Planting Dwarf Baby Tears

[Rafy0126]

Anybody got a good way to plant this, the roots are so small they just pop out of the gravel. I used part of the cotton that comes in the pot, but how knows what i'm getting in my water with that. Any ideas?

 

[Rivercats]

The rock wool will eventually just work it's way up out of the substrate taking the HC with it. Just take small clumps of the HC without rock wool on them and push the clump in the substrate. Keep clump sizes down to about 1/2" in size as you don't want them really big. Plant in a checkerboard pattern about every 3/4" apart so they spread better.

 

[Rafy0126]

The rock wool will eventually just work it's way up out of the substrate taking the HC with it. Just take small clumps of the HC without rock wool on them and push the clump in the substrate. Keep clump sizes down to about 1/2" in size as you don't want them really big. Plant in a checkerboard pattern about every 3/4" apart so they spread better.

Yeah that's exactly what's happened. Just to be sure you mean push the plant leaf and all a bit on the substrate? And the pattern sounds good I'm also gona try to tie some to some lava rock.

 

[Rivercats]

Literally just shove part of the clump in the substrate. Some of it will be completely buried but that's what will hold it down. Your not going to be able to plant just roots as they are too small.

 

[Rafy0126]

Literally just shove part of the clump in the substrate. Some of it will be completely buried but that's what will hold it down. Your not going to be able to plant just roots as they are too small.

Ok, thx.

 

[Alexgcraig]

Hope you don't mind I piggyback on your post, I've been reading around that it's much easier to do a dry start with HC/dwarf tears than immersed, anyone think I have a chance growing a carpet in an established 10g with high light (LED from buildmyled!), excel + flourish + tabs? I am very patient!!

Stock: Beta and 6 neon tetras (so no diggers...)

Thanks!

(Since it's a 10 gallon I want short carpet plants, hence the HC, I'm open to other options...!)

 

[Billbug68]

Hope you don't mind I piggyback on your post, I've been reading around that it's much easier to do a dry start with HC/dwarf tears than immersed, anyone think I have a chance growing a carpet in an established 10g with high light (LED from buildmyled!), excel + flourish + tabs? I am very patient!!

Stock: Beta and 6 neon tetras (so no diggers...)

Thanks!

(Since it's a 10 gallon I want short carpet plants, hence the HC, I'm open to other options...!)

Flourish won't be enough, and you'll have a better chance with co2. A fine, nutrient rich substrate is also helpful.

 

[Rafy0126]

Hope you don't mind I piggyback on your post, I've been reading around that it's much easier to do a dry start with HC/dwarf tears than immersed, anyone think I have a chance growing a carpet in an established 10g with high light (LED from buildmyled!), excel + flourish + tabs? I am very patient!!

Stock: Beta and 6 neon tetras (so no diggers...)

Thanks!

(Since it's a 10 gallon I want short carpet plants, hence the HC, I'm open to other options...!)

I'm not a big fan of that method ! I think there's less shock by keeping them in under water

 

[Rivercats]

Hope you don't mind I piggyback on your post, I've been reading around that it's much easier to do a dry start with HC/dwarf tears than immersed, anyone think I have a chance growing a carpet in an established 10g with high light (LED from buildmyled!), excel + flourish + tabs? I am very patient!!

Stock: Beta and 6 neon tetras (so no diggers...)

Thanks!

(Since it's a 10 gallon I want short carpet plants, hence the HC, I'm open to other options...!)

HC is one of the few carpet plants that can grow well with liquid carbon (Excel or Glut). I'm not a fan of DSM but it will grow much quicker that way. But when the tank is flooded the HC will have to change from emersed growth to immersed growth and will look not well during the transition. The other problem is just using Flouish with high light isn't going to provide all the macro and micro nutrients plants need. In high light plants grow faster, liquid carbon increases growth more, which means plants use and need a lot of nutrients in the form of micro and macro ferts. You really need to get some dry ferts considering the light you have and the fact it's a shallow tank. I have 4 BML fixtures and on the one shallow tank I don't run it too much over 50% and get great growth.

 

[Alexgcraig]

Thanks! I got the high light BML with dimmer so I'll keep it low and experiment with the dry ferts. If excel is not enough will upgrade to Co2 canister. (I'd already bookmarked your recipe Rivercats!) seems many of the peeps having problems with growing HC had low light and/or insufficient ferts/Co2, I imagine if that's satisfied I should be ok...
any other suggestions for carpet that will stay short in 10g are welcome, I also like micro sword and crypt parva but seems people have also been having problems with these...
Thanks again for the feedback, great community here!

 

[Rivercats]

Chain swords are too messy looking for my taste. I have a patch of Crypt Parva that started as 3 little plants and is now a nice size carpet and still spreading. It grows faster and better in higher light with CO2 or liquid carbon and good ferts. I like Downoi. The set up you have would work great. Here's an old picture showing them as they are beginning to grow together (not the greatest pic but gives you an idea). They too will grow together into a thick carpeting mass if you let them.... Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community - Rivercats's Album: 220g dirted tank - Picture

 

[Alexgcraig]

Downoi does look good, though it's not easy to find, you ever bought from aquariumwaterplants . com?

dreamer_yoyo also has some nice specimens on EBay (and nice looking shrimp!) anyone ordered from this seller before?

Thanks!

 

[Rivercats]

I've never bought from them but Pet Smart now carries Downoi, ie; Pogostemon helferi in boxes in it's emersed form for $8. Plus you get a ton of it. All you have to do is wait once planted to change to it's immersed growth form.

 

[Alexgcraig]

Quick question Rivercats, the Downoi came and melted entirely, I left it in the substrate and it's almost been a month now, looks like a goner, practically nothing left... Before introducing I did a 1:3 hydrogen peroxide 20 mins bath to disinfect, could that have killed it? Shame because it's a beautiful plant... Thanks!!

 

[Rivercats]

A lot of people have issues with Downoi melting when first introduced into a tank. I've never had problems but a lot of what I've sent out to people that was growing like a weed in my tank melted in theirs. Did you get some shipped in or did you get some from Pet Smart?

 

[Rafy0126]

Quick question Rivercats, the Downoi came and melted entirely, I left it in the substrate and it's almost been a month now, looks like a goner, practically nothing left... Before introducing I did a 1:3 hydrogen peroxide 20 mins bath to disinfect, could that have killed it? Shame because it's a beautiful plant... Thanks!!

Same thing happened to my a week back but mine didn't last a week.

 

[Alexgcraig]

thanks for the replies, I bought 6 stars on Ebay, link below, the seller seemed to have great reviews. All other plants are doing great and my chem stats are normal, dosing Seachem Flourish + Excel with high light and eco-complete substrate (dry ferts are in the mail!). I'm guessing it was the disinfectant bath that did it... yeah the melting took a week for me too, been 3 weeks now that i just have tiny translucent stumps! i'll give it another chance in a few weeks, beautiful plant!

Downoi Star Plant Pogostemon Helferi Plant Tank Tropical Fish Shrimp | eBay

 

[Rivercats]

I use peroxide on all my plants, sometimes I even use it straight and it doesn't cause issues. Some plants are just very sensitive and don't acclimate well. Downoi is one of them. Plus the colder temps during shipping does bother some plants. I sent quite a bit of expensive Mini Alternanthera reineckii along with Rotala Mini Butterfly 2 or 3 weeks ago as a RAOK and only 2 Mini AR didn't melt, yet all the Rotala did fine. Melting especially after shipping isn't as uncommon as you might think. Honestly if you can get some Downoi in it's emersed form from Pet Smart and try it that way. You will have much better luck.