lmhicks101 Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 (edited) So I’m guilty of being that crazy cat guy of fish keeping with plants. If I went to my LFS or petco I go right for the plants and buy what ever I’ve never grown and it got to the point my tanks were way over grown. so lately I’ve been trimming back the plants and selling what I don’t need anymore. The problem is one of my first plants (a red Wendtii is now super tall. Any chance of getting it back to the size of my green I got at the same time? Edited May 8, 2022 by lmhicks101 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeQ Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 Nice Wendtii!!! I'd divide it then when you get new growth cut the tall growth off. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 If it has baby plants from runners you can pull the large plant out and replant the runners. I did that here in a couple different tanks. The first picture is where I replaced the mother wendtii red with a runner. The second is a different tank with baby wendtii red and green together. Don't be afraid to pull the overgrown plants. It will look better with the babys, plus you get to watch them grow all over again. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmhicks101 Posted May 8, 2022 Author Share Posted May 8, 2022 @JoeQ thank you and I’m working on trimming it down. If it doesn’t work to well I’m gonna do what @DaveO suggested. I’ve got 3 or 4 runners around it right now so fingers crossed. i just discovered the amazingness of selling my extra plants to the LFS. Had 2 pink flamingo runners and a crap ton of duck weed, Java ferns, scarlet temple, and Java moss they bought and gave credit for. Might see if they want this big Red Wenditi for a display tank. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeQ Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 On 5/8/2022 at 5:26 PM, lmhicks101 said: @JoeQ thank you and I’m working on trimming it down. If it doesn’t work to well I’m gonna do what @DaveO suggested. I’ve got 3 or 4 runners around it right now so fingers crossed. i just discovered the amazingness of selling my extra plants to the LFS. Had 2 pink flamingo runners and a crap ton of duck weed, Java ferns, scarlet temple, and Java moss they bought and gave credit for. Might see if they want this big Red Wenditi for a display tank. I only successfully stressed a crypt enough once to get a baby. IMO dividing them is much easier! Ps. If you are close by id buy or trade for a section! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenja Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 That's one big and beautiful wendtii! I'd be aiming to repeat that kind of massively successful growth rather than looking to shrink it 🤔 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tihshho Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 That kind of growth is from adult plants. This is what you should expect from plants that have a mature root system and getting the required nutrients. Best thing to do (if you like the plant) to get it dwarfed again is to add another tank that makes the plant look smaller... Yay MTS! The other option is to replace it with another bronze like variety. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanked Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 I wish I had your problems. You have a great looking tank. My first thought is to just prune off the taller leaves. I like @Tihshho's idea of a second tank. The Wendtii would make a great centerpiece in a smaller plant only tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tihshho Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 If you prune back too many tall leaves on a Crypt you will inevitably cause it to melt back. Adult plants like this are what form mothers, so chopping them down would only leave you with the child plants. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmhicks101 Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 Yeah I’m gonna keep her like she is. I’m redoing a lot of my plants in my tank and I’ll just work around it. I’ve gotten about 5 or 6 runners I found in the bushes around it. I put osmo root tabs in every 6 weeks and one goes in like 2 inches from it plus it was really crowded. Fingers crossed I can repeat this with my 2 new pink Flamingos. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeQ Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 Are you trying pink flamingos with co2 or without? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmhicks101 Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 (edited) @JoeQ no Co2. I wanna try it eventually to get my parva to carpet. I ended up just trimming 8 or 9 leaves of the big red. Only did the outside ones that were over shadowing other plants to get some light to the bottom. Didn’t touch any of the middle. Edited May 9, 2022 by lmhicks101 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeQ Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 On 5/9/2022 at 12:33 PM, lmhicks101 said: @JoeQ no Co2. I wanna try it eventually to get my parva to carpet. I ended up just trimming 8 or 9 leaves of the big red. Only did the outside ones that were over shadowing other plants to get some light to the bottom. Didn’t touch any of the middle. Nice! Thats one of the things I love about the hobby; getting things to grow that people say need co2..... As for parva, I can't even get mine to root, but on the other hand my s. Repens is growing well, just slowly.