# How long will plants survive in stagnant water with no substrate?



## Melogrunty (Sep 15, 2020)

I couldn't get the hang of sand so I gave up on it and just cleaned out my tank and will substrate back to gravel. In the meantime, I'm wondering how long the plants will live in a big tupperware container full of stationary fertilized water? Currently my plants are . I have 13 Marimo Balls, 4 Java Ferns, 1 Amazon Sword, 1 Anubias Lanceolata, 1 Anubias Nana Petite, 1 Cryptocoryne Pontederiifolia. The only ones I had planted was the Anubias Lanceolata and Amazon Sword.

Can I plant some of these so they're not all floating? Since gravel still allow some flowing water through it, unlike sand, I was hoping I could use gravel to keep them from floating around but not smother them.

Anyways if someone would be kind enough of how long I have before they start dying that would be a huge help. Want to knof if I have enough time to wait for Amazon or if I have to go buy gravel from somewhere sooner.


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## Mbpoppy (Nov 3, 2019)

I'm familiar with the marimo, they'll be completely fine with no direct sunlight and just a water change in a week or two.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

All aquatic plants need circulation and fresh water to survive. I've had plants turning squishy in three days.

You can use gravel but you still need substrate fertilizers and to keep the crowns and rhizomes uncovered.


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## Melogrunty (Sep 15, 2020)

Alright thanks! I put the plants in the tank and put water in the tank with no substrate for now just so they don't dry out.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

A lot of people don't use substrate; easier to clean. Plant weights are used to keep them in place.

Hope you can see these. If not, Goggle "bare bottom Betta tanks" bare bottom Betta fish tanks - AOL Image Search Results


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## Melogrunty (Sep 15, 2020)

Awesome I will do some reading about this and also the plant weights.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I have a good plant weight source on eBay.

As you can see, some use tiny Saki cups and put the weighted plants in those.

If you go with no substrate, you will definitely need water column fertilizer. IMO/E, best is https://www.nilocg.com/ One pump per five gallons once or twice a week. No need for trace elements, etc. I won't go back to SeaChem.


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## Chinitobetta (Oct 7, 2020)

I been using cabombas without substrate but they grow pretty good just floating...great hiding places in my breeding tanks...I just add some seachem flourish with each water change.


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## Melogrunty (Sep 15, 2020)

I have a black rubber mat underneath my tank. However, the bottom glass still seems to reflect the lights. How do I do a tank without substrate if there is reflection? Are the tanks without substrate you all work with have a plastic bottom instead of glass?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

We've had members who've spread blue across the bottom and poured in sand. Waited for it to cure and then dumped out the excess sand.


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## Melogrunty (Sep 15, 2020)

I don't know if it's moss balls or what but my plants are shedding little green bits and black bits like crazy. I didn't see it that it was due to the plants until I had no substrate. It wasn't the sand that was throwing off my parameters, just like people were telling me. I'm going to go back to sand but this time get some black sand instead of white so it doesn't look so dirty. I'm also going to get a snail since they like to clean up plant dandruff.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Are you fertilizing at the proper dose? Is there a filter with the plants? How often are you changing the water?


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## Melogrunty (Sep 15, 2020)

I'm water changing once per week 20ish percent (1.6 gallon bucket), Thankfully I have nothing but plants currently. After water change I am dosing with one capful of flourish (says 1 cap per 10 gallons) and 2 drops per gallon of Prime. (16 drops per change). II also have 5 flourish root tabs that used to be in the substrate but I didn't know if I should throw them away.

I'm putting 2 layers of filter floss (pictures) in the filter compartment below the bio filter bag--the bottom side is course and porous to catch big stuff and the top is finer to catch small stuff. I'm guessing the black stuff could be due to the flourish root tabs breaking apart faster since they have no substrate and part could also be due to plant matter. My tap water is is perfectly clear so in not drinking black water out of the faucet lol.

Am I using too much Prime? Should I only be dosing the amount replaced in the water change?

Am I using too much Flourish? Should I not dose Flourish (it is a blackish green color) every water change? Should I only dose enough to cover the amount of water replaced?

If the substrate is not deep enough (previously was probably half an inch to an inch) will the flourish root tabs be wasted and just decompose into the water? Do you have recommendations for root tabs instead of Seachem?

This time around, I plan to do 2" of substrate all around. I'm going to switch to the liquid fertilizer you mentioned also. I've been getting everything Seachem brand because they seem to be solid reputation but I'm sure there's better fertilizers but I'm just not familiar with any other choices.

Thanks for continuing to help me. I want to find all the things I'm doing wrong and correct them before adding creatures to the tank


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I don't use Flourish. What are the dosing directions? I'd probably dose half. You can dose Prime 5 x the recommended amount without issues.

Marimo are not plants but a specialized form of algae so don't need plant fertilizers. You might be overdosing. While it doesn't matter with Prime, I'd be leery of overdosing the Flourish. You might search their web site. If you don't see an answer they are good at responding to individual questions. I've had to consult them many times.


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## Melogrunty (Sep 15, 2020)

Alright awesome I will do more research! I just started doing the filter floss last week because I read that it's better than just a sponge and bio media. Filter floss has been a huge wake up call to how much was not being caught without it. Do you have recommendations for root tabs? Edit: Just ordered Nicolg liquid fert and also their root tabs which seem to be significantly cheaper than Seachem and don't look like they will crumble in my fingers like flourish tabs.


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