How Can I Weight Hc Down ?

[dingweding]

I bought some Hemianthus Callitrichoides HC, the smallest aquatic plant, it comes 20cm x 20 cm portion, their roots grows very tightly together, make a compact carpet, so do not need to use net to tie them together. however, when i put it in the tank, it floats.

How can i weight it down neatly? i think the plant is too fragile to tie, and they alreay grow together, so i can not treat it like ricca or moss.

Any suggestion?

 

[Themuleous]

I take it that the mat you are leaving as a mat in order to cover an area? I'm afraid you're going to need to get your hands wet, HC doesn't do very well just pinned down. Your best bet is to divide it up (very carefully!) into individual stems and plants these (like you do with glosso). It takes hours and the following morning half will probably be floating but trust me you'll get the best results that way and it'll carpet the whole area in only a couple of weeks. I tried the lazy way myself recently and got major algae and had to by all new plants, complete waste of money.

BTW - did you get it from Aquaticmagic on ebay? whats the quality like?

Sam

 

[dingweding]

I take it that the mat you are leaving as a mat in order to cover an area? I'm afraid you're going to need to get your hands wet, HC doesn't do very well just pinned down. Your best bet is to divide it up (very carefully!) into individual stems and plants these (like you do with glosso). It takes hours and the following morning half will probably be floating but trust me you'll get the best results that way and it'll carpet the whole area in only a couple of weeks. I tried the lazy way myself recently and got major algae and had to by all new plants, complete waste of money.

BTW - did you get it from Aquaticmagic on ebay? whats the quality like?

Sam

so,if it float, what should i do? plant it again wot a nightmare

i thought it looks nice, now i am a little regret

Yes, i did order from aquamagic, how did you know it?

As for the quality, how to say it, maybe i order at the wrong time, there was a chinese new year last month, so my plants was shipped about 3 weeks later i paid it. And it costs 6 days on the road by UPS, when it arrive, most plants totally died.

The 30% HC totally black. They agree to resend some of the plant, but not all, and this time only can by air mail. fingers crossed this time.

 

[Themuleous]

Yes, if it floats out of the substrate it'll need replanting. And yes its a complete nightmare! But it is worth it HC is a great plant.

I knew you'd got it from Aquaticmagic as they are the only place I know of that sells it by block (i.e 20x20cm) everywhere else sells it per pot I'm such a nerd!

Its a shame about the quality, its a bargain price for such a lot of the stuff. I have heard good things about Aquaticmagic on APC, they are even a sponsor. Might give them a try when I need more HC myself. At least they agreed to send some more.

I hope the rest recovers soon, under the right conditions it does grow quite quickly.

Sam

 

[dingweding]

Thanks Sam.

Yes, it does come with mat, if i split it, will end thousand small plants, how can i plant them

i do have a tweezer, hope that helps. And i hope fish and my apple snails will leave it alone, otherwise i will have to do it again and again

BTW, could you pls tell me wot kinda condition is best for HC, now i float it in tank, the new leaves looks a little yellowish. and not well packed as b4.

Many thanks

 

[Dave Spencer]

HeHeHe, I`ll be in the market for some HC soon. I hadn`t heard of Aquaticmagic before.

 

[Themuleous]

If you get it from them and I've not already got mine, let me know what the quality is like, Dave. Apart from this thread, I've only heard good things about Aquaticmagic on ebay.

Sam

PS - I'll do the same

 

[Dave Spencer]

Will do Sam. I am being held up at the moment with my EQJ luminaire, which is out of stock at the moment.

 

[Themuleous]

Doh!

 

[dingweding]

Will do Sam. I am being held up at the moment with my EQJ luminaire, which is out of stock at the moment.

Me too!!!!

all my plants are floated in a bucket for a few weeks now, with a small lamp on the top

i always tell myself, just be patient, when everything is ready, i will plant them porperly. Because i do not want to end up dig the plants out . However, being left in the bucket for a few weeks, althogh i dose Excel, most plants struggle. i even found a little green blue algea on my pygmy chain sword poor little guy

 

[dingweding]

Just google it, there are someone said HC can be tied on bogwood or rock, anyone here tried it? a pic will be very helpful.

Or can i use it to make something like moss wall?

 

[Dave Spencer]

I recently read something by Tom Barr stating that provided there were enough nutrients in the water column you could cut the roots of most plants and they would happily feed through their roots. Do you fertilise the water column?

Dave.

 

[dingweding]

I recently read something by Tom Barr stating that provided there were enough nutrients in the water column you could cut the roots of most plants and they would happily feed through their roots. Do you fertilise the water column?

Dave.

agree, i think if there is enough nuttition in the water.

I google a lot tonite, found many ppl tie HC on rock and wood, and it can grow surprising well emersed.
you can leave it just float there if u like.
However most ppl plant it as foregroud, because you do not need to tie it like ricca, and it will creep everywhere in a few months.

Because i have a quite large carpet of it, maybe i will only plant small part of it, the rest i will tie it somewhere. Just want to save the time.

As for fertilise, nothing now, because i am waiting for the lighting shipped. All my poor plants are floating in bucket for weeks now just dose Excel daily.

Is there any decent fertilise you can recommend?

 

[mlawson]

I planted HC in my tank a week back and I didn't have any trouble.

 

[Dave Spencer]

We are both in the same boat. Waiting for lights so we can plant some HC.

The ferts I use are PMDD dry fertilisers for my EI regime in my 120l. it is the cheapest option in the long term. What is the spec of your tank?

Dave.