Potting plants

[kenyth]

I think I am going to pot plants in my aquarium. The instructions for this seem pretty straight forward, but I just wanted to ask the experts here a few details.

I am going to use clay pots or something similar, but wanted to paint them to match the gravel color. Once spray paint dries completely, it should be safe, right? Also, the recommended medium is black topsoil. Is this correct? What do I use to keep the soil from escaping the pot? Should I cover the root ball in some kind of cloth like cheesecloth before putting it in the pot, or should I just cover the last inch of the pot in gravel? Or maybe both?

[Chrona]

I think I am going to pot plants in my aquarium. The instructions for this seem pretty straight forward, but I just wanted to ask the experts here a few details.

I am going to use clay pots or something similar, but wanted to paint them to match the gravel color. Once spray paint dries completely, it should be safe, right? Also, the recommended medium is black topsoil. Is this correct? What do I use to keep the soil from escaping the pot? Should I cover the root ball in some kind of cloth like cheesecloth before putting it in the pot, or should I just cover the last inch of the pot in gravel? Or maybe both?

I would not use spray paint unless it specifically said that it will not eventually break down in water and is aquarium safe. Put the plant in the pot with soil and pull the plant up until the roots barely show. Add in a touch of gravel to hold down the soil.