# Help! trying to plant in ADA Amazonia substrate



## Rob Dahl (2 Feb 2015)

Does anyone know any tricks to getting plants to stay in place. I lowered the water level to the substrate and began planting. Almost impossible to get any purchase in this mush. When I carefully refilled slowly with water, they all floated out. There must be some trick to this. Anyone?


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## Martin in Holland (3 Feb 2015)

Use tweezers and plant deep. I never had much problems with planting in amazonia.


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## Dantrasy (3 Feb 2015)

tweezers are a must. 

As you pull them out allow the soil to cave in around the roots. 

Sometimes i place a finger on my other hand on the base of the plant as I'm pulling out the tweezers. 

If your back isn't hurting by the end of it all you probably haven't done it right


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## Rob Dahl (3 Feb 2015)

Thank you Dantrasy,
My back hurts, so at least I'm doing something right.


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## Downhillmonkey (3 Feb 2015)

I've had the same problem with akadama. It's like planting into sugar puffs. Every day there's a plant floating,  which I have to put back. I've resorted to ceramic rings below the plant with cable ties running over the plant and through the ring as a weight. Once they establish roots I can snip the cable tie. Ring stays in the substrate, but generally throw them away anyway.


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## Downhillmonkey (3 Feb 2015)

That's for large bunches. For single stems I just curse and replant.


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## Deansie (3 Feb 2015)

I had loads of 1-2 tubs to plant and many floated. What I did was get cotton buds, cut them in half and use them as anchors. 
Push the plastic part through the plant with the bud sitting in the foliage


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## Rob Dahl (3 Feb 2015)

Thank you Deansie, Martin in China, Dantrasy, Downhillmonkey 
I'll keep at it.


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## Stu Worrall (3 Feb 2015)

Apart from the angle of planting which has been mentioned its worth getting a little of the powder when planting small stuff like HC as it grabs it a lot better


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## Paulo Soares (3 Feb 2015)

Never heard something like this before.. you must be doing something wrong friend. 
If you use a tweezer it´s a walk in the park.. 
Grab the plant with the tweezer and the roots stretched the most you can, all along in the beetween. Than squeeze enough (caution for not break the root) and insert the tweezer in the substrate so that you dont´see the root. Don´t mind if some leaves go along either. 

Than you just simple unsqueeze and do a little trembling up and down (never to the side in my opinion) so that the substrate filled the space bellow and fix the plant.






The root get´s in perfectly and without pressure. 

The more small amounts the best profit and planting you´ll have.


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## kirk (3 Feb 2015)

stuworrall said:


> Apart from the angle of planting which has been mentioned its worth getting a little of the powder when planting small stuff like HC as it grabs it a lot better


    Exactly what I was going to say.       Are you using a sorcer to stop splashing as you fill?


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## Rob Dahl (3 Feb 2015)

Thank you Paulo for your sketch and explanation. At 78, I have no problem trembling but the plants seem to grasp the tweezers when I withdraw them. This morning things went a little better, but I decided to forget the plant positioning and let them stay where they managed to get a foothold, just like it would probably happen in nature. I will try your technique when I've lowered the water level next. I'm in the midst of cycling this new tank. Yesterday was the third water change and I am going to let this aliquot condition for a couple of weeks, but I certainly appreciate your taking the time to help me.
Right now I'm using treated tap water and will switch to R/O water at the next change and hopefully, following your directions when I plant my new plants, It will be a "walk in the park", as you put it.
Now I'm wondering if I have enough light to get carpeting. Am thinking of getting a TMC mini 400. Here's the tank this morning:


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## Rob Dahl (3 Feb 2015)

Kirk, I used the flat empty Amazonia bag. Now that the plants are in I will use the saucer technique.


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## kirk (3 Feb 2015)

At 78?!!!!! Awsome mate. I'll be lucky to makeit across the lounge to look into a tank at 70 can't see me bent over a tank scaping one.. so I'm impressed. I only ask about the saucer as I wasn't sure if your filling was moving all your back breaking hard work.


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## Julian (3 Feb 2015)

Just switched to ADA substrate yesterday so I understand your frustration. The technique I've found that seems to work the best is to hold the plant vertically with the tweezers at a 45 degree angle. You then place the plant straight down, give it a tiny wiggle, then remove the tweezers very slowly at the same angle you are holding them.

Oh and be careful with the saucer technique. Doesn't work if the water comes out too fast, start out slowly.


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## Rob Dahl (3 Feb 2015)

Awsome is way better than awful. Like that old saying "if I'd known I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself" (or maybe not...)
Going to have to switch to my Eheim classic 150 external filter or figure some way to stop the aquaclear 30 hob waterfall from cratering even at its lowest setting. I think I remember someone putting a sponge or cloth in the raceway to slow it down. I plan on having a few colorful mini or micro fishes and maybe some of my shrimps as well. Now the waiting part and I still hate waiting.


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## Rob Dahl (3 Feb 2015)

Thank you Julian


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## viktorlantos (3 Feb 2015)

If you watch an ada video you frequently see how they are showering (not sure is this the right word) the soil before the planting to make it denser. Worth to try next time


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## Rob Dahl (4 Feb 2015)

Thank you viktoriantos,
Perhaps you mean sprinkling. Showering is a little heavier, but still accurate. I'm sure that your English is much better than my Hungarian. I'll check the videos.


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