thinking of setting up a planted tank for the first time. i really know nothing about it, but have started my research. one thing i'm still unsure of, my tank is a small one so the plants won't be able to get super tall. i don't want them growing and then hanging over themselves or anything, so how do i go about trimming off excess?
trimming plants
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Depends on the type of plant.
Stem plants with leaves growing from a central stem, just nip/cut off above a leaf/leafpair and plant the bit you've just nipped off in the substrate - most will grow that way, avoid crushing the stem when you nip it off, if you think you have, take the cutting and make a clean cut with a knife above the damage. If you plant a crushed stem, it will often rot before the new roots have a chance to anchor it. The stem you nipped off will usually grow more than one replacement shoots - i.e. it becomes bushier.
Rosette plants, first, try to get a plant that will fit your tank. Swords, Crypts etc., come in all sizes, find one that matches. If you do need to trim them, break of the entire leaf and take it out of the tank, they'll just rot - you can't propogate them that way. Same goes with grassy plants.
Root stock plants like Anubias sp, cut the root stock up as required.
There are endless strategies depending on the actual plant, bt that is general advice.
Stem plants with leaves growing from a central stem, just nip/cut off above a leaf/leafpair and plant the bit you've just nipped off in the substrate - most will grow that way, avoid crushing the stem when you nip it off, if you think you have, take the cutting and make a clean cut with a knife above the damage. If you plant a crushed stem, it will often rot before the new roots have a chance to anchor it. The stem you nipped off will usually grow more than one replacement shoots - i.e. it becomes bushier.
Rosette plants, first, try to get a plant that will fit your tank. Swords, Crypts etc., come in all sizes, find one that matches. If you do need to trim them, break of the entire leaf and take it out of the tank, they'll just rot - you can't propogate them that way. Same goes with grassy plants.
Root stock plants like Anubias sp, cut the root stock up as required.
There are endless strategies depending on the actual plant, bt that is general advice.
I also have a pretty small tank, only 10 gallons and i recently bought an onion plant without realizing that it would need more room. It's pretty tall and grows fast, so every wek, i just take the scissors and cut off a couple of inches. So far, there hasn't been any problems
thanks guys, that helps. wasn't aware i could cut off shoots and replant. that would save me some start up money. the tank is only about 8 to 10 inches deep (at work right now, not positive on depth). the plants i like the LOOKS of are the anubias barteri and afzelli (i like the big leaves), vallisneria (want something grass like but thats actually just long leaves like this one), saittaria subulata, and amazon swords. so lateral, which of these can i trim and replant? all i've learned so far is that they all are in the same temp and ph ranges, and how fast they grown, but thats about i've learned so far. anyone know growth heigths? will find any of these get out of control big?
>>> which of these can i trim and replant?
None really!
The Anubias sp. you can cut the rhizome up and attach the cut pieces to a stone, (you know not to plant this presumably), but it is a slow growing plant, so don't expect to have a tank full in a month!
Vallis. Sag. and Swords are rosette plants. You can chop leaves off, but they won't grow. All of these types propogate by sending runners along the surface of the substrate with small plantlets at intervals. Under good conditions, they'll start to do this quite soon. Sag and Vallis espeacially.
S. subulata usually is quite a low growing plant, but has the habit every now and again of going bezerk. If/when this happens, you'll need to do some gardening.
Pretty much all the Swords and Vallis species grow larger than ideal in a tank only 8" deep, (you'd be better off in many ways with Crpts), so be careful which species you buy.
None really!
The Anubias sp. you can cut the rhizome up and attach the cut pieces to a stone, (you know not to plant this presumably), but it is a slow growing plant, so don't expect to have a tank full in a month!
Vallis. Sag. and Swords are rosette plants. You can chop leaves off, but they won't grow. All of these types propogate by sending runners along the surface of the substrate with small plantlets at intervals. Under good conditions, they'll start to do this quite soon. Sag and Vallis espeacially.
S. subulata usually is quite a low growing plant, but has the habit every now and again of going bezerk. If/when this happens, you'll need to do some gardening.
Pretty much all the Swords and Vallis species grow larger than ideal in a tank only 8" deep, (you'd be better off in many ways with Crpts), so be careful which species you buy.
okay, thanks lateral, that helps. i'll scratch the vallisneria and swords for now, maybe i'll put them in my larger tank when i get taht set up for tiger barbs.
S. subulata are low growing, okay, will consider that. just looked up crypts, a few that are lower growers so i will look into those some more.
thanks so much for your help!!!!!
S. subulata are low growing, okay, will consider that. just looked up crypts, a few that are lower growers so i will look into those some more.
thanks so much for your help!!!!!
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