Potting Aquatic Plants

[Teabone3]

Hi everyone! I recently accidentally purchased an over-sized java fern and only found out that the plant was over-sized after i had unpacked everything. I decided just to leave it in a bucket of water. Anywho I forgot about it, but then came back to it one day to find it has tons of Java Fern babies growing off it. I have removed them and have them floating around a tank.

I would like to know how to pot these little guys. I was going to buy those black small plastic pot holders but am not sure what else is needed to keep the roots together in the pot holder. I have purchased plants before and they seem to have some sort of cotton like material holding the roots together. Is this something i can buy, is it safe and what is it called or what alternatives are there if its not safe to keep around fish. I did notice fish stores have potted plants in the same tank as fishes.. im wondering how they are doing this.

[FLFishChik]

The cottony stuff that comes in the pot is called Rockwool. But, you don’t need it unless you’re wanting to resell the Java plantlets. You can let them float in the tank if they are too tiny and let them get a bit bigger, then glue them to rocks or driftwood.

[Odd Duck]

I usually glue them to driftwood pieces with mopani being a favorite because it sinks fastest, but cholla sinks quick too.  It just doesn’t last as long in the aquarium.  But you can actually stuff the roots through holes in the cholla and not have to glue at all.  Remember, Java fern is an epiphyte and doesn’t like the roots actually planted.  They tolerate it in the rock wool because it allows water flow through its fibers.