Cabomba won't stay put

[pinsonpa]

I just added some Cabomba but noticed one of them has floated to the top of the tank. Is there a good way to anchor it down or should I just be sticking striaght down into the gravel?

[shockshockshad]

Put the metal weights that come on it when you buy it around the stems for 3 weeks or so so it can get rooted. Then take it off.

[xoolooxunny]

metal weights work like shock said, but if you dont have any and you dont feel like going to the store, you can strip leaves off the bottom 2 inches or so and loop it like your going to make a knot out of the stem (just dont tighten it!!!) Then plant the loop in the gravel, helps hold it down well.

[MandyL]

You may want to float it for a few days until some roots are growing... Or just keep shoving it down in the substrate. It will root eventually and stick in there real well.

[Lady Hobbs]

Stem plants can be such a bloody pain to keep down. I sometimes just leave them as a bunch and leave them in the bottom of the tank until roots form. Or, you can put in the gravel and pile up some small stones around the bottom to hold them down. Like you, I'd wake up in the morning to see about 20 floating. grrrrrrrrr

NO! I do not pile bones around the stems!!!!!!!!!!!! I meant stones!

Gawd

Nothing like a whole bunch of chicken bones to hold your plants

[smaug]

cabaomba is a huge pain to keep put.The only relaiable way for me was to use small lead strips wrapped around the base,stick them in the gravel ,then use small stones around the bases till they establish themselves.

[Incredulous_Ed]

With cabomba i just put a small rock over the stem on the substrate. Works great.

[smaug]

With cabomba i just put a small rock over the stem on the substrate. Works great.
thats probably as effective as anything else!

[pinsonpa]

Lots of good suggestions for me to try...thanks everyone!

[Kayla-Bug]

I think having plenty of substrate is good also. I never had any problems keeping mine down. I had about 2 inches of gravel in my tank. I have some in another tank that has only about an inch of sand/gravel mix and stays well.

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Another trick you can use if you don't have the plant weight is to get a soda bottle cap, drill a hole in it slightly bigger around then the stem, and slide the stem and the first set of leaves or 2 through the hole and bury the cap in the substrate.

[Lady Hobbs]

There's a guy in ThePlantedTank that sticks his stem plants to a piece of velcro and buries it. He claims it works great. LOL

[jbeining75]

I had the same problem with mine. The cories kept digging it up. I just laid it horizontal under a good portion of the gravel and finally it took hold in the ecocomplete.

[doug z]

drill a hole in it slightly bigger around then the stem, and slide the stem and the first set of leaves or 2 through the hole and bury the cap in the substrate.

Ohh.. That's a real good idea! I'm going to try that..

But then how do you get the caps out again? Or do you just leave them in, and hope they're made of stainless steel? :)

I just laid it horizontal under a good portion of the gravel and finally it took hold

Did it look funny, like they were slanted to the side, or anything?

I'm planning on using a bunch of cabomba...

[Algenco]

Ohh.. That's a real good idea! I'm going to try that..

But then how do you get the caps out again? Or do you just leave them in, and hope they're made of stainless steel? :)



Did it look funny, like they were slanted to the side, or anything?

I'm planning on using a bunch of cabomba...


Use plastic lids

[doug z]

*slaps forehead*

Of course.. Plastic screw-off caps..

Thanks! :)