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How to remove crypt cleanly?

Sacha

Member
Joined
3 Jan 2014
Messages
992
Location
London
Hi all, after some advice please.

In my low-tech 240 I have a layer of soil (John Innes) covered by gravel.

I have about 8 ugly cryptocoryne wendtii brown in the tank that have been established for about 6 months now. I don't know why I bought these plants. They are just unsightly and don't work in my aquascape. I want to remove them and replace them with something else (probably nicer looking crypts).

The problem is when I tug on the plants I can feel that they have a massive and firmly attached root system that probably winds its way halfway around the tank. If I were to uproot one of them, I'm sure I would release half of my soil substrate into the water column and end up polluting my tank, which I obviously don't want to do.

I figure my only other option is to use scissors to cut off all the stems and leaves, leaving only the roots still attached to the substrate. After a few weeks the roots should die and then I can just leave them to rot in the substrate and become fertiliser for the new plants... Does that make sense?

Anyway, grateful for any advice as to whether this is a reasonable course of action or if there's anyway I can remove the plants from the tank. Many thanks in advance.
 
This is a smaller crypt wendii I removed from my tank. The tank is 1m long so gives you an idea of the root structure (I hate to think how big the roots on on the established plants).
184d15a8aa15638cdb4f7c9cba29e29c.jpg


I have this in sand and removing it didn't stir up too much but I guess soil would be far worse.

https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/need-to-remove-sword-roots.52823/
 
Lift it a little and cut the roots around the plant with scissors so you can remove it, you can then either leave the roots to decompose or gently peel them back one at a time to get the bigger ones out.
 
Thanks for all the replies. So just to confirm - there's no issue leaving the roots to decompose? I had an outbreak of hair algae growing from my substrate and put it down to decaying waste matter and am keen to ensure that doesn't happen again.
 
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