I've given up trying to root mine. I just keep re-packing 6 or eight stems
in a foam strip and plant weight and leave it in that until it hits the
surface (often not even burying it in the gravel - the base is hidden by a
piece of bogwood in my tank).

When it hits the surface, I prune off the top half and repeat. I find that
if I try and actually plant it in the substrate, the base always gets far
too many roots to be attractive, and shade of the top of the plant turns the
lower leaves yellow; by continuously replanting there are always fresh
looking plant stems. I believe this is pretty much how it normally
propagates anyway - the top of the stems break off and re-root.

I have to re-plant about once a week normally - 6-8 inches of growth.

Colin


"350X_Rider" wrote in message
...
Cabomba is a particularly delicate plant, that I myself have never been
able
to keep from rotting, in any sized gravel at all... I would bet a soil
substrate could hold it down and not put too much pressure on the stalk to
start the rotting process, but alas, I'm sure you'll not be using soil, so
I
would venture a guess to say that maybe trimming the lower 1/4 part of
it's
leaves, cut stalk at an angle, dig a small recess in your gravel to allow
you to place it deep enough to hold, gently place gravel around it, but
realize if you damage the stalk, that's where the rotting will begin,
again....

Good luck, as I've never had any luck with ANY cabomba I've ever had...
Now
Crypts on the other hand.. wow... need some? jk...
"Scott Taylor" wrote in message
u...
I have a large amount (approx 40 grouped in lots of 5 or 6) of Cabomba
cuttings in my 48" x 15" x 12" tropical freshwater aquarium which is
filtered by an UG filter and an 800lph Canister Filter. The tank also
recieves around 10-12 hours of light per day. My substrate is small
gravel
and I regulary add plant fertilizer to the tank (generally after the
weekly
water change). My problem is that the Cabomba cuttings rot at the base
just
below the gravel and break off and float aorund the tank. The tank also
contains around 30 cuttings of Myriophyllum and 20 of Hygrophilia but
they
don't rot like the Cabomba does. Every article I can find about Cabomba
says
that it is fine for gravel but none mention this problem I keep having.


Does anyone know what I am doing wrong and the best way to fix it? Its
just
getting annoying having to constantly replant those cuttings that keep
floating away!