# Will this work? Adding a potted plant...Q



## eof (May 31, 2005)

My substrate is black gravel (pretty fine).... I am thinking if I try to plant directly in this stuff I will have no luck.... I am not sure of this but it would make sense.

So my other option would be to start a plant in a pot then move it into the tank. I have an empty 10gal that I could start this in....

So here is my plan...feel free to shoot it down.










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Then I will add this shoot to the pot...










Will this work....should I start it in the 10gal for a week or so in case there are chemicals in the soil?


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## eof (May 31, 2005)

This is the result....I am going to leave it in this tank for a few weeks then I will move it into the big tank with fish....and bury the whole rig in my black substrate. (rainbow rocks and all)

Think my fish will die?


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## spree_rider (Mar 20, 2004)

you can just plant it into the gravel it will be fine, i have very fine sand in my tank and its planted with no problem. i wouldent use dirt in the pot as dirt rots and doesnt let oxygen into the roots, you get good growth for a while then it starts to rot goes poisonious because of lack of oxygen then your plants stop growing and eventually die. 
i had a dirt substrate before my sand and sand is far superior, 
ps use trumpet snails to keep sand from compacting,


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## Husky_Jim (May 26, 2003)

As i can see from the pics the 'dust' you use is for gardens and i can clearly see fertilizers on it.I cannot quaranty the health of your fish.ALWAYS buy substrate suitable for aquariums.
At last my opinion is that this won't work.Even the fact that echinodorus is a hardy plant,inside a 'closed' pot without water circulation between the roots it will die 95%


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## eof (May 31, 2005)

husky_jim said:


> As i can see from the pics the 'dust' you use is for gardens and i can clearly see fertilizers on it.I cannot quaranty the health of your fish.ALWAYS buy substrate suitable for aquariums.
> At last my opinion is that this won't work.Even the fact that echinodorus is a hardy plant,inside a 'closed' pot without water circulation between the roots it will die 95%
> [snapback]1105560[/snapback]​


So do you agree with spree_rider? I should just plant directly in the gravel?

The gravel looks like this....


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## Husky_Jim (May 26, 2003)

Yes it is way better.You can help the growth of the plant by adding some fertilizer in tabs,near the plant's roots.


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