So i have sag in my 55 dirted tank. When i got it i was told it was dwarf sag and it is absolutely not so i want to get it out of my tank. There is a lot of it and it all has good roots. 

How can i get it out without making a mess of the tank? I have 9 rainbows and 7 corys so it is full of fish and i have no where to put them so i cant drain it and take them out. 

I really want it out and i really don't want to make a big mess cause its going to over whelm me and i will freak out lol. 

Its like over 2 inches of dirt with clay then 2 inches of white sand. So its really easy to see when its messy.

If anyone has advise or knows how i would love to know. Thanks

- Alejandro 

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The tribulations of dirted tanks...

I've had good success just snipping plants off a little below their crowns: leave the roots in the tank. Some will tell you that this will toxify the water but in my experience it's never happened. Make certain you're fertilizing and doing water changes so that these roots will just break down in the natural way. In the long run this will actaully make your dirt richer.

i have actuly tried this and it has worked with some plants. But not sag, its to hardy and grows to easy. it all came back in a week.

This method has worked well for me. Grab the plant as low to the sand as possible and slowly rotate it as you slowly pull up. Once you get the roots free just continue to the next runner, if it has any, and continue. If you are careful you won't make a mess.

Taking deeply rooted plants out of a dirted tank is alot like removing a huge splinter from your hand...if you just rip it out, you'll end up with blood and chunks of skin and stuff flying everywhere.  slow & steady is the way to go.  Twisting the plant while you extract it will help coil the roots up around the core of the plant and minimize the amount of dirt that leaks through the cap, and make your life a whole lot easier.  

Evan also brings up good points, too...if your bacterial cultures are healthy in your substrate, you can just prune the crowns of the plants right off at the substrate, and the roots will die off and dissolve and be converted into fertilizer as they're broken down.  Doesn't work for some species, though, as they can be very persistent...like Dandelions in a lawn...if you don't get the whole root it keeps coming back.

Most important thing is to find a method that works both for you and for your plants. Just my $0.02... :D

you and kevin said about the same thing so i will have to try that. Hope it works its just the roots for sag are crazy cause they grow so quick.

i will try that! thanks.

I did the pull up slowly and turn at the same time and it worked great! Made no mess!

i would just forget about dirt and use dry ferts with like eco c.

then ther is no mess move you plants around wen ever you want no problem 

I've been wondering that too :)

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