Need Help Kinda Quickly...

Okay, so today I received a shipment of plants for my 20g...and, don't laugh...but did I plant them right??!! I got some anacharis, and it just cane as a bunch of stems tied together with no roots or anything. So I just stuck it down an inch or two in the gravel. Is that what I'm supposed to do? Also, I got some Crypts, and how far down are you supposed to bury them? Right down to where the green starts? And the java fern I ordered does not loook so good...it's all brown and shedding leaves everywhere. It also won't float, it just sits on the bottom (I don't have anything to attach it to yet, so I just dropped it in). Do you think it has any chance of recovering, or should I chuck it before it makes any more of a mess all over?

 

I think every floating plant, or the one that attaches to surfaces, should be fine if it has access to adequate lighting (or I suppose standard lighting for hardy low-light plants which java fern certainly is). I really don't have that much experience with plants ... but I think you did the right thing. I mean, what else can you do if not tuck a plant's roots into the gravel? If they're low-light plants I think they should be fine. But wait for Carol or Gunnie to help you with that - they'll know what to do.

P.S. It's strange that a plant won't float! Whenever I uproot any of my plants, it automatically goes up to the surface.

 

Yeah it is kind of weird about the java fern not floating... I'll just leave it in there a few days and see if it starts improving. The reason I was wondering if I did the anacharis right is because it didn't have roots! It was just like someone cut off branches. Smart of me, ordering plants and not knowing how to plant them. :

One more question to add, will my Crypts be ok if they are in a bit of shade?

 

I have never seen a java fern float. The reason they are attached to wood, rocks, etc. is so they stay in place.

 

Oops, I meant java MOSS, not fern... Yeah never heard of floating java fern...the moss is supposed to float though. :

 

Any plant not attached to anything will float (or at least it seems to me that it should float).

 

Java moss will sink if just dropped in as a clump, you might want to swish it in some tank water in case there is any dead plant matter in it. then it may just kind of hang there. It will attach to everything(including things you don't want it to ) so watch it.
crypts have a small rhizome that needs to be left at the top of the substrate, but bury the roots.
You can leave the anacharis floating or plant it. If planting: take each individual stalk and plant it. It will eventually grow roots. When it gets taller than you want(and it will ) clip it with scissors and plant in like manner. soon you will have a forest.
I'm so glad you got your plants!! I just know you'll love them!!
Carol

 

Then how do you get java moss to float? I don't want it getting attached to anything until I get a rock for it... I will swish it around in some tank water to get off all the dead stuff, I don't know why I didn't think of that.
Oops looks like I buried the rhizome of one of the Crypts...I will pull it up a bit.
I didn't know you could leave anacharis floating! I think I might leave a couple floating. I think I need to replant the other ones though... I planted them all in clumps like they came. I already did have to chop the anacharis way down because the my tank is only like a foot tall being a Long.
I love the plants already, even though the java moss is half dead...

 

No the Java Moss won' float like at the top of your water. if not attached it kinda does what it wants to LOL. Where did you get your plants If you don't mind me asking? Would you order from them again?
Carol

 

I was wondering the same thing. There is fairly low selection around me, so I'm "scoping out" some online sites.

 

The anacharis stem should be planted an inch each away from each other and don't cut it until you have it at a height that you like because once you cut it the bottom portioin won't grow up anymore. The crypts grow huge root systems so don't gravel vacuum deep around them. I just vacuum the top of my whole tank and don't go into the bottom because I have so many crypts.

 

aquariumplants.com. Yes I would order from them again. Though just so you know apparently they have snails, so be sure to give plants from there a bleach dip if you don't want them...

 

Snails LOL Most live plants come with free snails

 

Cute snails Butterfly! I'm actually kind of glad a little Pond Snail hitched a ride because I like him so much I'm gonna start an invert revolution! ;D (that is, if my parents let me get more pets. )

 

Their doing the snail dance
Carol

 

hahahahahaha that is so cute!!!!
Where do you get all those moving thingies?

 

Smiley central from my email. right click on them, click on properties then copy the url and then post. I love them. they even have a new butterfly.

 

Of course I don't have email...

 

You can right click my pics and get the url the same way
Carol

 

not workin for me....

 

link removed

 

hehe I don't have email either, parental controls limited access. I don't really care anyways. Sometimes if you get lucky and get a mts snail maybe you can start a buisness selling them to your lfs.

 

Here are a couple pictures of my Ivory Snail devouring an OmegaOne Veggie Round. His name is appropriately "Ivory" and he is going to have a bit of company in the other tank soon named "Creamy".

Rose

 

Yes they do love those wafers :
Carol

 

My ghost shrimp and baby guppies absolutely love omega one veggie rounds, as soon as I drop them in they start attacking them and the ghost shrimp drag them into their caves for themselves, those pigs.