[DGalt]

I think this is my first post here (spend most of my time at AC), so first things first - HELLO. lol

Ok on to business. I finally got around to planting my 15 gallon. Here's a picture:

I'm a bit concerned about the dwarf clover (which is what small green things spread out in the middle are). From what I've read so far, it probably has to go from being in its emersed form to its submerged form (correct me if I'm wrong). I'm just not sure if I planted it right. It came in 2 pots, which I removed, and it was surrounded in rock wool. I pulled the bunches apart as best as I could, but I wasn't real sure what I was doing. The actual plant matter is made up of either long green stems topped with a clover or these short brown stems. When I called the place I got them from (aquariumplants.com) the guy told me that this plant is usually a pond plant, but they make it an aquarium plant by cutting the tops and then regrowing them under water (or something like that, didn't really understand how/why that would work).

So, since that rant is already too long, what can I expect of this stuff? Is it going to spread out? How long will it take for it to turn into its submerged form?

If tank conditions are important, I'm at about 2.5 wpg. I'm dosing the tank with liquid ferts (it's only been up for a day). I don't have a CO2 set up. I'll probably start dosing the tank with Excel too, but haven't had a chance to go to the LFS yet.

thanks

 

[trenac]

The four leaf clover will convert over into its single leaf form, which is the submerged form. Depending on your tank conditions it will probably take a few weeks. It spreads by runners underneath the substrate. In my experience this plant is a very slow grower.

 

[Tex Gal]

You did a great job planting it. Taking off the rock wool and separating each node it correct. Tena is right on. It will convert to a single leaf. In my tank once it took off it was what I would call a medium grower, not slow like crypts, not fast like wisteria. I have 3wpg and CO2. I'm not sure how that would affect the plant but it can't hurt!

 

[DGalt]

You did a great job planting it. Taking off the rock wool and separating each node it correct. Tena is right on. It will convert to a single leaf. In my tank once it took off it was what I would call a medium grower, not slow like crypts, not fast like wisteria. I have 3wpg and CO2. I'm not sure how that would affect the plant but it can't hurt!

I didn't (and still don't) know what the "node" is. I just pulled them a part into little bunches. What exactly is the node?

 

[Tex Gal]

This plant spread by runners. There is a parent plant with roots. It sends out a sideways stem in the dirt. The sideways stem starts growing up a leaf and this leaf gets roots and becomes a plant in it's own right. You can cut the plants apart when they get roots. A node it the beginning place for the new plant to grow.

 

[Squawkbert]

And they will send up an occasional shoot, looking for the surface. When they fail to find air within ~12" of base, they stay in the immersed form.