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Hi,

When I buy new plants they usually have a plastic basket holding the roots. Should this be left on the plant when it's placed in the gravel or taken off ?

Thanks,

"Relax & Enjoy A Cold One !"

Depends on the plant. You can just drop the plant with the basket attached into the tank but it may not look very nice. The plant won't suffer for it, though, because the basket probably contains filter wool, which contains nutrients for the plant to use.

If you don't like the way the basket looks, carefully take it out and VERY carefuly remove the wool from around the plant's roots. Snip the tips of the roots off (just the tips) and push the roots down into the gravel, just enough to cover them up. The plant will take in most nutrietns from the water column anyway...

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Back in the saddle!

I always remove the plants from their little pots. Carefully remove all the material around roots of the plants fine roots. I find a large tooth pick is excellent for this job.

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

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Keith

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Hi,
"Here's the sitch" with the baskets...
When the plants are started either cuttings, or seeds,
or baby plants, are wrapped with the rock wool and then
placed in the baskets. The rock wool gives the beginning
plants something substantial for the new roots to grow into
and support the plant. Next, the basket is immersed in
flowing water that is "chuck full" of nutrients and the
roots are bathed in an over abundance of "food." When
the plants are harvested and shipped off, they arrive with
the rock wool saturated with nutrients. In an enclosed area
such as an aquarium (after the troughs holding perhaps
hundreds or thousands of gallons of water) the
concentrated nutrients can leech out into the tank and
can upset the balance of the tank giving way to
severe algae problems. If they are kept in water that
is frequently changed (doubtful) or has fresh
water flowing around them constantly, then the nutrients
would be washed away and the concentration diluted before
you purchase them.
Most stores don't do that. Most stick their plants in one
or two tanks, and in the case of some stores such as
Pets-mart, in their own tanks with a completely self
contained system.
Unless you are treating your aquarium as if it were a
pond with potted plants along a shelf, or have a need
to constantly move the plants from one place to another,
it is considered best, and standard practice, to remove
the plant from the pot, and to unwrap the plant from the
wool, and then place the plant in the gravel where you
want it to start its new home.

Frank


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

Great reply, Frank, I learn something new every day!



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