Where to plant

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clarkm

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Feb 23, 2014
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So my girlfriend surprised me with a package of star repens and I have no idea where to plant it in my tank. I'm afraid to uproot some of the dwarf sag as it had finally settled in and started to produce runners. If I move some of the dwarf sag will it melt after moving it ? What should I expect from this plant as I have never tried it before ? I have the finnex planted plus and dose met 14 with seachem flourish. ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1404962535.717312.jpgImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1404962560.089979.jpg


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She sounds like a keeper.
I purchased star repens in the same package from PetSmart. The plants are very small from those packs. But they will grow out in a matter of a few weeks or month. You may have to use toothpicks to hold them down initially. I would move the dwarf sag runners in the front left area and make some room for the star repens. The lights and glut are fine. At some point you may have to start doing macro nutrients as I believe the ferts in the Seachem Flourish Comprehensive are mostly micro/trace nutrients. Seachem's line has macro ferts. I think API Leafzone supplies macros. Or you can do dry ferts (from GLA.com) for not macro and micro nutrients.
Anyhow, once these get going and start getting taller, you can trim the tops and replant them. They do not send runners. I have them in my 20g long. I use a Finnex Fugeray with CO2, Glut, PPS-Pro dry ferts, and AquaFertz root pellets.
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My goal is to switch to pps pro method of ferts. I think they would help my tank a lot. Will the dwarf sag melt after I uproot them And move them ? Can I cut the runners off the dwarf sag and plant them separately? Does star repens need root tabs?


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The dwarf sag shouldn't melt when you move them. Plants usually only melt when they are moved to a different environment where they need to adjust to the water parameters and such. Yes you can cut the runners off; just make sure they have a decent amount of roots so that they can root themselves down when they move. S. Repens is not a main root feeder so root tabs are not necessary but can be put in as a supplement to help the plant grow better.
 
This should be a good test as to just how capable the planted plus is in a tall tank.. keep us posted! And yes that is definitely a sign she's a keeper!

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Yes she is definitely a keeper (wedding is next year ). She doesn't quite understand why I love my plants in the aquarium but understands it's my hobby and I enjoy it so she supports me with it and doesn't get to mad if I spend our money on my tank lol. It also looks better in the house with real plants and driftwood and not with colored gravel and spongebob homes in it.
One question is I have root tabs with oscomote plus under the dwarf sag. When I uproot them to move them will I be pulling all the little fertilizer pellets up also? I would hate to effect my water quality by doing that.


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Very nice.. mine is starting to realize just how important it is to me, she calls me when I'm away to give me tank reports. . I'd have the gravel vac or suction going when you uproot them to catch the debris that follows, i always do that no matter what. It always releases a detrius bomb that craps up the water..

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They key to.moving plants in your own aquarium is to keep them submerged. It won't throw the plant into shock this way. If you pull it out of the water the roots have a huge oxygen boost and it shocks the plant.

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I got all the star repens planted. I wonder how many floaters I will have in the morning. Hopefully it roots fairly quickly. ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1405032665.294769.jpgImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1405032726.876892.jpgImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1405032842.344536.jpgcn


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Been planted two weeks today. No melting and can see it growing a little now.

Two weeks ago
ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1406250518.962963.jpg
Today
ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1406250566.327402.jpg


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Wow, that's quite a bit of growth. I think it took at least a month for mine to look like that. Once they get established you will be trimming the tops off every 2-3 weeks. You could double your carpet size in less than a month.
 
Ya I'm surprised how well they have done so far. I had to replant quite a few the first couple of days but they seem to all have rooted in now. I'm excited to see them grow more now.


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The mature stems are easier to plant and are less likely to get uprooted (unless you have fish that will do this for you). I had a devil of a time keeping them in place when the were "just out of the package" small. I used tooth picks.
 
How exactly did you use toothpicks to hold them down? I have Cory's and bn plecos who uproot plants from time to time


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How exactly did you use toothpicks to hold them down? I have Cory's and bn plecos who uproot plants from time to time


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I angled them in close to the plant forming an "X". Made sure the toothpick was against the main stem or prominent leaf. Even still, the MTS sometimes managed to uproot them.
 
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