Unplanted root plants

[Gideyon]

If I were to aquire plants that are root feeders, but I don't want to plant them just yet, will they be fine floating in a bin or something for a few weeks?  

[Flumpweesel]

Will they be those pots with rock wool I generally stick a root tab in those while I hold them. Generally only plant them after they have got over the melt and return period.

If you do float them make sure they are getting some food and light in the water, I'd suggest jar on a window still over a bin if this is for a prolonged period. Can't see a problem in floating them they may send long roots out hunting for the ground though.  

 

[Guppysnail]

Yes. Even root feeders would be fine. I have all types of plants and I never allow them to root in substrate. I suction cup them to the wall glue them to something or just put a plant weight on and sit them in a pot on top of gravel but not planted. They thrive. Nutrients must dissolve in water to enter the plant (I’m sure there is a more sciencey way to describe that🤣) so they all feed from the water column. 

Like was said above light and fertilizer needed 

[gardenman]

They'll be fine. I've had all kinds of plants floating (not always intentionally, but some fish like to uproot stuff) for days/weeks/months with no trouble. I have a ball of something (Crypt parva maybe?) rolling around in the top of my 50-gallon tank now. Whatever it is (maybe dwarf Sag?) spreads by division as it's formed quite a little round clump of plants. It's happy so I'm leaving it be. (Though I did sneak off one little piece for another tank where it's planted so I can try and figure out what the heck it is.) The longest leaf is maybe an inch or so long and it spreads by division and not runners. (Which somewhat rules out dwarf Sag though the leaves look like dwarf Sag just not very long. Maybe a dwarf dwarf Sag?) The leaf shape isn't really like parva, but who knows? It's very happy anyway. It's green, growing, and seemingly thriving just rolling along at the surface of the tank so I'm letting it be.

[Gideyon]

Thanks for the feedback. 

I'm curious.... Would the occasional few drops of ammonia (Dr Tim's) be enough food for the plants when floating? 

[JettsPapa]

It won't hurt them, but if you float stem plants they'll grow accordingly, with leaves going up and roots going down from every node.  If you want to plant them in the substrate later you may not want that.

[Guppysnail]

On 12/9/2021 at 11:32 AM, Gideyon said:

Thanks for the feedback. 

I'm curious.... Would the occasional few drops of ammonia (Dr Tim's) be enough food for the plants when floating? 

No. They need all the minerals and such they would normally obtain from fish food. A few squirts of easy green will work 

[Buckman]

I often grow root plants on top just for the look of it. Instead of leaves and roots you get a flash of crimson now and again.