, as Daize says, use pebbles, rocks, lead weights and ceramic rings etc to weigh down stem plants to stop from floating up.