Clay pots and Aquarium Plants

Hi all, I was curious on how a potted plant like this would be best to setup in an aquarium. Would you need to start with hydro balls in the pot then capped off with soil or gravel then gravel or sand on top or can I just add any substrate fill up the pot and have success growing plants that way? I have a bare bottom pleco tank and want to add some easy to remove plants to it( the reason for this topic) I would assume adding any gravel or soil for the whole thing would work or sand that is not too fine would also be fine. Thanks for any info on this topic!!

 

I have a bare bottom shrimp tank with a small terracotta pot in it. I used gravel to keep the plant in the pot, as sand seemed to escape the pot every chance it got. Though, I do know people who have used sand in theirs. Any substrate should work as well, as long as it won't leak out of the breathing/drainage hole.

 

I have a bare bottom shrimp tank with a small terracotta pot in it. I used gravel to keep the plant in the pot, as sand seemed to escape the pot every chance it got. Though, I do know people who have used sand in theirs. Any substrate should work as well, as long as it won't leak out of the breathing/drainage hole.

The pots I have do not have a breathing/drainage hole I assume this is fine and would just mean sand is more of an option than one that has the hole?

 

The pots I have do not have a breathing/drainage hole I assume this is fine and would just mean sand is more of an option than one that has the hole?

Depends on the plants you put inside. I have a water wisteria in mine, I was told that the roots needed the hole in the bottom so water and air can flow through the gravel/substrate/sand and reach the roots. There are people who manage to make sand work in those, I just am not one of them. xD

 

Depends on the plants you put inside. I have a water wisteria in mine, I was told that the roots needed the hole in the bottom so water and air can flow through the gravel/substrate/sand and reach the roots. There are people who manage to make sand work in those, I just am not one of them. xD

Hmm maybe I need to drill a hole in the bottom of them then hopefully somebody who is a clay pot guru will answer for us

 

mattgirl is the one who guided me with my wisteria.

This is the post where they told me about the hole and roots needing to breath:
Water Wisteria - do these have to be planted in substrate | Aquarium Plants Forum | 473857

So maybe mattgirl can come and help here as well.

 

mattgirl is the one who guided me with my wisteria.

This is the post where they told me about the hole and roots needing to breath:
Water Wisteria - do these have to be planted in substrate | Aquarium Plants Forum | 473857

So maybe mattgirl can come and help here as well.

Thank you so much I would think hydro balls with a mesh fitting would let them breathe I’m no expert it would almost be like reptiles but underwater

 

At one point I had plants in pots. I planted them in sand but for me they didn't do well. I think the sand compacted to tight. I know it turned black and smelled awful. I replaced the sand with gravel and it worked better. Some folks add dirt or potting soil and then top it with a layer of sand or gravel and have been successful doing it like that.

What kind of plants are you going to have? The kind of plants you are getting actually determines what recommendations we will offer.

Some stem plants don't need to be planted at all. Plants like water wisteria such as Demonskid has doesn't really need to be planted at all. If you have it and don't want to just float it you can just weight it down to keep it standing upright. I stick the bottom of my water wisteria in a ceramic ring. It holds it where I want it. Roots grow from the bottom and also all up the stem. The ceramic ring is heavy enough to hold the plant down.

Something like java fern can be glued to the outside of clay pots and eventually the plants will cover the pot or they can be glued to anything in your tank. They shouldn't be planted so should be perfect for what you are wanting to do.

 

At one point I had plants in pots. I planted them in sand but for me they didn't do well. I think the sand compacted to tight. I know it turned black and smelled awful. I replaced the sand with gravel and it worked better. Some folks add dirt or potting soil and then top it with a layer of sand or gravel and have been successful doing it like that.

What kind of plants are you going to have? The kind of plants you are getting actually determines what recommendations we will offer.

Some stem plants don't need to be planted at all. Plants like water wisteria such as Demonskid has doesn't really need to be planted at all. If you have it and don't want to just float it you can just weight it down to keep it standing upright. I stick the bottom of my water wisteria in a ceramic ring. It holds it where I want it. Roots grow from the bottom and also all up the stem. The ceramic ring is heavy enough to hold the plant down.

Something like java fern can be glued to the outside of clay pots and eventually the plants will cover the pot or they can be glued to anything in your tank. They shouldn't be planted so should be perfect for what you are wanting to do.

I have stems floating I enjoy the look of my moneywort planted, but I also have some crypts I was thinking of trying out a larger pot so that it would grow a lot of runners, but I think it would still send them off even in a small pot. I was headed towards gravel as I’ve been unhappy with sand due to root rot but partially my fault I sure do love deep sand beds I like capping substrate with sand so I may just go with that, nevertheless I enjoy having the attention of some who has done or currently doing this!!!