Rose Sword Plant planter

[metropolis93fan]

I'm looking to get a rose sword plant for my 10 gallon. I don't have fertilizer or soil or anything like that on the bottom. What is the smallest in-tank planter I can use to keep the growth to a minimum but still be safe for the plant?

 

[Byron]

I would not constrict the roots. Echinodorus plants have very extensive root systems. Sand is a perfect medium, or fine gravel, there is absolutely no need for soil or any so-called plant medium. You can insert substrate tabs for sufficient nutrients. Seachem's Flourish Tabs are the best I have used, but there are likely other brands though the API is not good.

 

[metropolis93fan]

I would not constrict the roots. Echinodorus plants have very extensive root systems. Sand is a perfect medium, or fine gravel, there is absolutely no need for soil or any so-called plant medium. You can insert substrate tabs for sufficient nutrients. Seachem's Flourish Tabs are the best I have used, but there are likely other brands though the API is not good.

I really don't want it to take over my tank. I'd love to have a planted live plant in my tank but don't want it getting bushy and taking over. That's why I wanted to use a pot. Suggestions?

 

[Byron]

I really don't want it to take over my tank. I'd love to have a planted live plant in my tank but don't want it getting bushy and taking over. That's why I wanted to use a pot. Suggestions?

The root system is one thing, and the bushiness of the plant is another. Restricting the roots will not work, and would likely harm the plant. Depending upon the species, it will grow to a "normal" size, but this is influenced by the environment, which includes light intensity, nutrient availability, and to a lesser extent temperature.

Red-leaf plants require more intense light than green, and restricting the light (with floating plants or less intense light to begin with) will affect growth. The duration does not, except it has to be minimum for the needs of the plant. But aside from this, increasing or decreasing duration is not going to impact on the plant's growth.

 

[Colin_T]

GROWING PLANTS IN POTS.
We use to grow some plants (usually swords, crypts, Aponogetons and water lilies) in 1 or 2 litre plastic icecream containers. You put an inch of gravel in the bottom of the container, then spread a thin layer of granulated garden fertiliser over the gravel. Put a 1/4inch (6mm) thick layer of red/ orange clay over the fertiliser. Dry the clay first and crush it into a powder. Then cover that with more gravel.

You put the plants in the gravel and as they grow, their roots hit the clay and fertiliser and they take off and go nuts. The clay stops the fertiliser leaching into the water.

You can smear silicon on the outside of the buckets and stick gravel or sand to them so it is less conspicuous. Or you can let algae grow on them and the containers turn green.

--------------------
We did plants in pots for a couple of reasons.

1) I was working in an aquaculture facility and we grew and sold live plants to shops. Some of the shops wanted advanced plants in pots so we did that.

2) Plants like sword plants love nutrients and have big root systems so they needed more gravel and big pots. When given ideal conditions these plants would produce lots of runners with new plants on and we got more plants to sell.

3) Most of the tanks only had a thin layer of substrate that was nowhere near thick enough for plants to grow in so having them in pots allowed us to grow plants in tanks with minimal gravel in the tank.

 

[metropolis93fan]

The root system is one thing, and the bushiness of the plant is another. Restricting the roots will not work, and would likely harm the plant. Depending upon the species, it will grow to a "normal" size, but this is influenced by the environment, which includes light intensity, nutrient availability, and to a lesser extent temperature.

Red-leaf plants require more intense light than green, and restricting the light (with floating plants or less intense light to begin with) will affect growth. The duration does not, except it has to be minimum for the needs of the plant. But aside from this, increasing or decreasing duration is not going to impact on the plant's growth.

Okay. What is a good,, smaller plant that doesn't tend to grow big? Green is okay. It won't be a bright light tank. Betta-wise and my eyes are sensitive plus migraines.

 

[Byron]

Okay. What is a good,, smaller plant that doesn't tend to grow big? Green is okay. It won't be a bright light tank. Betta-wise and my eyes are sensitive plus migraines.

What tank size (dimensions)? And by smaller are you thinking its height, or spread (horizontal)?

 

[metropolis93fan]

What tank size (dimensions)? And by smaller are you thinking its height, or spread (horizontal)?

Both, honestly, as for heigh or spread. Especially horizontal, though. Tank dimensions are roughly (It was a pre-set combo tank I bought used and added my own filter and lighting to and I'm not home, but it seems to be a typical 10 gallon and I THINK these specs are the actual one I bought) 20.13 x 10.13 x 13.19 Inches. Darn close if not. I'm a novice so simple is better... Thanks!

 

[Byron]

OK. No idea of the tank lighting, but assuming it is decent (spectrum and intensity) look for the chain sword plants (Helanthium tenellum, maybe still seen as Echinodorus tenellus). Once settled this is a wonderful plant, spreading by runners. Grows very well in inert sand or fine gravel, less well in larger gravel. For some colour, there are crypts. Not everyone has success with these, they are fussy, but there are a couple of nice brownish/red species.

 

[metropolis93fan]

OK. No idea of the tank lighting, but assuming it is decent (spectrum and intensity) look for the chain sword plants (Helanthium tenellum, maybe still seen as Echinodorus tenellus). Once settled this is a wonderful plant, spreading by runners. Grows very well in inert sand or fine gravel, less well in larger gravel. For some colour, there are crypts. Not everyone has success with these, they are fussy, but there are a couple of nice brownish/red species.

I keep the light on low because of my eyes and because it will house a betta. So no strong light. Decent spectrum, though. Think it would still work?

 

[Byron]

I keep the light on low because of my eyes and because it will house a betta. So no strong light. Decent spectrum, though. Think it would still work?

Probably. The chain swords and crypts do not require bright lighting. I have moderate (some would call it low) on my tanks and the chain swords grew amazingly. Even with floating plants, and with a Betta you need floaters (Water Sprite is ideal, also Water Lettuce and Frogbit work).

 

[metropolis93fan]

Probably. The chain swords and crypts do not require bright lighting. I have moderate (some would call it low) on my tanks and the chain swords grew amazingly. Even with floating plants, and with a Betta you need floaters (Water Sprite is ideal, also Water Lettuce and Frogbit work).

Sounds great! Thanks for the help. I'm going to start training my betta in my current active aquarium in the living room to do target feeding in a hoop with the food soaked in garlic juice. He's a dragon (didn't know when I got him... blind in one eye and losing sight in the other) Once I have him trained I'm getting a floater for him and then will transplant the extra growth into the new tank. I'd decided... forgot offhand which I wanted but I even have a supplier chosen. Thanks for another tip, though!

 

[Byron]

Sounds great! Thanks for the help. I'm going to start training my betta in my current active aquarium in the living room to do target feeding in a hoop with the food soaked in garlic juice. He's a dragon (didn't know when I got him... blind in one eye and losing sight in the other) Once I have him trained I'm getting a floater for him and then will transplant the extra growth into the new tank. I'd decided... forgot offhand which I wanted but I even have a supplier chosen. Thanks for another tip, though!

You might not want to waste your efforts with garlic soaking. There was mention made in another thread a few weeks back that garlic was not the "benefit" some assume. Can't remember which thread, but if you start a new one on this one issue, I'm sure other members with the knowledge will post. I've certainly never used garlic-infused foods for my fish in over 30 years.