RESGuy's RCS Journal

[RESGuy]

Originally Posted by confuted

Try to pinch it off toward the middle of the stalk (leave 4-6" on the bottom so it has enough energy to make a side shoot). If you stick the top part that you pull off into the gravel, it will root within a few days. If your stalks are already so long that it'd be better to cut them into three pieces, I'd suggest pinching off the lower part so the top is longer, planting the top, then waiting a few days before pinching it again, just so you don't shock the plant too much. Anarchis gets bushier and looks nicer as it gets up toward the light, so by trimming and replanting it, you can get some of that nice growth lower in the tank.

I plant this end?

[frozenbarb]

lol just pinch it off and pllant it the way the leafs go obvious you wouldnt put the top into the gravel now would you

[confuted]

Plant the pinched end of the piece you pull off, so the plant looks like a shorter version of what you have now. Leave the bottom part of the plant alone and it will have some new growth.

[Cydric]

Confuted is right. By doing this you'll eventually have a 'forest' effect in your tank that looks really nice. My gf does this with her Rotala rotundifolia and it's created an awesome looking 'forest'/'jungle' effect.

You'll master this once you do it a couple times and I have a feeling you'll be doing it quite often since it's a 5.5g tank.

[RESGuy]

Originally Posted by frozenbarb

lol just pinch it off and pllant it the way the leafs go obvious you wouldnt put the top into the gravel now would you

lol That is what I thought but I didn't really understand confuted's post (ironic isn't it?)

Originally Posted by confuted

Plant the pinched end of the piece you pull off, so the plant looks like a shorter version of what you have now. Leave the bottom part of the plant alone and it will have some new growth.

Gotcha now, thanks for the tip

Originally Posted by Cydric

Confuted is right. By doing this you'll eventually have a 'forest' effect in your tank that looks really nice. My gf does this with her Rotala rotundifolia and it's created an awesome looking 'forest'/'jungle' effect.

You'll master this once you do it a couple times and I have a feeling you'll be doing it quite often since it's a 5.5g tank.

Sweet, I may just add some to the left of the tank too

[Cydric]

Originally Posted by RESGuy

Sweet, I may just add some to the left of the tank too

I definitely would, it'd help balance out the scape.

[RESGuy]

Originally Posted by Cydric

I definitely would, it'd help balance out the scape.

Yeah and that Pennywort isn't looking very good ... Thank goodness for the snails that eat dead plants

[RESGuy]

February 26, 2007 5:28 PM
Plant UPDATE: I did the Anarchis thing and it is looking good Thanks for the help confuted and Cydric. Ia m having a bit of trouble with the Anarchis floating up though and I can't plant it in the gravel

Tank UPDATE: I have a "new" 10 gallon tank now. I went with my Dad to throw some construction garbage in the garbade dumps and some guy was throwing away a 10 gallon tank! So I asked him for it and now I have it It is just a bit dirty and some scratches but I am pretty sure it holds water (havn't tested it yet). So at least now if it goes well with the shrimp or if I need another tank for anything I have an extra upgrade tank I don't want to strip the current one nor do I want to have to buy more substrate etc. and setup the new one now.

Picture UPDATE: Woot! 13 new pictures.
The pieces of Anarchis that I cut

The pieces I cut in the tank

The planted ones

Used a suction cup to hold these two down

Full Tank Shots


Largest Ghost Shrimp






Looks like it likes the new scape

[RESGuy]

February 26, 2007 5:53 PM
Shrimp UPDATE: Okay I just got an e-mail, my shrimp are on their way!!

[blueguppygirl]

Congrats! we'll want more pics after they arrive.

[~T~]

Nice one mate!!

Btw one of my rainbow shrimp has learned to eat snails.I kept finding empty ramshorn shells and was a bit worried they were dying for a reason.Last night I spotted the shrimp sneak up to one and literally pull it out of its shell.

[blueguppygirl]

I like the suction cup anchor that's a great idea! I wish I'd thought of it.

[Cydric]

Originally Posted by RESGuy

February 26, 2007 5:28 PM
Plant UPDATE: I did the Anarchis thing and it is looking good Thanks for the help confuted and Cydric. Ia m having a bit of trouble with the Anarchis floating up though and I can't plant it in the gravel

Why can't you plant it in the substrate? This plant can float or be anchored in the substrate, it'll grow either way.
Did you try planting it in the substrate? Try putting a rubber band around the base of the plants that keep floating up and then plant the ends into the substrate. This should keep them together and prevent them from floating. If they keep sliding out of the gravel, then next time you visit your LFS pick up some leaded plant weights and wrap them around the base of the plants in place of the rubber band.

Yeah?

[~T~]

Originally Posted by Cydric

Why can't you plant it in the substrate? This plant can float or be anchored in the substrate, it'll grow either way.
Did you try planting it in the substrate? Try putting a rubber band around the base of the plants that keep floating up and then plant the ends into the substrate. This should keep them together and prevent them from floating. If they keep sliding out of the gravel, then next time you visit your LFS pick up some leaded plant weights and wrap them around the base of the plants in place of the rubber band.

Yeah?

I find that they rot at the bottom and end up floating again.

[confuted]

I don't have any trouble with them rotting at the bottom as long as the plant is alive. Instead, they grow roots to anchor themselves. Sometimes these roots also grow off the stem from higher up, usually near where a new shoot has come off. I just stick 1/4"-1/2" in the sand. Sometimes I trim off the leaves that will be going under the substrate, but not often; they die and rot, but they're small and help hold the stem down until it roots (a few days).