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.
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.