# Growing Plants in Sand



## Chrispy (Apr 8, 2006)

I have never tried live plants before and I would love to get some hardy and easy to grow ones for my Sev tanks. I know there is special substrate for planted tanks, but are there any plants that would grow in sand?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

All of my tanks are just sand. I haven't had any issues with growing Swords, Micro-swords, Giant Val, Cryptocornes, Aponogetons in sand.


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## Alleycat (Dec 2, 2006)

I have plants in several of my tanks that have sand. One 20 long has a sword plant that has taken over 3/4 of the tank. The others all have anubias and crypts that spread out and do very well.


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## wickidchap (Feb 27, 2009)

Plants in sand isn't a good idea, the roots do not get to hold onto anything.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

wickidchap said:


> Plants in sand isn't a good idea, the roots do not get to hold onto anything.


Really? Except maybe the sand? As said above, I've had no issues doing exactly that for nearly a couple of decades now.


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## football mom (Feb 19, 2006)

Here's a couple pics of tanks with paver sand and plants: I don't do any thing for the plants except some ferts now and then, no special lights or CO2.










The sword looks a little ragged from the demasoni, but it's been growing there for well over year:


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## goldoccie21 (Jun 15, 2008)

the plants can and will hold on with really fine roots. i have my planted tank in sugar sand. when you up root the plant it looks like little clumps of sand on the roots.


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## fishman13 (Jul 27, 2009)

Not a good idea.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Why don't you try some that grow on rocks first (java fern, anubias) and then graduate to rooted plants next?

If you don't have to worry about keeping pH high, you can even buy those plants already rooted on driftwood.

If I have a plant that needs a special substrate, I sew a little polyester pillow (batting for a crib quilt from the hobby store), insert plant roots and fluorite substrate, and bury the pillow in substrate and rocks.

My vals will spread from there. My crypts have stayed confined to the pillow area.


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## blue acara (Aug 8, 2006)

vallisneria and java fern are two of the best aquarium plants out there. They will do fine on sand, all they need is moderate light and some nitrate/phosphate which the fish provide.

This is my tank all it has is plain gravel and some root tabs for the amazon swords. no co2, no e.i


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