How to carpet dwarf hairgrass???

mr_convitbau

Junior Poster
Feb 13, 2009
12
0
1
I have been keeping DH for quite a few months. They only grow vertically but hardly send out the runners. I wonder how to have a nice carpet of them.

My tank is 45 gallon with aquasoil. Light (110W PC) is raised 1 foot above water surface, turned on 10 hours daily. I am using pressurized CO2 and dosing EI method.

I keep the temp at around 86F since I am keeping juvenile discus.

Any ideas or suggestions will be welcome.
 
B

Brian20

Guest
you are shure thet it is dwarf hairgrass? because it only grow vertical if you have poor light. In my case, the more light more compact and horizontal it grow.

Brian
 

rich815

Guru Class Expert
Jun 26, 2008
112
1
16
60
Albany, California
I have 36W PC about 3" above my 60P (18gal). Lights on for 8 hours a day. EI dosing regime. Temp about 80F. Endlers, Cherry shrimp, a couple of Amano and Ghost shrimp, one Dwarf african frog. Aquasoil substrate. CO2-injection inline diffuser. Eheim 2026 filter. Right after the first photo I sort of pulled up the plugs of normal and dwarf hairgrass you see and replanted in a semi-checkerboard pattern of 2-3 spikes in each hole, spread everywhere....below is May 8, 2009 and then July 30, 2009....


60P2009-05-08.jpg




60P2009-07-30.jpg


I'd lower the height of your light first of all. How are you measuring you CO2? Mine's fairly high (3-4 bps).
 

Matt F.

Lifetime Charter Member
Lifetime Member
May 30, 2009
2,319
4
38
California
I've had dwarf hairgrass in both of my planted tanks.

The first tank was a 10 gallon with 36 watts of CF and pressurized C02. Like a noob, I planted this tank too densly, and he center of the DHG didn't get enough light. This being said it grew both vertically (12") and horizontally.

The 20 L I have cycling now has 65 watts CF with pressurized C02. The DHG had grown a couple inches in 14 days and started sending out runners (7 or so).

Point being, I had plenty of light and vertical growth.

DHG loves CO2.
 

Singtoh

Prolific Poster
Sep 12, 2009
88
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6
Bangkok,Thailand
I planted hairgrass, and within 4 days am getting new shoots and runners. plain gravel substrate. My question is now that it has been in for a couple of weeks growing and spreading very well, when it gets long, how close to the substrate should I trim it back to? I am afraid of trimming too soon because of shock, and it is doing so nicely, I don't want to damage it. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Cheers,

Singtoh
 

rich815

Guru Class Expert
Jun 26, 2008
112
1
16
60
Albany, California
I trimmed mine down to about 2-3" two weeks ago and already it's almost back to it's overgrown state! But more lush, green and healthy for sure. Next time I may trim down a little more severely, say 1-2"....
 

Singtoh

Prolific Poster
Sep 12, 2009
88
0
6
Bangkok,Thailand
Ok Rich815, thanks for the reply. I'll give mine a cut tomorrow to around 2" and hopefully it comes in a bit more lush. The older growth is turning a little bit brown anyway. Just wanted to make sure I don't damage it, I tried to grow pygmy chain sword once and it grew extremley slow and very poorly. This Hairgrass looks like it's going to do alright. I've got 70w of CF light over 20 gallon and the longest thread of hairgrass is about 4", but as I said I only planted about 3 weeks ago. Thanks again Rich.

Cheers,

Singtoh
 

rich815

Guru Class Expert
Jun 26, 2008
112
1
16
60
Albany, California
Singtoh;40870 said:
Ok Rich815, thanks for the reply. I'll give mine a cut tomorrow to around 2" and hopefully it comes in a bit more lush. The older growth is turning a little bit brown anyway. Just wanted to make sure I don't damage it, I tried to grow pygmy chain sword once and it grew extremley slow and very poorly. This Hairgrass looks like it's going to do alright. I've got 70w of CF light over 20 gallon and the longest thread of hairgrass is about 4", but as I said I only planted about 3 weeks ago. Thanks again Rich.

Cheers,

Singtoh

Sure. See my photos above to see what tank and what hairgrass I'm referring to in my situation. I'm only 36w over an 18 gal tank. I am pressurized CO2 though and a lot of ferts.
 

Singtoh

Prolific Poster
Sep 12, 2009
88
0
6
Bangkok,Thailand
Ya Rich, thats what my hairgrass looks like, but not nearly as long and of course not filled in like yours yet, but the new shoots and growth are bright green like that. I to have pressurized CO2 and fert using EI. Too be quite honest, I didn't think mine would grow at all in plain gravel substrate, but it's taking rite off. I'm getting new shoots every day now. If it fills in like yours I will be very happy. Thanks Rich.

Cheers,

Singtoh
 

nipat

Guru Class Expert
May 23, 2009
665
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16
Brian20;39333 said:
you are shure thet it is dwarf hairgrass? because it only grow vertical if you have poor light. In my case, the more light more compact and horizontal it grow.

Brian

I used to confuse Vivipara with hairgrass. Haven't known it until it sent new shoots at the
end of the stems.:eek: