Should I plant with the lead ties ?

[regiroy]

Plats purchased from stores come with a ring of sponge and lead to hold them together.

1. Is it advisable to stick the plant as is into the planting substrate ?
2. Is it better to plant the individual stems separately than as one single bunch ?

1. I know gravel is not a good medium but one of my tanks have about <1cm size white river stones. I have chiclids in the tank. If I put in about 3 in of gravel will that be an acceptable medium ? I would prefer not to redo the substrate.
2. Alternately if I plant in small plastic cups with holes all around with proper substrate in it and stick these into the gravel would that work ?

Thanks,
Regi

[HappyGuppy]

Regi, separate the plants and spread them out to grow better.  Bunched as is the roots/bottoms will die.  Also lead is toxic so be sure to trash it.  Do the best you can "rooting" your plants into your gravel and soon they should grow nicely for you (assuming you have good conditions for plants to grow).  Good luck growing your new plants.

[Saltcreep]

I'm not sure they still use lead. I think it may be zinc or bismuth.

[magnosis]

Personally I use little clay pots that I fill up with a good substrate (Fluval Stratum lately, pretty happy with it), it's heavier than the metal strips and holds more stems together without packing them too close.  Of course it's also bigger and need to be buried under substrate but in most case, you should have a deep enough substrate to hide them.

La Niche is usually kind enough to give me a handful of them little pots when I buy plants.  You can also get them from Reno Depot, Rona & Home Depot's garden centers.

[dan2x38]

Plats purchased from stores come with a ring of sponge and lead to hold them together.

1. Is it advisable to stick the plant as is into the planting substrate ?
2. Is it better to plant the individual stems separately than as one single bunch ?

1. I know gravel is not a good medium but one of my tanks have about <1cm size white river stones. I have chiclids in the tank. If I put in about 3 in of gravel will that be an acceptable medium ? I would prefer not to redo the substrate.
2. Alternately if I plant in small plastic cups with holes all around with proper substrate in it and stick these into the gravel would that work ?

Thanks,
Regi

- as mentioned separate the stems they need to apart so they do not rot... there is likely a little dead materiel there already

- depending on the plants cichlids will enjoy a salad if not tough leaved plants like anubias, java fern, etc...

- yes that cup thing works; you can use plastic dry wall anchors by sticking the stem through the top and pushing the anchor up then spreading the anchor sticking into the substrate and cover stem up; can cut soda straws poke hole in it then stick the stem through it and push into the substrate; there are many ways to plant just use inert materials

- as mentioned it is not lead any longer but you still need to remove to separate and clean stems from ant decayed matter