How do you make potted plants?

[Tony s]

So, for my angels in the breeding tank have been living bare bottomed. What's the best way to add potted plants, and how do you know if the pot is of sufficient quality. Or even what types work best. Thinking mostly of adding swords, or big leaved anubias. possibly even javafern.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Depending on your desired style, I've found terracotta pots are always safe. I've also used glazed bamboo pots with beautiful results. 

[Woowala]

I use anything vaguely container shaped lol.  Take out containers, clear plastic cups, glass jars, greek yogurt cups.  Terra cotta or fake tc planters if I sorta care that it doesn't look totally horrible.

[Woowala]

I was thinking, for me I actually really like the plastic fake terra cotta planters cuz they're light and you can move them easily when cleaning the bottom of the tank.  I use soil capped with sand, so it might not make a difference if you use heavier gravel.  One of a million little future projects is to figure out a nice easy way to get everything off the bottom so detritus collects in one spot and I don't have to move anything to clean.  

[Tony s]

On 9/4/2024 at 6:35 PM, Woowala said:

One of a million little future projects is to figure out a nice easy way to get everything off the bottom so detritus collects in one spot

Actually, i have that now with the bare bottom. Using an aquaclear filter, everythind settles into the middle of the far side. 

The pots are only half the battle though, I have only used gravel so far. Gravel would work with lots of root tabs. But for a better pot what about soil, sand, aquasoil. and how do you keep the pots upright? and what happens when the pot goes over?

[Woowala]

On 9/4/2024 at 6:59 PM, Tony s said:

Actually, i have that now with the bare bottom. Using an aquaclear filter, everythind settles into the middle of the far side. 

The pots are only half the battle though, I have only used gravel so far. Gravel would work with lots of root tabs. But for a better pot what about soil, sand, aquasoil. and how do you keep the pots upright? and what happens when the pot goes over?

I only have sponge filters, and moss and subwassertang impede flow and trap a lot of stuff.

I'd probably use soil or aquasoil, but probably no reason to use both. I use soil cuz it's cheap and they're fish tanks, not plant tanks. I usually let them sit in some water for a week before adding to the tank in case it causes an ammonia spike, but if it's not much soil I usually don't bother. 

I've never had a pot fall over, but I have small fish. If that's a problem I'd go with a heavier pot, like terra cotta. Or a layer of gravel at the bottom for weight/stability, capped with soil and then sand or fine gravel. Or just gravel capped with aquasoil if you go that route.