[BlueJack]

I'm trying to figure out how to grow glosso into a nice carpet. I've read you're supposed to plant it and let it grow upright for a few weeks, then pull it out and individually replant the stems on their sides. I guess as if you were laying train tracks. It this how most of you guys do it? Thanks for any help.

 

[Optix]

buy it...separate it out from stems to shoots of 2 leaf nodes (very time consuming but absolutely worth it)

plant those nodes however you want (i like to plant mostly in the middle and accent hardscapes and let it grow and radiate out from there) but so that the bottom of the leaves just barely touch the substrate

an easier method would be to take the stems and make smaller stems of 4 leaves...lay it horizontally on the substrate and push it in with a flat edge so that the leaves barely touch the substrate

wait a week and check for new growth

A. if you see new growth...get excited and watch it spread like mad!! (probably doubles mass every 5days or so)

watch it take over anything and EVERYTHING in your tank...completely ignore borders...grow up and into other plants...and completely over-run your tank

...try to remove as much as possible and accidentally miss 2 plants or some roots...watch it grow back faster and more aggressively this time around!!

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!

B. if you dont see new growth...wait a week until you do, then go to A.

fair warning...once glosso adjusts to your tank, you have it until you drain the tank and dump/trash the substrate...also, its a nitrAte hog so watch for BGA

 

[Bahugo]

Cut the runners so you have 2 leaves and some runner on each side, plant it like an upside down T... That way the runners will run along the substrate if done correctly (if you have adequate light yada yada). Wait for new growth.

From personal experience, planting it 1 node at a time is the best for growth. All the clumps I got lazy with and didn't separate just kinda sat there.

Wait for it to take over.

I started with this (kinda hard to see leaves)

Now I have this: (Ignore the massive hack job in the background) This picture is like a week old and it has already grown another layer.

I've also sold 2 football portions and have a 7x12 portion growing emersed from the same glosso I started with.
Close up: (older picture)

 

[Optix]

I used to sell the stuff on eBay and aquabid as well

$10 for a zip lock bag full....I eventually stopped because I sent it to California or Hawaii or somewhere and got a letter back in the mail about my shipment being confiscated and destroyed and it being a crime to send plants thru the mail (invasive species and what not) and its not like I was doing it to make money...it was a love of the hobby type of thing so...