Potted Plants

[Melody]

I keep quite a few bare tanks, and my other tanks either don't have deep gravel, or its beach rock which isn't exactly plant friendly.

I would like to plant up some pots with live plants to have in the tanks. Since I am constantly taking tanks down or setting them up, the portability appeals as well.

What would be the best way to do this? I must have a zillion garden center pots so that's a done deal after I clean them properly. What kind of growing medium should I use?

I currently use plants that are tied to rocks/ornaments, so I'd like to use other low light plants for the pots, preferrable something fast growing and/or useful as a fry-saver.

For the 90G with its beach rock, I can have all the high-light plants I want to. However, I'm not right into plants so I'd prefer something easy, fast-growing and good for fry there too. I throw in some multi-purpose ferts if they're lucky and that's about it....lol.

Any suggestions? Many t(h)anks!

[thegrandpoohbah]

Eco-complete works well and buffers the water a little bit as well. I'm using Schulz Aquatic Soil right now in my pots and it seems to be working OK. It is only $7.50 a bag instead of $25+ for the Eco-complete. You can get it at Rona. It does require a lot of rinsing though... Oh, and make sure you cover the hole in the bottom of the pot with a piece of plastic or something. Also, once the pot is filled and planted, put it into the tank VERY slowly unless you want to make a mess.

[Melody]

I don't want to make messes. I end up with them, but its never intentional....lol.

I was wondering which substrate buffered - I remember Candice mentioning something about it. This is good.

Any suggestions for plants?

[Pamelajo]

Mel,
When I started with my plants I did not want anything that makes a mess, but wanted plants in pots so I could easily move them. So I am just using gravel in my pots for the hygro. The tank with the RRminnows that plant in the pot is cuttings from my planted tank, so they seem to be doing okay. I also have swords in pots. About once a month I take all the pots out and put in a pail with tank water and add some ferts, and let them sit til I am done the water changes. I could fert the tank, but that is the shrimp/snail tank, so am extra cautious about adding stuff to the water.

[thegrandpoohbah]

Hygrophila difformis and wisteria both grow very fast and are undemanding. They grow roots like crazy too. I had such a tangle of roots above the substrate that the smaller fish were always hiding there. Or you could just toss in a big handfull of java moss. No need for substrate or pots then.

[Melody]

Thanks U 2 :) .

I'd like to have something different - I use moss, Java Fern, Bolbitus, Windelov, etc due to low light, so I'm getting more than a little tired of them. I have always loved Cabomba and Foxtail, but that might be a little more picky.

Maybe I'll do what I never do - start simple. What a concept. :nah:

[Melody]

Any suggestions on the ideal pot size? I'd like to use larger ones in the 90G, but I figured there might be a downside that I haven't thought of.... usually is when it comes to my brilliant plans. :idea:

[thegrandpoohbah]

The ones in the picture I posted are 4" and I think 6" wide at the mouth. It depends what plants you want. I only used the bigger one for my E. bleheri because they send out lots of roots and can get huge. I think it all boils down to personal preference though.

[Melody]

Eenie meenie mynie moe?

That's funny, can't get a spell check on that one...lol.

Thanks!

[Soggybottom]

Only thing I'd worry about would be losing my grip on a slimied up pot and dropping it, cracking the tank.

OT- Speaking of wrecking tanks...reminds me of a trip I took to a buddy's a couple weeks ago to pick up some free tanks. We went out there with nothing to cushion them in the back of the truck since he assured me he had done it like this many times and they would be just fine. Then for some reason we decided that some 4x4ing might be a good idea on the way back. Needless to say it was handy that the town dump was also on the way home...ah well it was a nice drive...

[Melody]

Dropping things would never happen to me. I'm not prone to bad luck.

A fine example of sarcasm by Melody :rolleyes: . That's a good thought, I'll be sure to be extra careful and tell you when it happens...lol.

Shame about the tanks. Boys will be boys? ;)

[CACAdmin]

Dropping the pots? or anything heavy in the tank... good point. Kinda scarey. The thought crossed my mind when I set up my 70G and was placing several large Texas Holey Rocks in there... if I broke the tank, I wouldn't be able to afford to replace it.

So, Melody, here are some recommendations if you decide to use on pots in the tank.

