Plants In A Container, Not Substrate

[robhughes]

Hi,
I've been reading through many posts on here, which all describe in fantastic detail how to plant tanks up with a substrate and sand etc.

My question is, can you put plants in a container, or large pot within the tank?

I'm setting up a new 240l tank and i'm not wanting to plant fully across the tank - just add some plants to one section, then grow moss on rocks, slates, wood etc to fill out the rest of the tank.

So i was thinking of creating a container out of some slate, then putting some substrate into this container, cover with gravel and pop some plants in. Does this sound like a viable method?

Tank details are: 240l, 108W daylight lamps. Haven't decided on plant types, or stocking yet - most likely a community tank.....although i do have a pleco who will be coming across to play in this tank!

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Rob

 

[three-fingers]

Yup, Diana Walstad uses this method in some of her tanks too (google her name for more info).

Most important things is choosing the right species of plant suited for your tank, easy growing low-medium lights things are your best option. You have pretty hight lighting so I would go for low light plants and then use floating plants to block out some light (more light = higher CO2 demand, so unless you want to add extra and plant heavily, floating plants will help reduce algae significantly).

 

[robhughes]

Hiya 3fingers.

Thanks for the advice - Diana Walstad was a good name to look up.
I found this quote on aquabotanic.com site.


"Recently, I added a small clay pot containing a couple stems of Rotala
macrandra. The plants, which have done poorly in the past when simply stuck
into the substrate, have surprised me with their good growth in the pot (see
photo).
The Rotala are potted in a small clay pot containing a brand of potting soil
that seems to work very well for plants, at least in pots (I haven't tried
it as a tank substrate yet). The potting soil I used is: "Miracle Grow"
Potting Mix listed as containing 50-60% Sphagnum moss, composted bark fines,
perlite, wetting agent, and inorganic fertilizers; N:K =
0.18%:0.06%:0.12%. Although it contains fertilizers, I detected (after 3
days submergence) no significant ammonia or nitrite release in a "bottle
test".
For potting plants, I generally, cover the bottom hole of a clay pot with a
stone or a big gravel piece (from the driveway), then about a ½" layer of
aquarium gravel, about 1-2 inchs of potting soil, and then a top ½" layer of
gravel."


Also like the idea of floating plants to block out the light - any suggestions on specific easy growing floaters?
I'm new to the whole aquatic plant world, so am just learning names etc, so any advice would be appreciated!

Cheers,

Rob

 

[three-fingers]

Also like the idea of floating plants to block out the light - any suggestions on specific easy growing floaters?
I'm new to the whole aquatic plant world, so am just learning names etc, so any advice would be appreciated!

Cheers,

Rob

Most floating plants are very easy, I like fairy moss (Azolla caroliniana, actually a type of fern) and frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum).

Make sure the Azolla doesnt get out of the tank though in local water systems, it's fairly invasive (but doesnt survive winter around me).

Easy non-floaters are things like Hygrophila polysperma, Java fern, Anubias spp., Bacopa australis, Potamogeton crispus and Sagittaria subulata.