Vasudeva

so i have just set up a new tank 4 weeks ago and my rotala and ludwigia are going nuts, i am getting ready to prune, should i cut them down really low and let the new offshoots grow fromthe original stems and then in a couple of weeks prune the offshoots and not the original stems that were planted?

Ghazanfar Ghori

As long as you're getting good growth - yes.

albirdy

Wow; I think this is what has always been missing in my aquascaping.. I personally hated pruning. I was always unsure of what I was doing. now--especially with picture proofs--I am convinced I must do this, and even be harsh sometimes! Thanks a lot for this, really.

Molch

yes, very illuminating. I just don't have the heart to lob them off when they are growing so well

I must admit I like the tank best in the 2nd pic, with the somewhat more unruly and less manicured growth. "Tis the wild side of me

Mannie Bothans

Thank you. This is exactly what I needed to hear.

BTW, how did you get rid of the algae?

Gor22don33

In my tanks, one problem with this technique is that by the time my stems approach the tank top, the bottom portions look rather ratty, leafwise. I don't really see the bottoms of yours looking too badly here. Is this something you deal with, or is your lighting intense enough you don't have this problem?

bigstick120

The bottoms do get nasty, the trick is positioning the hadrscape and midground plants to hide that area.