Planting Live Plants in fine gravel...

[rowdyates]

Can I just say as a bit of a noobie that planting live plants in fine (@1mm) gravel is the most infuriating job Getting the damn thing to stay down without some sort of weight, I think you need an apprenticeship and years of training. The best bit was when I was nearly finished I touched some vallis I'd separated the other day and that popped up , pushed it back in and the next bit popped up. Anyway don't want to bore you too much and I feel better for sharing and at least all my plants are in!

Cheers,

Keith

 

[pseud]

I just planted my tank and I have sand as substrate. I know exactly what you mean. I figured out that if you push your finger in real deep first, then pull it out, then push the stem in, it goes down much easier and deeper. Then kinda gather the sand around the stem to secure it and press down lightly.

Sucks having to plant 100+ stems.

 

[rowdyates]

Yeah, roughly what I did, the added fun is the fact you have to get your hand to the bottom of the tank while leaning down the front so you can actaully see what your doing.....I feel a game show coming on!

Keith

 

[pseud]

I know, right!

And if you're foolish, (like me), you do it with the tank FULL of water, just to make things more interesting!

 

[jimbooo]

try doing that on a 2 foot cube.

i was in up to the neck, literally a good trick is to get hold of a load of slate, smash it to bits and use the pieces to trap the roots and keep them down. i dont like using lead in my tanks.

 

[pseud]

That slate idea is a good one. If many of my plants get uprooted i'll try it