# Pots



## KpT (Sep 14, 2008)

Hey everyone

Wanted to check a few things about using pots in my aquarium..

The idea is that the amazon swords will be a lot more comfortable in growing in pots that give them a deep substrate which they like rather than them relying on a horribly shallow bed of sand to grow in.

Hopefully i will be able to surround these pots with bogwood so it doesnt make the tank look any less natural and their roots will gow nicely in them.

I am going to use terrecotta pots as ive heard they have the most benefits, but i want to modify them so that theres a space in the pot for whatever substance i put in for the plant to grow, and then a seperate space underneathe so i can put slits in the bottom of them to act as caves for the rams.
Probabaly accomplish this by putting a plastic circular divider into the pot.

So what i really want to know, is what to put in the pot to make the swords grow the best.
I was thinking some sort of special plant substrate and some first layer mixed in, i also have some iron pegs that i can stab into the layers. Dont know if theyll still work mind, i havnt used them for a while and theyve just been stuck in my draw for ages.

As well as what there sitting in i would love to know a good fertiliser for them and i am adding in DIY C02 and am not sure of the rate of bubbles per minute i should have. Baring in mind my KH is low so if i have it to high itll crash the PH.

Thanks a lot

Sam


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I saw a talk on plants this week and he used pieces plastic eggcrate to hold the substrate in and a layer of pool filter sand with rocks on top to also keep the plant substrate in. I think he uses laterite, but flourite and eco-complete also work. I don't know what is best for swords. I don't see why you couldn't put a small clay saucer in a large clay pot and put a ring of aquarium sealant to hold it in. then you could make a hole in the side and and leave a chamber for cave spawners.


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## KpT (Sep 14, 2008)

Brilliant

thanks for that emc7

Sam


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## KpT (Sep 14, 2008)

OH YEH

that was the big thing i was wondering, dont all the plant substrates come in massive bags becasue there used for a whole tank bed, and ill only need two pots full .

I know FIRST LAYER laterite coems in a relatively small box but i dont think thats good enough to use on its own 

Any thoughts on this?

Sam


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## KpT (Sep 14, 2008)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just got the plant pots from my grandads.

There quite wide and deep but no so big that i cant hide them with my bogwood
They also have holes in the bottom for the roots to grow out into the sand if they run out of room.

Just need a finalisation of what to put in the pots and ill go buy two swords 

Sam


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