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Hi There!

I just bought some new plants for my guppies:

Pogostemon Stellata
http://www.livefish.com.au/index.php?main_page=popup_image&pID=1854

Babies tears
http://www.livefish.com.au/index.php?main_page=popup_image&pID=1803

Lace Fern
http://www.livefish.com.au/index.php?main_page=popup_image&pID=1814

All of which have either a basket with spongey stuff in it or have a bit of wire holding them together. I was wondering if you get rid of the wire, baskets and spongey stuff? In particular, is there any special way you can get rid of the sponge easily?

Also are these plants good at sucking up nitrates? I hope they are. I was shoping for wisteria but found these instead. Anyway Im going back to my tank now to install another flouro light.

Hi,
Nice plants!
The ones that come in the little plastic pots should be
held under a softly running tap set at about the same
temperature as the tank and the plastic pot cut away from
the plant. Once free of the basket, you should unroll the
material from the plant and free the plant itself.
While in the process remove any dead or dying leaves, as
well as dead or dying roots and any snails or snail eggs
that may be hitchhiking there way into the tank.

If there is only one plant in the basket then plant the
one plant, if there are several wrapped up in the floss
then plant them, 2 or 3 to a spot around the tank where
you want them.

Similar washing treatment should be given to the plants
wrapped in wire. Remove the wire and plant the stem plants
in groups of three, throughout the tank, where you want
them to stay.

Once planted, they need to acclimate to their new environment
much like fish need to. In this case they will grow new
roots into the substrate, and as that happens the older
more mature leaves may yellow and die. In there place
new smaller leaves will begin to grow.

Once planted, it is best for you to leave them where you
put them for at least a month. A month is enough time
for them to acclimate and start to produce appreciable
growth.

All plants use the nitrate in the tank. It's just that
some do it more effectively than others. Generally, the
floating plants are the most efficient. Please don't
expect the plants to make any appreciable difference in
your nitrate readings. It takes many pounds of plants to
make that kind of difference. Instead, you should be
doing regular, weekly water changes, and with each change
clean a section of unplanted substrate. When your nitrates
do start to drop, you should maintain the nitrate reading
around a 10 - for a "Well Planted" tank.

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I personally would leave the plants alone for at least two weeks and let then get used to their new environment. Plants actually go through a stress mode ask any good gardener.
With the baby tears they can go two ways either clumpy or leggy. If I remember correctly they like plenty of light. I think they can be top trimmed then replanted

I remove the potting material with a tooth pick or a long wooden satay stick (both have fine pointy ends.)

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

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