Place or remove/replace pots carefully only after taking the following precautions;) :

Perform task when fully awake.
No imbibing in festive Christmas beverages (the season is approaching)
Work on the ability not to be startled by anything (kids, cats, the cauldron of fishy-food exploding, etc.)BTW, I think it's a great idea... would definitely make cleaning the tank much easier.

[Melody]

I blatantly stole the idea from Wallace... or he stole it from me.... or we both stole it from someone else...
oh I don't know, we talked, both of us want potted plants, that's all I know. :laugh:

Sound advice, especially since I REALLY like rum & light eggnog...lol. I should go see if the eggnog is in stores yet. Luckily its too rich to drink enough to make me stupid, so its the perfect beverage ;) . Well, other than the fact that I think a good quarter of the glass should be rum....

[thegrandpoohbah]

It was my idea first and if you want proof there are pictures posted in the gallery! :)
Either way, it is a great idea. I just picked up my rams from Oleg and while there I just had to get 5 of his red hi fin platies. Once they start breeding, I will toss the fry into the bare-bottomed 33G which will make cleaning up uneaten food much easier. Although, once the snails go back in as well I doubt there will be any food left over.

And as for dropping the pots, the terra cotta pots are textured enough that they shouldn't be too slippery. Plus, you have snails so they wouldn't get covered in slippery algae anyways.

[Melody]

I think I gave you the idea and you just acted on it quicker. Yes, I'm sure that's it. :DevilGrin:

[Pamelajo]

the cauldron of fishy-food exploding

Thought only witches used cauldrons, what exactly are you saying about us that make our own food. It is witches brew or we are withes????????

[CACAdmin]

Me? :wideeyed:I'm not admitting to having said anything. :nah: However, you gals have been known on occasion to put us guys under 'some sort of spell' <ducking & running for cover.>

Back to the potted plants, just wondering how may folks go this route?

[Pamelajo]

Before I get myself in major hot water are you guys really strict on getting off topic?

'some sort of spell' :no: nothing to do with no spell.


<ducking & running for cover.> Do get mad just get even :DevilGrin:


Hey Mel,
:secret: When does this guy that runs this place go away again, may need your help.

Okay back to the plants.
CAC did you mean how may or how many?
I got a bunch of little clay pots from Walmart or I have a couple of glazed pots too.
Here is one of my tanks a little 5 gallon, I just added a couple more pots with val (?) growing in them first time trying it in pots.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a357/Pamela-jo/Plantsinpots001.jpg
This is the 23 were I have some glazed pots in the back corners and also use a barnacle to hold down a plant, was hollow in one spot and drew the roots through to the bottom which holds them in place.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a357/Pamela-jo/Plantsinpots002.jpg

[CACAdmin]

Off topic? :nah:No, we don't sweat the small stuff here. We're here to relax and enjoy ourselves (& share & learn some stuff along the way).:biggrin:

CAC did you mean how may or how many?
Actually, I initially meant how many, but much prefer your answer. The tanks with the pots in them look neat. Thanks for posting pics.

[Pamelajo]

I like to be able to move everything out once a month to do a very good vac. Having to replant everything did not appeal to me plus I wanted to stick to gravel which is also in the pots. I have lucky bamboo just stuck in two tanks hanging out the top.
Actually would be neat to see everyone else's potted plant tanks.

[Melody]

Excellent stuff, thanks Pam! I think I'll use Eco-complete as Mr. GP suggested and get started on some pots this week. I've been so busy with the new fish that too much time has gone by. I'm going to start losing fry if I don't soon rig all their tanks up with a place to hide.:eek:

How could a forum with Christmas smilies be anything but fun? LOL No small stuff, we're saving all of our 'stuff' for any future trolls who deserve our wrath. Part of a fun atmosphere is being relaxed and we want that for everyone, including ourselves - we will both facilitate and defend your peaceful existence.

I sound like an ad for the military :radar: lol.

[Soggybottom]

cauldron of fishy-food exploding

:wideeyed:.............:laugh:


I use schultz aquatic plant soil in one of my tanks too. I can't figure out if it contains any nutrients or if it is just an inert growing medium. I wonder if the ol' fertilized clay ball in a pot of schultz wouldn't be a good way of keeping potted plants happy. You could pull the whole root system out every once in a while, rinse everything off and freshen it up. The clay balls I'm thinking of are just a dry fertlizer mix mushed into clay balls, and then tucked into the substrate right around heavy feeding plant roots.

