# Anarchis, rotala indica, and aquatic banana help!



## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

I can't find any good sources online about how to plant these in my aquarium. The anarchis and rotala indica came in bunches with a led weight, and the banana came singled.

I have all of them setting in the bottom of a QT tank still weighted up until I can find better info. Should I take the weight off and plant stems individually? Or leave them as a bunch? What about the banana? Do I just set that ontop of my substrate or dig it in a little bit? None have roots so I am not sure what to do?

These are my first plants ever so I really don't know what to do. They were all supposed to be beginner plants which is why I got them, but I figured I'd be able to find better information about how to plant them than I have before they arrived


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

The Rotala and anarchis are stem plants and normally come without any roots. I would remove the led weights and clean/remove any dead area. Then you can either plant each stem or gather 2-3 stems and plant or even lay a large stone on the ends. They will root and anchor themselves. The anarchis can also be used as a floater. 

The banana plant-that one I have never kept, however, from what i have read-you don't want to bury it-It should be anchored to something or allowed to rest on the bottom and allow it to send roots into the substrate on its own.

Look forward to some pics....


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Thank you so much!! The banana has enough weight to stay at the bottom I just wasn't sure if I should plant it in the gravel or not, I will probably try to plant all the anarchis and rotala seperately..I have some hornwort and frog it coming in tomorrow so after I get that acclimated and in the tanks I'll take some pictures.

Do you think I should take the fake plants out? I don't know if they would cause any problems with root growth or anything?


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Hornworth is a nice floating plant, however, it can be picky sometimes and drop all its needles and make a mess....lol.....It also can get hair algae if its too close to the light source and/or too high watt bulb, old bulb or dirty partition. You can drape it over or hook it onto things in the tank so it is more up-right and not as close to the light source-just don't plant it in the substrate.

As for the fake plants-they won't or shouldn't cause any problems for the live plants, however, hopefully your live plants will do well and you will need the space to plant the trimmings from the stem plants every couple of weeks.

The driving force behind successful planted tanks is the proper color temp bulb.
What kind of lights do you have, age of bulbs, watts, kelvin and planed photoperiod.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Right now I'm not sure what my wattage or anything is, I'm at school so I can't check, it's in a topfin 10 gallon starter kit type deal though so I'm sure they aren't the best which is why I went for beginner type plants. The lighting period I have been using is 11am-11pm I am also planning to put them into a 26 gallon I have but it needs a new hood and lights. What would your suggestions be on good but affordable lighting?


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

I get my florescent light bulbs in the lighting dept at wal mart, lowes or home depot...much cheaper...I get the 6500k "Daylight" bulbs-the watts can vary based on bulb length and/or what the hood is rated for. I usually pay $5-8 for a single bulb-unless I get the 48in and they are 2/7.00...odd how the bigger bulbs are cheaper than the smaller ones....lol.....

Also, you want to change out the florescent bulbs every 12 months since the intensity is lost over time and changes the color temp. I also change the florescent starter when I change my bulbs every year-since they are pretty cheap and often the reason the light won't turn on or flickering light or slow to come on or buzzing sounds.

Your photoperiod looks good, I stay on a 12h in the summer and 10h in the winter.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Thank you. I'll have to go to Walmart tonight when I get out of class and see what they have!


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

yay! live plants! with the banana plant, you will want to keep the "bananas" out of the substrate. weigh it down and let it root itself. if you do not like long ropey stems with lily pads, cut off anuy leaves that grows too close to the surface. once one reaches the surface, the rest will follow.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

aokashi said:


> yay! live plants! with the banana plant, you will want to keep the "bananas" out of the substrate. weigh it down and let it root itself. if you do not like long ropey stems with lily pads, cut off anuy leaves that grows too close to the surface. once one reaches the surface, the rest will follow.


Thanks! I actually bought them for the lily's In the picture on AB it didn't really show the banana looking part. I'm really excited to finally have live plants in my tanks, let's just hope I can keep them alive. 

Does anyone have suggestions on fertilizers and how often to use them?
I'm pretty clueless still, probably should have read up more on them but didn't.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

im currently using Seachem Flourish. Some people like to use root tabs. but only do so if you have fone substrate which will hold the tabs in.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

How often?


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I had a really heavyoly planted tank. so I dose daily. 
but you should follow whatever is recommended on the label.


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## Destinystar (May 26, 2012)

Aokashi do Anacharis and Hornwort need a fert and if so what kind ? Also getting ready soon to put some Pennywort in the tank does it need anything special to grow well ?


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Personally I wouldnt add ferts for those.. they are hardy enough to survive pretty much anything. Sometimes anacharis and hornwort will melt with added ferts XD


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## Destinystar (May 26, 2012)

Okay thats great to know thanks ! Some of the stems on my Anacharis will look yellow sometimes, I just pinch off the ends when that happens I hope that is what I should do...lol


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Perseusmom said:


> Okay thats great to know thanks ! Some of the stems on my Anacharis will look yellow sometimes, I just pinch off the ends when that happens I hope that is what I should do...lol


that's good enough XD it's just that those bottle flourish comes in such big bottles, it would be such a waste to buy a bottle and maybe only dose 1 drop every week >.>


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