Ahhh... floating apongeton!!

[Martin]

Good morning all!

My first planted tank has been up and about for almost 2 weeks now and doing well.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE my apongeton, but the darn thing keeps floating out of the substrate.  As I understand it, you should not completely bury the bulb, however all the roots seem to come out from the top of it and are not in the substrate because of this.  If I do bury shallow, then the roots aren't in and it always ends up going on a cruise around my tank.  If I try to get the roots in the substrate, it results in the vast majority of the bulb being buried.  Am I missing something?  I feel dumb that I have a Master's degree but can't solve this problem lol.  Thanks in advance for entertaining my silly question!

Edited February 4, 2021 by Martin

[Colu]

 try puting some pebbles a round the bulb to keep it in place

Edited February 4, 2021 by Colu

[Will Billy]

Aquarium co-op sells these cheap plant weights that can keep them weighted down until they root themselves. Here is a quick link. 
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/products/plant-weights

[Tanked]

A large pebble superglued to the bulb should keep it down until it roots in.

[Martin]

Thanks guys!  Hadn't thought of attaching it to something underneath.  @Will Billy, are those weights okay to wrap around the bulb?  I know I could wrap them around the base of the plant itself, but its just kind of unsightly.

[Will Billy]

11 hours ago, Martin said:

are those weights okay to wrap around the bulb?  I know I could wrap them around the base of the plant itself, but its just kind of unsightly.

I would wrap it above the bulb. Yeah its a bit unsightly, but it just temporary until the roots take hold. Once its got a good root, you can carefully remove the weight and use it again. 

[Martin]

Thanks Will!  I've got the bulb half lodged under a nearby rock and it seems to be holding, but I will keep that in mind if it decides to opt for its freedom again.