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmhicks101 Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 On 5/9/2022 at 12:40 PM, JoeQ said: Nice! Thats one of the things I love about the hobby; getting things to grow that people say need co2..... As for parva, I can't even get mine to root, but on the other hand my s. Repens is growing well, just slowly.. Mine grows but really slow. The problem is for every new shoot I get my Kuhlis uproot 2. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeQ Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 Same but for me its hillstream loaches.. Ill probably invest in a few small stainless U shaped nails to hold them down till they root Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmhicks101 Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 (edited) What’s your substrate? I’m using HTH filter sand. It holds them good except for the digging. I moved them all to the front and trimmed everything down so hopefully that gives the loaches more places to explore and they leave the parva alone. I won’t know until I get back home Friday. I might try the staples if they keep it up. Edited May 9, 2022 by lmhicks101 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 That plant is gorgeous! I personally would redo the surrounding plants to highlight its majesty. Great job (even though it’s not what you are currently aiming for) 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeQ Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 On 5/9/2022 at 1:13 PM, lmhicks101 said: What’s your substrate? I’m using HTH filter sand. It holds them good except for the digging. I moved them all to the front and trimmed everything down so hopefully that gives the loaches more places to explore and they leave the parva alone. I won’t know until I get back home Friday. I might try the staples if they keep it up. In my 36g i have eco complete which sucks to plant but is good on nutrients. My 10g Quarantine tank has seachem sand. Its great for planting plants but a little spendy plus the compaction issue..... I have a 15g waiting to be setup and there I plan to use Black Diamond blasting sand with a plenum which I hear will help that compaction issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 @lmhicks101this is what we plantaholics call a mother plant - it has particular root structure that is throwing off all these babies/runners. I will DM you a group that you could sell it online and get some decent money for it if you want. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmhicks101 Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 On 5/9/2022 at 1:41 PM, JoeQ said: In my 36g i have eco complete which sucks to plant but is good on nutrients. My 10g Quarantine tank has seachem sand. Its great for planting plants but a little spendy plus the compaction issue..... I have a 15g waiting to be setup and there I plan to use Black Diamond blasting sand with a plenum which I hear will help that compaction issue. Try out be HTH filter sand substrate. It’s like $35 for a 50lbs bag at Ace and should be every where now that it’s pool season. Also it doesn’t compact. @Seattle_Aquarist I think suggested it and as you can tell my plants are doing great. He suggested 1 capsule of osmo pearls per 10 gallons every 6 weeks. Another thing I’ve been seeing online is it absorbs nutrients from waist that’s on top of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeQ Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 On 5/9/2022 at 2:15 PM, lmhicks101 said: Try out be HTH filter sand substrate. It’s like $35 for a 50lbs bag at Ace and should be every where now that it’s pool season. Also it doesn’t compact. @Seattle_Aquarist I think suggested it and as you can tell my plants are doing great. He suggested 1 capsule of osmo pearls per 10 gallons every 6 weeks. Another thing I’ve been seeing online is it absorbs nutrients from waist that’s on top of it. Pool filter sand it wayyyyyy too fine for my liking. Even seachem sand is boarderline too fine. The sand blasting sand if a medium grit and even better priced at about 10 bucks for 50 lbs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmhicks101 Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 I like the fine grain for my loaches to dig in. I went from fluval stratum we’re they couldn’t sift through. It sucked planting in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minanora Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 On 5/9/2022 at 3:41 AM, Tihshho said: That kind of growth is from adult plants. This is what you should expect from plants that have a mature root system and getting the required nutrients. Best thing to do (if you like the plant) to get it dwarfed again is to add another tank that makes the plant look smaller... Yay MTS! The other option is to replace it with another bronze like variety. This^ I third the motion and encourage mts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmhicks101 Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 On 5/9/2022 at 3:48 PM, Minanora said: This^ I third the motion and encourage mts. For a moment I thought you guys were meaning Malaysian trumpet snails lol. Multiple tanks makes more sense. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minanora Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 That's pretty funny. Your tank is lovely btw! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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