I've had mine for about a month but haven't seen much from it. Not sure what's going on. Everything else has grown a lot in that time. Substrate is a mix of flourite and profile.
Eleocharis parvula
I noticed a few people looking for Eleocharis Parvula (dwarf Hairgrass) and i too have had trouble finding the stuff. (several possible online retailers, but none locally)
Anyhoo, before i go mad looking for it, i want to make sure i have a chance with it..... i've read it likes fine substrates. Anyone had any experience with it and eco-complete?
Does it spread quickly?
Thanks!
Anyhoo, before i go mad looking for it, i want to make sure i have a chance with it..... i've read it likes fine substrates. Anyone had any experience with it and eco-complete?
Does it spread quickly?
Thanks!
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
Hairgrass can be a bit slow to get started, it is best if you trim it down to about 1cm from the substrate after planting to encourage new growth.
It is usually grown emersed and it's emersed growth is a great attractant for algae.
It is usually grown emersed and it's emersed growth is a great attractant for algae.
I have a small patch of it planted in my 125g. Substrate is a mixture of coarse quartz sand (3-4mm grains) and Shultz APS. I did trim it to under 1/2" when I planted it, but after 3 months it's has done almost nothing...it hasn't melted, but runners are few and far between. And it does have a tendency to collect hair algae which I dutifully comb out weekly.
When I was growing hairgrass I found that once it had enough light and iron, it grows really fast.
Here is a pic of my old tank, took a couple of months to get my hairgrass like this:
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I planted it by seperating all the pots of hairgrass and using tweezers to insert a few strands at a time placed a few centimetres apart, then trimmed it down.
Here is a pic of my old tank, took a couple of months to get my hairgrass like this:
I planted it by seperating all the pots of hairgrass and using tweezers to insert a few strands at a time placed a few centimetres apart, then trimmed it down.
Eleocharis seems to reach a tipping point and then takes off. I have it growing in a sandy substrate atop Flourite. It does not seem to like growing on Flourite alone as much as it does in the finer substrate. When I started dosing PO4 more on that aquarium, it started to grow much faster.
Andrew Cribb
Andrew Cribb
Call it 'critical mass', you'll see the same thing from all carpet plants, thin and scraggly looking then suddenly it fills in for a beautiful lawn.pineapple said:Eleocharis seems to reach a tipping point and then takes off. ......
Andrew Cribb
Yes, I agree, it is very attractive. I think it looks highly exotic - terrestrial but under water, surreal.
Andrew Cribb
Andrew Cribb
Nobody has attempted to grow it in Eco-Complete? It's not the finest of substrates, just wondering if i have a decent chance of getting the carpet effect.
Trust me, eco complete WILL grow the Hairgrass. I grow it in Flourite, much bigger than Eco complete. It does take about 2 weeks for me to start to notice new growth and a month until it grows "Full Speed."
I am not sure why it takes so long to start, but once it does it is a pretty good grower. I would compare to the growth speed of Elatine Triandra, or Blyxa Japonica.
I am not sure why it takes so long to start, but once it does it is a pretty good grower. I would compare to the growth speed of Elatine Triandra, or Blyxa Japonica.
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
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