net pots?

[Lindsey]

I'd like to add some java fern and anubias to my tank but right now I only have gravel and a few rocks w/o any holes to attach plant roots. Would I be able to keep plants in net pots? To use a net pot do I need dirt or do I just let the roots grow through the holes and put some sort of weight in the bottom? Or would it just look too tacky altogether to have pots in my tank?

[emc7]

I have a lot of bare-bottomed tanks and my plants tend to float, so I made some plant "party favors". I went to JoAnn and got little organza drawstring bags (black) and tulle circles (brown) from the wedding stuff. I figured if you were supposed to eat candy out of them, they should be somewhat fish safe. I put some gravel in each and the base of a plant and tied it up. I used to ribbon that came with the bags and little nylon cable ties (the kind that tighten but don't loosen) from Home Depot to close the circles. They really don't look that tacky. The look like plants in sacks or party favors. I think if you put piled java moss around them they would disappear. They've only been in the tank a week. If they seem durable, I will get some more tulle and make bigger ones for my larger plants. I'm may try peat or a plant substrate in with the gravel in the next batch.

Pots in tanks are pretty common, actually. And net has got to be cheaper than ceramic.



Edit: I think java fern and anubias are supposed to be tied to rocks rather than potted. If you use black thread (synthetic, not cotton), it should be pretty hard to see.

[JustOneMore20]

I would just take them out of the pots and tie them to a rock or some wood with cotton thread or fishing line. Or if you have some type of decorations that you could tie them to, that would work.


You shouldn't plant java fern or anubias, so tying them to something is better than using a pot.

[emc7]

won't cotton thread degrade? My mom made me some filter media bags and the draw strings just disappeared. I figure the bacteria ate it.

[JustOneMore20]

It will eventually. But by then the roots of the plants would be attached to the rock/decoration/wood or to the substrate/gravel.

I use fishing line just in case the plants aren't attached when the thread degrades.