Marsilea Hirsuta

[Fwapp]

I'm doing part one of my tank re-arrangement this weekend, and I've ordered the balance of plants I need from greenline.

As a low-level foreground plant, I've gone for Marsilea Hirsuta, which the Tropica website describes as being suitable for lower light tanks and beginers. My tank currently has approx 1.6WPG, plus yeast based CO2.

Does anyone have any planting tips for this, or also the Anubias nana var nana I've ordered. I'm hoping to place the Anubias on stones in the midground.

The other plants I've ordered are a whole bunch of Egeria/Elodea Densa for nutrient sucking (will have to keep on top of the pruning!), Nymphea Japonicus as a splash of colour and the obligatory Java fern. This along with my existing Valls, Aponetons, Crypts and Ludwigia, should make for quite a well planted tank!

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Hi Fwapp,

Ive grown this plant in the past. Its reasonably slow growing. I found that it was most atractive in shaded parts of my tank, and it would form the fore leaf clover look, but under stronger light it would grow very compact indeed. It is in the same family as furns and grows from ryzomes that creep there way around you tank and branch off from this. With it beeing slow growing and holding perminant leaves they are prone to algea like your Anubius would be.It wont do too well if grown in sand but it will in small-medium grade gravel with some sorce of substrate fertilizer.

Hope this helps.

R,
Graeme.

 

[Fwapp]

Hi Fwapp,

Ive grown this plant in the past. Its reasonably slow growing. I found that it was most atractive in shaded parts of my tank, and it would form the fore leaf clover look, but under stronger light it would grow very compact indeed. It is in the same family as furns and grows from ryzomes that creep there way around you tank and branch off from this. With it beeing slow growing and holding perminant leaves they are prone to algea like your Anubius would be.It wont do too well if grown in sand but it will in small-medium grade gravel with some sorce of substrate fertilizer.

Hope this helps.

R,
Graeme.

Thanks for this. My substrate is Seachem Onyx sand. It's not really very sandy at all, more a fine gravel. It also has Tetra plant substrate underneath. I guess from the slow growing info , a small herd of Amano shrimps and Otos would be a good idea!

How did you plant the Marsilea? Didi you break the pot into 4-6 clumps, or did you just 'plonk it in'? Also, did you trim off the old leaves first, and then re-plant the ryzome?

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Your substrate sound good. Ottos and shrimp will help a great deal in any planted tank.

As for planting. I removed the rock wool and plit it into a few clumps, you may need to make small pins to help keep it in place. I would advise against removing the leaves, its not like a stem plant like HC OR glosso so just bung it in and watch it creep around your tank.

R,
Graeme.

 

[Fwapp]

Your substrate sound good. Ottos and shrimp will help a great deal in any planted tank.

As for planting. I removed the rock wool and plit it into a few clumps, you may need to make small pins to help keep it in place. I would advise against removing the leaves, its not like a stem plant like HC OR glosso so just bung it in and watch it creep around your tank.

R,
Graeme.

Cheers.

Just waiting for the plants now!