How deep to insert the plant?

[Cybercadix]

Hello there,

I am a newbie in planted tanks. I would like to know how deep should I insert the plants into the sand ? Should it go all the way until it touches the substrat ? Or so long as the roots are in the sand ?

Thanks in advance.

[timebomb]

For a moment, I thought you were asking a dirty question

If they are stem plants, you can go as deep as you like but pluck off the bottom leaves first. If they are rosette plants, push them into the substrate and then pull them out again until the crown is just above the level of the gravel. Snip off the roots first before you plant but don't cut to the quick.

Loh K L

[Cybercadix]

Ha ha, sorry, it didn't cross my mind that it would sound dirty when I posted the question. But when I read your reply, i kinda agree with you.

Anyway, I think I may have a problem.

First of all, I have a 2ft x 1ft tank. I added about 1 - 1.5cm of substrat only. Is it too little ? Then I added about 6cm of sand. Is it too much ?

Then my plants are mostly rosette plants. Even if they are stalk plants, they are too small to go all the way down 6cm. Almost all of them are only about 1 - 2cm down, or once their roots disappear into the sand.

Any advise ?

[timebomb]

First of all, I have a 2ft x 1ft tank. I added about 1 - 1.5cm of substrat only. Is it too little ? Then I added about 6cm of sand. Is it too much ?

Then my plants are mostly rosette plants. Even if they are stalk plants, they are too small to go all the way down 6cm. Almost all of them are only about 1 - 2cm down, or once their roots disappear into the sand.
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You don't have to push them all the way down. In fact, you shouldn't. If yours are rosette plants, what you want is to keep the crowns just above the surface of the substrate. In other words, the leaves shouldn't be buried. Quite often, plants planted this way will float up again. In such cases, use a small rock or stone to hold the plants in position and wait a few days for the roots to grow and get a good grip.

Loh K L

[sherchoo]

Unfortunately, rosette plants have rather large root system which prefer thick subtrate.

However, your tank being small and all, it's quite hard to put a thick substrate leaving very little room to do planting. I would suggest you rethink your choice of plants to suit your tank conditions.

[Cybercadix]

Are the level for substrat and sand alright for a 2ft tank ?

[sherchoo]

I should say your 3" of substarate should be good enuff....

[David]

....errh so in total is your substrate height a total of 6 cm or 6 + 1.5cm....at 6cm average will be fine but if you are at 7.5 to 8cm....it maybe just alittle too much as it reduces the height of tank for your plants to grow....

[vinz]

LOL... noticed a lot of misspelled "substrate" in this thread.

Anyway, cadix, substrate refers to the whole mass of gravel (or sand) and base fertiliser. I think you mean base fertiliser when you say substrate.

[Cybercadix]

Yes I meant the base fertilizer. So is 1-1.5cm for a 2ft tank too little?

[vinz]

If it's already in the tank, and the tank is already planted, then I wouldn't bother to take everything out to add more. It just simply won't last as long a thicker base fert. When it is depleted, just simply add some root fertilisers into the substrate.