How to Get Soil out of Plants to Put in a Fish Tank

Transplanting aquatic vegetation from one aquarium to another or from a pond environment to an aquarium should be done with great care. You will have to remove mud or other dirt and detritus from the roots before the plant is placed into its permanent spot in the new aquarium. Aquatic plants will typically go into shock after being uprooted and after the soil, which was packed around their roots, has been shaken or rinsed away. Aquarists should handle these plants as gently as possible and transfer them without delay from the original environment to their new home.

Things You'll Need

  • Aquarium, with light unit
  • Aquarium gravel
  • Five-gallon bucket
  • Water
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Instructions

    • 1

      Select tall plants if you are transplanting from a pond, as the leaves of these plants will be closer to your aquarium light and they will have a better chance of recovering from shock and of growing correctly.

    • 2

      Select healthy plants to transfer. Look for plants with green leaves and white roots. Damaged leaves are best removed, as their will only die any foul your aquarium. Do not take plants with excessive leaf damage or ones with black roots, which smell.

    • 3

      Remove the plant carefully and try not to damage or break the roots. Although you do not want a great deal of soil around the roots, as you will need to remove this at a later stage, it is important to keep some soil around the roots after you have removed the plant from the soil. This will prevent the plant from going into shock straight away.

    • 4

      Fill a five-gallon plastic bucket with water and place the plants in the bucket. Hold the plant in one hand and swirl it very gently through the water to loosen the soil that has impacted around the roots.

    • 5

      Use your free hand to gently work difficult to remove soil from the roots, if required.

    • 6

      Dig a hole in the aquarium substrate and place the plant into it. Carefully cover the roots with gravel and turn on the aquarium lights. Leave the plant to establish itself in the new aquarium.