when and how??

[M0rph3us]

hi i just got some DD from teo yesterday and it was in the emersed form.. how long will it take to transform and how does it transform??

[David]

hi morph

the transition time taken from emerse to submerse is a pretty difficult question to give you a presice answer as it depends very much in the conditions that you have provided for your tank...it can take anything from 7 days to never at all.....

Most aquatic (or marsh plant) in their natural habitat have two leave formation. This is because of the dramatic raising and falling water level due to extreme rain or dry seasons. The plant is able to 'sense its surrounding' pretty much as how it senses light and the plant itself will know when to have emerse or submerse leaves.

[M0rph3us]

oh man.. i thought it will definately transform.... guess i have to start looking for places that sell dd just in case it doesnt transform..

[David]

hi morph

perhaps you did not understand my meaning of 'never at all'....what i meant was that if the plant is not prepared properly for planting, and if the water and environmental conditions are not right....'never at all' is just a diplomatic way of saying that the plant died.....

[M0rph3us]

oh.. haha... i thought it would remain in its emersed state forever.. so far everything looks good.. it pearls...
wat is the process of transforming like?? how does it transform?

[M0rph3us]

errr do i need to do anything to it like trim? or it will auto melt then transform?

[Simon]

all u need to do is wait..

[David]

nup morph, you only need to remove the leaves that are going to be buried in the substrate...as for the rest leave them alone till the plant has grown longer with submersed leaves. At this point, you have two consideration.

1. If you need more coverage or want a 'bushier' effect with this plant, just use your sissors, cut off the new submersed portion and replant without removing the old.....sooner or later at the cut point of the old plant will grow more side shoots.

2. If you like the way it looks and just need to maintain, remove the whole stock. Cut the top portion and thow away the bottom end...prepare your new cuttings as you would in the start and replant.