Need recomendation on long grass looking plant

[Shadow]

I'm looking for long, maybe around 45 cm, grass looking plant with soft leaf that easily blown by water flow. I'm eyeing for Cyperus helferi and Val nana but never seen it in real life, so can't imagine what it look under the flow .

Anyone can recomend such plant?

[ragn4rok]

How about Eleocharis vivipara?

[Shadow]

Too small, maximum size only 20~25cm. I want something that kind of gives shade feeling. So need something long but not too long so that part of it will be floating on the surface.

[AA24]

what about giant vallis.. NA has some.. was there recently.. resonable price..

[eagleray]

I vote for Cyperus helferi .. they are relatively easy to grow and should get the effect you want

Used to have them before I re-scaped


Those on the right side are C. Helferi. They grew a bit too tall for my 2.5ft x 1.5ft tank ...

[StanChung]

Vallis nana. E vivipara does go long unless you dislike the plantlets.

[ranmasatome]

Go get some Vallisneria nanas. Polyart used to have some but they must have been snatched up by somseone because i was there yesterday adn they were all gone... only $4 for 5 pots...

Other place is colourful aquarium.. $1.50 a pot.

[Shadow]

I endup bought Cyperus helferi, quite expensive for a grass $5 for a pot. I don't see Vallisneria nanas when I bough C.helferi.

[fisherw]

I vote for Cyperus helferi .. they are relatively easy to grow and should get the effect you want

Used to have them before I re-scaped


Those on the right side are C. Helferi. They grew a bit too tall for my 2.5ft x 1.5ft tank ...

I have something similar. I thought they are vallis. How does one tell them apart?

[|squee|]

fisherw, Vallis puts out runners readily and when you buy it there should be multiple plantlets in the pot, while C.helferi is more of a rosette plant. Emersed C.helferi leaves are also much tougher to the touch than those of Vallis.

I dislike E.vivipara because it has those irritating plantlets that grow from the tip and never from the substrate. I don't know if Amano knows a way to maintain them, or we are simply getting the wrong plant under the same name here in Singapore.

Vallis are the easiest to grow, but are difficult to maintain because the runners go everyyyyyyyywhere and unless you're the patient sort, you often end up yanking the entire chain of runners in frustration.

[Shadow]

Agreed about Vallis runner go every where. One of my tank got vallis and have to cut the runner almost every week to prevent the runner from exiting designated area

[hwchoy]

if you have strong lights, can try Blyxa.

[Shadow]

if you have strong lights, can try Blyxa.

tried blyxa Japonica before, but unsuccessfull. It melted on ADA but doing ok in aquaclay.

[wasabi8888]

Hi Shadow

How is the Cyperus helferi coming along? I am thinking about something like that for my rescape as well...

[Shadow]

hm... too early to say, Just plant it last week. I'm expecting it to melt and start grow new leave. I'm not sure how to help them addapt but I blast with CO2 high ppm . Not sure if it help. I don't dare to increase the light, afraid algae bloom.

[wasabi8888]

Hi Shadow

I was wondering how does Cyperus helferi propagate? Also, if it becomes too tall (long), how do you trim it? Just cut it at the base (above gravel) or put out everything and cut the rhizome away?

[Shadow]

I do not know what they call it, it kind off small baby plant attached to the base of the parent plant. I want it to be long so part of the leaft will float on the surface.

[wasabi8888]

Does anyone know how to trim Cyperus helferi?

Shadow,

do you cut the baby plant away and replant? does that mean you will need to pull the whole plant out?

[Shadow]

well yes and no, I was sprayign the root with medium pressure water to remove the dirt so some of them get seperated.