[thegrandpoohbah]

Yeah, I was gonna use a Flourish root tab as well but the ingredients listed a copper compound of some sort. I decided not to chance it since it is a snail tank and inverts don't do well with copper.

[Melody]

The clay balls I'm thinking of are just a dry fertlizer mix mushed into clay balls, and then tucked into the substrate right around heavy feeding plant roots.

Hey, good thinking! Mr. Mykiss has those!

[Melody]

Yeah, I was gonna use a Flourish root tab as well but the ingredients listed a copper compound of some sort. I decided not to chance it since it is a snail tank and inverts don't do well with copper.

Hmmm... I'd have to agree, better safe than sorry.

[hp10BII]

Good old watersprite grows huge in a pots. Instant portable fry refuge. I use Eco-complete in most of my pots. Doesn't look very nice when they get large though, plantlets and roots hanging off the mama plant so it would need frequent replanting.

If you're looking for width, glass pie plates with a little bit of width to them would work too. I've used them for red lotus plants and med sized sword plants. I posted a couple of pics in one of the freshwater threads, but the plates are concealed in sand with Sera Floradepot as a growing medium. If they're not being covered with sand, I would use Eco-complete, much cleaner to work with.

[hp10BII]

I think it would be tough to avoid any traces of copper in plant ferts. I asked somebody about this who manufactures their own line of ferts and he felt that plants needed copper as a trace. Best thing is to check the copper concentration if you need to use plant ferts.

[Melody]

I was thinking about Watersprite too - I need fast growers and the snails LOVE the trimmings.

As for copper, the problem is it builds up in a fish's system so its not good for them on a regular basis either. It can even cause sterility. I don't pretend to know enough about aquatic plants to say if its necessary for them, but if I am going to have other living things in the tank, that has to be considered.

[Melody]

Ok, so I bought my clay pots at Walmart yesterday. They had the perfect kind, low and broad-based for stability. I got three big ones for the 90G and three smallish ones.

I have a bunch of beautiful mixed plant cuttings from Carl that should start me off. I'm going to the fish store to get gravel/eco-complete tomorrow. If you want to amuse yourself, you can watch me carry heavy eco-complete down an icey sidewalk. Caution: launguage may be offensive.

Is Eco-complete more expensive than gravel? Because I think gravel is outrageous so chances are I'm going to bellyache even more about Eco-complete....lol. I was thinking about doing a mix of both, is why I ask.

[Pamelajo]

Can't help with the price but be careful on those icey side walks.

[CACAdmin]

Can't help with the price but be careful on those icey side walks.

I second that (speaking from personal experience... the icy part that is:eek: ...lol).

[thegrandpoohbah]

The Eco-complete will cost you about $25 per bag at King Ed's. That is enough to cover a 10G tank (20 lbs I think).

[Melody]

Such good fishy friends I have :D , thanks for your concern.

In Inuvik they never bothered plowing the roads or clearing the sidewalks. Since it was such a dry cold, the snow packed into ice. The worst thing was that it was so cold, the plastic-treaded boots would go rock hard and become slippery themselves. I fell on my behind at least once/week....lol....granted, I was in my 20's then and it was easier to get back up :laugh: . However, I still know how to walk on it for the most part so I'm sure I'll be fine <famous last words>. I may wait until tomorrow though - I'm all shopped out. Talk about a wierd female - I hate shopping.... unless its fish.

[Melody]

Well I couldn't find Eco-Complete, so I bought a bag of Flourite, 30-some-odd dollars later. :swoon: Man they make a killing on that stuff - how much is clay worth for Heaven's sake? Sheeeesh!

Anyways, I seem to recall that it can be messy, so I figure I'll fill the pot about half-way with that and the rest with gravel or coral or something.... although I hadn't intended to buy more gravel either. Expensive project, when you add it all up.

Anything else I should do to prevent a mess?

[thegrandpoohbah]

Rinse it a LOT! That should help with the cloudiness.

[Melody]

Shouldn't something that cost me $30+/bag be ready to use? lol Seriously though, thanks for the tip, will do.

Will clay soften my water? I can't remember if its inert or not.

