Plants and sand

[rvm]

I've just set up a new tank with a sand substrate. I've used a fiarly thin layes of sand (about 1/2 inch) I have some plants from the LFS, is it ok to just leave them in the pot that they came in and put them in the tank like that? if I unpot them like I do with my other tanks, the sand is not thick enough to let them root!!

 

[Cheese Specialist]

It depends what the plant is. Some plants put runners from the roots to form new plants (like vallis), in a pot they could not do this.

 

[rvm]

No idea what they are. I just get the ones that look nice!!!! I'm not really that into plants, but I haven't found any plastic ones that look good, plus I have nitrate problems in my tap water, so they help me with that!!

 

[!guppy!]

I've Just got my new 37g tank and i bought some special "aqua gravel" or something that is nearly sand but its great for growing plants, i have taken them out of pots and put them straight in bout 1/2 inch or more of this gravel, they should grow well

 

[SirMinion]

I've found that sand anchors the roots far better than gravel.

Since changing to sand, I've never had a single plant uprooted, even with large and burrowing catfish in the tank.

 

[heresmike]

Are the plant roots wrapped in that paper-like stuff? Not sure if it would be a good idea to leave them in that. Maybe what you could do is repot them in a larger pot with sand or other aquatic plant medium.

 

[Aquascaper]

Plants are usually rooted in rock-wool (the grainy woolen stuff). This is fine to put in a tank and if you spread it outwards with the roots still in it you can push to the bottom of your tank and then just cover with sand, gravel, etc. This will help anchor the plant as there is a greater surface area 'pinned' down by the substrate.

HTH