How to prune

[JRagg]

I'm pretty new to the whole planted thing. I have never raised any aquatic plants or regular plants. My biggest "problem plant" right now is a red melon sword. I think I've got enough light to keep it going (not red but green ), but it seems to be growing out instead of up. Which leaves need to be pruned in order to force it to grow taller? Do I cut the new shorter growth in order to accomplish this?

 

[fish_4_all]

Taller? It will grow toward the light if you raise the light of use less, otherwise it wants to lay down. If you really want it to grow up, there is a couple other options. Place rocks around the plant to force the leaves up or bury the plant deep enough that it is forces the leaves up. Leaving all the older leaves may cause it grow upwards but that can become a huge number of leaves in a matter of a couple weeks. Mine puts out 3 leaves a week, all red for about a week then turn green. When I leave the light up off the tanks, about 6 inches above, the leaves grow toward the top of the tank. When I put the light right on the tank, the leaves lay flat.

And Red Melon Swords, the new leaves are red for about a week or so then turn a deep green. They do not stay red.

 

[JRagg]

I guess I'm stuck with it growing like it is then. I've got one of those plastic hoods on a 10gal, so no real option to raise the light in this case.

Ok, I'm seeing what you're talking about with the leaves starting red (more of a brownish red for me) and then turning green. Which leaves should I prune to keep this plant in check and healthy? I know I need to prune something since like you said it is sprouting new leaves all the time.

I may try that rock trick and see what happens.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I would say the older leaves should be pruned off, leaving the newer leaves. I generally prune the outer-most leaves down at the root, as the new leaves come up from the middle.

 

[fish_4_all]

I remove a mine all in one swoop, ussually only leaving about 8-10. I actually take the plant out of the gravel, rip the leaves off, trim the roots and replant it. Maybe I should stop because every time I do it the leaves get bigger and longer and it grows faster than ever.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

LOL, I've never pulled mine and the same thing happens, lol. Bigger, longer, and the root system probably covers the entire bottom of the tank by now, lol.

And my jungle vals? Well, once and a while I'll have one sprout up by my swords. When I pull it, the runner goes all the way across to the other end of the tank where all the jungle vals are, lol. Made it over halfway across the tank under the Eco Complete before surfacing, lol.

 

[JRagg]

Thanks for the pruning advice. I've got a few of the outer leaves that are looking less than healthy (before I had my lighting where it needed to be).

How do plants like this reproduce? It didn't look like this one had a rhizome, so does it send out runners through the roots and another one will just pop up somewhere?

My java fern's method of reproduction is so odd... The fact that they grow mini-java ferns on the underside of the leaves and then drop them just blows me away.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

The red melon sword? It will occasionally send out a shoot, and a pretty long one too. I just got 8 plants off my ruffled sword. If the runner is out of the water, it will flower at each of the nodes. If the runner is kept under water, each node will form roots. You will know where each node is, as it will also be producing leaves around it. Also, it it's out of the water and flowers, and then you turn around and put it back into the water, it will start forming roots. So you can have the best of both worlds, let it flower, then submerge it to form roots. Once there's a bunch of roots formed (I let mine grow out an inch and a half), you can cut the shoot off the plant, and cut off each individual plantlet, and replant. This is how they reproduce.

 

[JRagg]

I swear this doesn't seem like the same plant I bought anymore (but I like it more now). when I got it it had oval shaped leaves about 1.5 inches long and 1 inch wide at the end of long stems, but now that I've upgraded my lighting and started pumping in some CO2 it looks totally different. The new leaves are 4-5 inches long and about an inch wide with a really good looking red color (I know you guys said this goes away). It honestly doesn't resemble the same plant that I had before. I'll try to get a picture tonight that has some of the old and new growth on it.

 

[Zezmo]

At most nursuries sword plants are grown above the water (emersed). The leaves have a diffferent shape. Once under water, new leaves, and often new colors will appear. These can be very differnent than the original.

 

[JRagg]

Looking different is the understatement of the year. I would have never guessed it was the same plant.

The old growth is to the outside and the new is towards the middle. I'm pruning off most of the old growth tomorrow.

And FYI, I'm still in the first stage of aquascaping. "OMG It's growing!"

 

[Zezmo]

That looks like a normal emersed to submersed transition there. And very healthy new leaves at that. Very nice.

 

[fish_4_all]

If that is in a 10 gallon, be prepared for it to stretch from the front to the back and across 3/4 of your tank within a 4-6 weeks. Mine did it in 2 month but I trimmed the daylight out of it and uprroted it every other week. The growth change over is the sameI saw. Small, narrow leaves and not much color to long stems and very broad leaves.

 

[JRagg]

It's not a real fast grower for me since I'm only at "medium light" (26 W CF). But yeah, I can see it taking over. It has quickly become one of my favorite plants in my aquarium. The new growth now is looking even better than in that first picture.

I'd say my only "problem plant" right now is the watersprite. That stuff is growing SOOOOO fast. You can actually see it in the top of that picture, and it's planted in the far right back corner of the tank. The only issue I have with it is that it grows roots in the middle of the plant and sends them down to grab hold of the substrate. I'm actually thinking about removing the watersprite, but it is an excellent NO3 sponge. I'm going to have to keep up on my dosing so that I don't bottom out.

 

[fish_4_all]

Keep the water sprite, I just got some for that reason, NO3. I want to have to dose it so I know what is going in my tank at all times. Just keep it trimmed and it will serve you well.