[blainep]

Shouldn't something that cost me $30+/bag be ready to use? lol Seriously though, thanks for the tip, will do.

Will clay soften my water? I can't remember if its inert or not.

It is ready for use in your aquarium Melody, as long as you don't want to see inside your aquarium for a few days. :rofl:

On a more serious note, I have used Flourite with great success on a few planted tanks. In a pot, I would just put a little gravel on top of it to keep the dust/silt to a minimum

[Melody]

Nobody likes a smarty pants Blaine....lol.

So I just rinsed the first collandar full of it. I have the water running and running. My Son comes into the Kitchen and watches me silently for a bit. I'm waiting. Sure enough...

"Whatcha doin' Mom?"
"Rinsing gold plated clay."
"No seriously..."
"I'm rinsing this special mix for growing aquarium plants so it doesn't cloud the water."
"Oh..."

<PAUSE>

"Shouldn't it be done by now?"
"Wallace said to rinse it ALOT." I reply, like that explains everything.
"Who is Wallace?"
"A guy online."
"Should you be talking to guys online?"

LOL Who is the parent here anyway?

[Melody]

You guys forgot to cover one crucial detail - how does a 5'3" woman slowly and gently place a big, heavy clay pot full of messy gold-plated clay, into the back of a 90G tank? I weight my plastic plants with siliconed rocks in the base and basically throw them back there, but I don't think that's gonna cut it this time.:rolleyes:

[Pamelajo]

Very carefully!!!
I have a little step ladder I use to get to the bottom of my 75g. Coming from someone who is 5' 2".

[Melody]

I have a wobbly stool that is missing a screw - does that count? lol

BC Province Headline:

"Short woman drowns in fish tank"

Forum friends say "Its how she would have wanted to go"

LOL OR maybe not. I'll have to pick something up, thanks Pam!

[CACAdmin]

:rofl: ... OK, not about the actual drowning part. It's just visualizing you tumbling in to the tank! I can see it now.
:idea:I can do a short-term loan of my 2-step mini aluminum ladder if you like... will need it back, however, before the next water change in my 70G. It's not only you women that need a ladder... some of us guys are short too (:err: me?... only 5 ft 5 in)...lol.

[Melody]

:mad: This amuses you? lol

I might as well pick something up as I'll need to maintain the plants too, but thanks for the offer. I almost forgive you now :Neener: .

[CACAdmin]

Almost forgive me? :Worried: Does that mean I have to bring chocolate the next time I drop something off? ;)

Back to the plants. Good luck! Be sure to update us on how they do & post some pics so we can see.

[Melody]

Cash - its easier on the hips...lol.

I don't know that I'll be taking too many pictures until I get it going better - looks naked right now :wideeyed: . Well maybe just the pots ;) .

[Soggybottom]

"Its how she would have wanted to go"Oh god my sides! You can't expect us not to clutter threads when you write this stuff!!!

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a348/casual_ties/5006.jpg

[Melody]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: I'm going to print that out and tape it on my tanks:laugh: .

I'm tellin' ya, wandering around topics is much more fun!

:offtopic:

[thegrandpoohbah]

Nobody likes a smarty pants Blaine....lol.

So I just rinsed the first collandar full of it. I have the water running and running. My Son comes into the Kitchen and watches me silently for a bit. I'm waiting. Sure enough...

"Whatcha doin' Mom?"
"Rinsing gold plated clay."
"No seriously..."
"I'm rinsing this special mix for growing aquarium plants so it doesn't cloud the water."
"Oh..."

<PAUSE>

"Shouldn't it be done by now?"
"Wallace said to rinse it ALOT." I reply, like that explains everything.
"Who is Wallace?"
"A guy online."
"Should you be talking to guys online?"

LOL Who is the parent here anyway?

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

[hp10BII]

Melody,

Any pics that you are willing to share of your new potted creations? I'm redoing a tank, barebottom, couple pieces of driftwood so I'm looking for some fresh new ideas!

[Melody]

I've only got around to doing 2 of them - ran out of plants & gold-plated clay for one thing. They still look pretty sparse but I'll see if I can get some shots. :smile: I don't want to do anymore until I can get the other plant substrate. Upping my pH makes it more practical.

Won't be much for ideas there - I just used what plants I had so there was no plan. Played with some rocks & stuff and that's about it.