# searching for an item



## Flear (Sep 29, 2012)

what are the white things used by aquarium plant distributors for the plants they sell to the pet stores ???

what are they called ?

they're short cylinerical, stone or clay-like, hollow center used for buching plants.

i'd like to get ahold of 20-50 of then for my aquarium, but don't know where to start or what they are called 

great for putting a plant through that has gotten too tall, come loose and started it's own roots, ect.


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

wouldn't lead weights suffice if you're just bunching plants?


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

Those are called ceramic rings by Tropica...


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## Flear (Sep 29, 2012)

almost, everything i'm seeing for ceramic rings gives the bio-filter media, not the things for planting.

lead weights would suffice, ... lead isn't particularly safe for most living critters


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

plant lead weights is fine.
refer to this thread
(http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/316603-red-cherry-shrimp-lead-plant-weights/)


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## D9Vin (May 12, 2011)

It mentions they aren't made of lead in that thread, anyone know what they are made of?


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

they're made with zinc. If you really want plant weights that are non toxic, you could just make your own... either with rocks or aquarium silicon+gravel/substrate


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## blue thumb (Mar 30, 2010)

Are talking about these things. 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eco-Anchors...324?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item519ef8c85c
I never seen them used before but I guess they work.


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## Flear (Sep 29, 2012)

simular to that, but they are more like ceramic cylinders about 1" across and 1" tall

i've kinda given up on finding them 

closest substitute i've come across are these that i'm interested in.


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## blue thumb (Mar 30, 2010)

I've seen some made out of terra cotta clay kinda like mini napkin holder. But they don't hold the plants by themselfs they use some foam wrapping around the stem then they shove it into the clay ring.

Are you sure your not thinking of Rockwool. That's the only thing most commonly used to bunch up plants into a pot. Why don't you go to the LFS where you seen these and most likely the store will have lots of used ones from previous plants they've had.


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## Flear (Sep 29, 2012)

i've asked, they don't keep the extras 

yes, those are the exact things i was thinking of.

it's definitly not rockwool, unless your tank wants a high PH, rockwool needs the lime disolved out of it before it's safe for a lower ph tank, otherwise your PH will be 8+


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## Flear (Sep 29, 2012)

the terra cotta ones are what i'm after, although at the moment that idea is on hold

i'm familiar with rockwool, and it's inherant PH problem, and how to solve that problem

the terra cotta ones (if that's what they're made from) they have some solid weight to them, as the plants grow i could thread the stem & leaf through them, it would anchor it to the floor of the tank where the roots could take hold, then i've got the option of cutting the anchor loose and the plant is still rooted

one is white & solid (except for the hole)
the other is brown/tan and while stiff & dense, is fluffy-like


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