# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Plants keep getting uprooted - what to do?



## yalej (Dec 8, 2004)

Okay I am having a persistent problem with my plants. None of them really have roots, so I try to stuff them into the gravel & soil as deep as possible and surround the base with rocks, but they keep getting uprooted. 

I have 5 cories, 1 gourami and a couple of Central American cichlids. No idea which of these fish is doing it.

Does anyone have any lo tech strategy for keeping those plants down in the soil? It is a huge pain to keep putting them back in.

Dennis


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## imported_BSS (Apr 14, 2004)

I use plant weights to keep down many of my fast growing stem plants. You need to learn not to crush the stems, but it didn't take me too long. I just attach it about an inch from the bottom of the plant, push the stem bottom and weight down into the substrate and let 'em grow. It makes it pretty easy to prune real fast growers also!


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

It sounds like your cichlids are digging up the plants. Cichlids often will uproot plants.

Its very hard to try to root any plant in the presence of cichlids bent on destruction. Cichlids are very persistent, and remember, they have all day to destroy your tank! Stem plants would be particularly vulnerable. 

I used large Amazon Swordplants with my Tropheus duboisi. It worked because the plants developed an extensive root system before the Tropheus reached adulthood and began serious digging. Even then I had to move rocks around the stems.

I don't have an easy answer to your problem. Wall off parts of the tank until the plants get established?

While the tank may be low-tech, cichlids can be high-maintenance fish!


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## yalej (Dec 8, 2004)

These cichlids are small! The largest is maybe 2", max. I think I need to find some kind of clear plastic something to wrap around the bottom of the plants.

Where do you get plant weights? I guess I'll look on-line somewhere.

Dennis


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## Miss Fishy (May 13, 2006)

Dear Dennis, 

If the fish are not the culprits, then it seems very odd to me that the plants will not grow roots. How often do you have to replant them? What kind of plants are they? How long have you had them in your tank? Did they have roots when you got them, or were they cuttings? If they are rosette plants that came with roots, maybe you are pushing them too deep into the substrate. If they are stem plants that came as cuttings, they should have grown roots if you have had them for a while. 

I read your post from a while ago called "My natural tank may be dieing", and I noticed that you had problems with cloudy water that smelled of sulfides, and that the plants kept dying. If these new plants won't root, maybe the problem is with your substrate? 

From Alex.


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## yalej (Dec 8, 2004)

Hi Alex. Well I managed to resucitate my tank. Basically I did some hefty water changes, vacuumed up some of the crud on the gravel surface, and then tore out dying plants and put new ones in.

I planted Bacopa and a couple of other stem plants. The plants do fine, it's just that they get uprooted. They are cuttings by the way, and can't seem to stay in the soil/gravel long enough to grow roots.

Dennis


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## Miss Fishy (May 13, 2006)

That's good that your tank is back on its feet! Most aquarium shops here have lead wire wrapped around the stem plants they sell and one sells the wire separately as well. This website also sells plant weights.

From Alex.


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## Endlersmom (Feb 29, 2004)

I would caution against using the metal plant weights. They are most likely made of lead. Which is toxic to fish and us. I always wash my hands after touching them.

The more acidic your tank water, the faster the lead will leach out.

I would even venture to guest most metals will leach into the water.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Miss Fishy may be right about the substrate being the problem. Either that or the fish. My two inch Lamprologous leleupi did a fair amount of digging.

I would switch tactics. Instead of hoping that your stem plants will root and worry about getting lead weights, why not try rooted plants like Amazon swordplant, Valisneria, Cryptocoryne, etc. These plants already have roots, so they may be better able to overcome a difficult substrate. And they will make the substrate better! 

I've never had trouble getting stem plants to root. I suspect that something (substrate or cichlids) are preventing it.


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## Miss Fishy (May 13, 2006)

I hadn't thought of the problems lead wire could cause if the weights were used long-term. I was thinking the weights could just be kept on the plants for a week or two until they had enough roots to hold them down. 

From Alex.


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

Oooh, I have an idea.... run an electric current into the plants then when the fish touch them BAM! good ol' electric shock!

Heheh, sorry, I'm in a silly mood... Also, I'm wishing I could have given a nice strong shock to the deer who ate ALL 12 of my tomato plants! Bastards!









-ricardo


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

I got sneaky in the goldfish tank the other day. I'd stolen the topsoil out of a large pot for the new shrimp tank and wanted to try a different substrate to see how it does. Goldies are notorious for uprooting plants, so I filled the pot with kitty litter, and took some craft mesh and cut it to fit the pot. then I cut 2x4 grid rectangles in the mesh and pushed sag subulata thru it, then set that on the litter and covered it with gravel. So far it appears happy and is still in the pot. You could try something similar.


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## medicineman (Sep 10, 2005)

What I did is wrapping around the bottom of the stems that are going to be buried with cotton/dacron fibre (the material used for filter fibre). The cotton/dacron is inert and will help to anchor down the stems due to the increased surface area, enhancing friction to the gravel(ideal for cuttings) for a week or two (as long as not disturbed). For the bigger and stubborn - bouyance ones, I would tie them up with a cotton string to a rock/small piece of brick, they bury into the substrate. Safe from metal and other pollution while wont killing the plant.


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## yalej (Dec 8, 2004)

So what is the typical time for a stem plant to take root in the substrate?

I ordered weights, but now I think I should have given it more thought. I do have a ton of the filter material, so I think I will try to do what medicineman did instead of using the weights.

I'll also think about getting some sword plants, I think my water is hard enough for them to grow properly.

Thanks for all the advice.

Dennis


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## Miss Fishy (May 13, 2006)

It depends on the species and growing conditions of course, but I would say even the slowest species should have started to grow roots within four weeks. If the only problem is the fish, you should still see the beginnings of roots on the uprooted stems. Most cuttings will start to grow roots even if they are left floating. 

From Alex.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

If stem plants are going to root (not all do) I usually see white roots coming out of stems within 3 days.

Growing conditions and substrate have to be conducive. If a substrate has just a little too much hydrogen sulfide, iron, organic acids, etc, (many new substrates do) the new (and delicate) little rootlets forming will be stopped in their tracks. 

A robust plant that's already rooted would have a better chance.


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## yalej (Dec 8, 2004)

Well the substrate has been submerged since last Feb, so I am hoping it has matured enough. The plants to indeed show roots when free-floating.

I believe I have solved the problem by using the method described above. I cut roughly 2" x 2" squares of filter material, poked a hole in the middle, stuffed plants in the hole and burried it. Also put rocks around the base. Plants seem to be staying in the soil. Will wait a few more days, then will buy new plants!

Thanks all for the super help.
Dennis


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## Mr Fishies (Apr 9, 2006)

On a somewhat related note. I was surprised how hard some plants try to establish roots.

I assume I broke it off during one of my planting/trimming/algae cleaning sessions, but I noticed a single bacopa monnieri leaf floating around with the duckweed at the surface. I never did extract it, and a few days later the single leaf sent out a root!

I've not planted it yet, and the root is about 1.5 inches long now...fastened to a single leaf. 

That's what I call determination.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Survival of the fittest!


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