Re-potting Potted Plants?

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Winterlily

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Hiya - I asked this question as part of another thread, but I think it probably got lost in the fray - so thought I'd ask in its own post.

I'm brand new to live plants - not a clue what I'm doing. I bought some plants this past weekend at a LFS and they were in pots. (2 swords and 1 vallis) You guys told me to remove them from the pots and plant in the substrate. My question is, since it seems SO much easier with them in pots (to move them etc), but I understand that flossy stuff has to get off and they need to be able to get nutrients, can I just re-pot them in something like a terracotta pot, with some decent growing substrate in it (like eco-complete or even potting soil or something)? I realize it may keep them from growing quite as well, but I'm not sure if that's not a good thing in this situation as I chose plants that you guys said are going to get too big, fast, for this aquarium (a 5.5 gallon housing one male betta) and require a lot of pruning.

? Whacha think? I don't want to do the wrong thing by the plants, but keeping them in pots would certainly be easier all around. Is it a good compromise to put them in a decent pot with decent substrate in it?
 
Hiya - I asked this question as part of another thread, but I think it probably got lost in the fray - so thought I'd ask in its own post.

I'm brand new to live plants - not a clue what I'm doing. I bought some plants this past weekend at a LFS and they were in pots. (2 swords and 1 vallis) You guys told me to remove them from the pots and plant in the substrate. My question is, since it seems SO much easier with them in pots (to move them etc), but I understand that flossy stuff has to get off and they need to be able to get nutrients, can I just re-pot them in something like a terracotta pot, with some decent growing substrate in it (like eco-complete or even potting soil or something)? I realize it may keep them from growing quite as well, but I'm not sure if that's not a good thing in this situation as I chose plants that you guys said are going to get too big, fast, for this aquarium (a 5.5 gallon housing one male betta) and require a lot of pruning.

? Whacha think? I don't want to do the wrong thing by the plants, but keeping them in pots would certainly be easier all around. Is it a good compromise to put them in a decent pot with decent substrate in it?
It will work though to make sure I would give them a little plant food every now and then, as their roots wont be able to spread as much as if they werent in pots.
Neglecting of them of food will probably just make them die rather than grow less.

Vallis will try and spread through nice little shoots which branch off from the base of the main plant so you will still need to keep an eye on those so that they don't start growing everywhere.

Honestly though I can't see the difficulty in keeping them out of pots.
 
No, it's not difficult, I agree. It's just easier for me as a clueless beginner, to be able to easily move the plants around when I've found I made a stupid mistake in placement. For example, I planted (into the substrate) my sword right next to and towering above my micro sword. So now of course, the micro sword is dying because it has no light. The sword has to be moved. It can't be good for it to be uprooted yet again. So until I figure out what I'm doing a bit and hopefully make fewer stupid mistakes, I thought it might be easier for me, and far less stressful on the plants, to be able to simply move a pot.

Oh, should've asked: If I do go with potting them, am I best with something like eco-complete or a regular potting soil?
 

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