I'm new at live plants - will they do okay with lead weights loosely wrapped
around the bottom? What we planted - I don't recall the name - is a tall
plant with no "root ball" (for lack of a better term) and I could see it
easily floating up out of the fluorite without the lead weights attached.

I have never had any problem using the kind the fish store sells. Probably
have ten or more somewhere in my 55 gal.

Bob
"Doug David" wrote in message
...
I'm new at live plants - will they do okay with lead weights loosely
wrapped
around the bottom? What we planted - I don't recall the name - is a tall
plant with no "root ball" (for lack of a better term) and I could see it
easily floating up out of the fluorite without the lead weights attached.

In article , "Doug David"
writes:


I'm new at live plants - will they do okay with lead weights loosely wrapped
around the bottom? What we planted - I don't recall the name - is a tall
plant with no "root ball" (for lack of a better term) and I could see it
easily floating up out of the fluorite without the lead weights attached.



You'll get a mixed response on this one -- people who use it do fine, people
who don't are worried that the lead might pose a problem to the aquatic life in
their tank(s). What you describe may be a stem plant; many stem plants are
often difficult to keep down at first, especially if you don't have a thick
enough substrate depth, but after a while most usually put out roots that
anchor them in the substrate on their own making uprooting more difficult. So
you'd probably be ok to use the weights if you really want to (like Bob, who
has no probs with them), or you can see if your plants will take root
sufficiently to anchor themselves without the lead.



Erica
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/mitoem/mitoem/index.htm

To your first question, keep in mind that it may not be lead. It could be
just about any kind of soft metal alloy. Don't worry about it as long as you
are not planning on eating the fish raised in this aquarium.

The "tall plant" may be a cutting of something that will eventually develop
a root structure. Weighting it down until it gets established is a good
idea.

"Doug David" wrote in message
...
I'm new at live plants - will they do okay with lead weights loosely
wrapped
around the bottom? What we planted - I don't recall the name - is a tall
plant with no "root ball" (for lack of a better term) and I could see it
easily floating up out of the fluorite without the lead weights attached.

You'll get varying opinions on whether the weight composition is a problem.
My problem with anything wrapped around the stems, even loosely is that it
causes the stems to rot.

I've now been doing the following with success: spread the stems out and
place them on the bottom and lay a piece of shale or slate over them. It
doesn't need to be very heavy since the increased surface area of the stems
laying on the surface against the rock is pretty high in frictional force.
This gives stems plenty of room to "breath" and minimizes the rot
possibility while they develop roots.

Lots easier than trying to keep a balloon in place by planting a string!

jtm

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"Doug David" wrote in message
...
I'm new at live plants - will they do okay with lead weights loosely wrapped
around the bottom? What we planted - I don't recall the name - is a tall
plant with no "root ball" (for lack of a better term) and I could see it
easily floating up out of the fluorite without the lead weights attached.