Planting Hemianthus callitrichoides (HC)

[n707jt]

Hey guys

I've realized that HC (Hemianthus callitrichoides) are normally sold being attached to the cotton wool in LFS. What would be the best way to attach them onto your substrate (ie ADA Amazonia). Should I remove the cotton wool and plant in small bits sparsely? The roots seems really fine and its not easy for it to grip the substrate tho.

[Shadow]

You should remove the cotton wool, plant it in small clump. You might want to follow Tom Barr suggestion on planting HC emerse. This way you no need to worry that it is uprooted, actually using emerse method you can just dump it, it will grow root and grip the substrate.

One thing though, Tom Barr said that it would not melt when you start flooding the tank (convert from emerse to submerse) but my experiment shows HC melted after a week and new leaves grow. It is might be because of excell. I'm currently experimenting small amount without excell, will know the answer within 1 or 2 weeks time

[grespania]

You should remove the cotton wool, plant it in small clump. You might want to follow Tom Barr suggestion on planting HC emerse. This way you no need to worry that it is uprooted, actually using emerse method you can just dump it, it will grow root and grip the substrate.

One thing though, Tom Barr said that it would not melt when you start flooding the tank (convert from emerse to submerse) but my experiment shows HC melted after a week and new leaves grow. It is might be because of excell. I'm currently experimenting small amount without excell, will know the answer within 1 or 2 weeks time

Hi, I am trying to grow emerse too. I find that hc when growing in garden soil spread very fast and have big leaves. When i put them in tank they spread very slow and have smaller leaves. BTW. What is "excell" ?

[Shadow]

seachem excel

Garden soil under aquarium light or sunlight? Emerse leaves seem to be bigger, even it is under the tank light. I'm comparing it with new leaves that grow underwater.

[grespania]

seachem excel

Garden soil under aquarium light or sunlight? Emerse leaves seem to be bigger, even it is under the tank light. I'm comparing it with new leaves that grow underwater.

Sunlight. I am going to use CO2. I hope mine would not melt too much after i submerse them. I think my tank will not be cool enough cause i have no chiller.

[n707jt]

Shadow, you mentioned about Tom Barr's suggestion. is there a link to his site?

[Shadow]

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...highlight=Barr

[n707jt]

Hmm problem is my tank is now filled to the brim already and I have other plants in it. So doing the emersed method might not be possible.

[torque6]

believe aden has recommended to perform water planting during aquascaping.

[yck]

sorry i would like to borrow this thread , does HC grow well in outdoor ? temp usually 28 to 30 degree . anyone tried ?

and is it ok that 15 W of light for HC in a 2 feet tank ? what is the recommanded lighting for HC in 2 ft

[EvolutionZ]

lighting for HC is better at 3wpg and above.. 15watt is only 1 - 1.5wpg. not enough to grow any foreground plant. T5 is better.

[Shadow]

for outdoor the chalenge probably to keep the soil wet.

15W for 2ft? you probably having trouble to grow almost anything not to mention HC which required lots of light. If just for grow, 55W is enough but to make it creep, you need more than that, maybe 70W. I personnaly never try HC on 2ft tank

[yck]

for outdoor the chalenge probably to keep the soil wet.

15W for 2ft? you probably having trouble to grow almost anything not to mention HC which required lots of light. If just for grow, 55W is enough but to make it creep, you need more than that, maybe 70W. I personnaly never try HC on 2ft tank

but on the other hand , adding more lights could cause temperature rise .

[Shadow]

I probably should asked first what plant do you have and how is it with 15W?

In my opinion temperature is not that critical. Most plants survive 28 to 30 degree though they do happy with lower temp. You can add fan to lower about 2-3 degree from ambient temperature.

[EvolutionZ]

ferns, moss and nana can survive well in a 2ft tank with 15watt

[Thirteen]

hi shadow, any progress or findings from the batch of HC without excel dosing?

[Shadow]

it also turn yellow, I guess in my case, it shed emerse leaves and grow new subemerse leaves. At this point I would say that Tom Barr might be wrong. Lets hear from others who try these method.

[Thirteen]

aww...was hoping that your experiment works out fine. Could it be the singapore climate...? We all knows that melting of leaves is the plant's way of acclimatisation from emerse conditions to submerse condition be it HC to crypts.

wonder anyone manage to convert them without melting..

[Shadow]

Most likely not a climate, because it is office tank so inside air conditioner. Water temperature wise probably around 24 to 25 degree celcius

[vurbul]

Shadow, just wondering. Did you inject co2 immediately after you add in the water?