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Old 17-07-2003, 09:43 PM
Dave M. Picklyk
 
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Default thinking about getting baby's tears...any suggestions?

Since I have a small 15 gallon to work with, I'm thinking of replacing my
hygrophelias. I don't like the constant shedding of the leaves and straggly
bottoms. I would prefer more of a bushy plant that grows many leaves all
along the stems...I've been doing some research on Baby's Tears. I'm
beginning to like what I see...it seems both appropriate for the small and
large aquascapes. Any opinions or tips on these guys?

thanx!!
--
Dave Picklyk
www.picklyk.com/aquascape


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Old 17-07-2003, 09:44 PM
LeighMo
 
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Default thinking about getting baby's tears...any suggestions?

Since I have a small 15 gallon to work with, I'm thinking of replacing my
hygrophelias. I don't like the constant shedding of the leaves and straggly
bottoms.


It sounds like you might not have enough light for Hygrophila. How much light
is over this tank?

Any opinions or tips on these guys?


Babytears is a much more demanding plant that Hygro, in terms of light, CO2,
etc. If Hygro's not doing well, I suspect babytears won't, either.

Babytears are beautiful plants, but they require a lot of work. Like your
Hygro, they will get straggly at the bottoms, and you have to constantly prune
and replant them to keep them looking good.



Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/
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Old 17-07-2003, 09:44 PM
Greg
 
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Default thinking about getting baby's tears...any suggestions?

just make sure its Micranthemum Micranthemoides, the other one is harder to
take care of, from what I've read.
"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote in message
...
Since I have a small 15 gallon to work with, I'm thinking of replacing my
hygrophelias. I don't like the constant shedding of the leaves and

straggly
bottoms. I would prefer more of a bushy plant that grows many leaves all
along the stems...I've been doing some research on Baby's Tears. I'm
beginning to like what I see...it seems both appropriate for the small and
large aquascapes. Any opinions or tips on these guys?

thanx!!
--
Dave Picklyk
www.picklyk.com/aquascape




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Old 17-07-2003, 09:44 PM
Kcristy
 
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Default thinking about getting baby's tears...any suggestions?

Since I have a small 15 gallon to work with, I'm thinking of replacing my
hygrophelias. I don't like the constant shedding of the leaves and straggly
bottoms. I would prefer more of a bushy plant that grows many leaves all
along the stems...I've been doing some research on Baby's Tears. I'm
beginning to like what I see...it seems both appropriate for the small and
large aquascapes. Any opinions or tips on these guys?


I like the way Baby tears looks and it does ok in my tank with only 1.5wpg, but
it's a pain because it doesn't grow roots to keep it in the substrate. It
grows even better floating (probably because it gets more light there) and has
made a nice bushy clump where the fry love to hide.
Cris
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Old 17-07-2003, 09:44 PM
Dave M. Picklyk
 
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Default thinking about getting baby's tears...any suggestions?

I believe I have sufficient light for the Hygros. They are growing much too
fast. I have to trim them every couple days. The problem is that I don't
want to be constantly uprooting them and planting the cuttings...too much
disruption for an environment that I would like more stable (so I've been
mostly leaving the rooted sections in) The many new leaves towards the top
shades the older leaves on the bottoms and start to die off and these are
the ones that shed. The plants do grow extremely well and and produce many
leaves. I just would like a more bushier plant. The hygros are great for
establishing a tank since they are fast growing.

I currently have from 25-35ppm of C02 and 2wpg in a tank that's only 12
inches high.

If you look at my website and check out the aquarium picture and the more
detailed hygro picture in the "plants" section you can see how well the
hygros are doing.

--
Dave Picklyk
www.picklyk.com/aquascape

"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
Since I have a small 15 gallon to work with, I'm thinking of replacing my
hygrophelias. I don't like the constant shedding of the leaves and

straggly
bottoms.


It sounds like you might not have enough light for Hygrophila. How much

light
is over this tank?

Any opinions or tips on these guys?


Babytears is a much more demanding plant that Hygro, in terms of light,

CO2,
etc. If Hygro's not doing well, I suspect babytears won't, either.

Babytears are beautiful plants, but they require a lot of work. Like your
Hygro, they will get straggly at the bottoms, and you have to constantly

prune
and replant them to keep them looking good.



Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/





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Old 17-07-2003, 09:44 PM
LeighMo
 
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Default thinking about getting baby's tears...any suggestions?

I believe I have sufficient light for the Hygros. They are growing much too
fast. I have to trim them every couple days. The problem is that I don't
want to be constantly uprooting them and planting the cuttings...


You don't have to do that with Hygro. You do have to do it with babytears.

Hygro is one of those plants that can be successfully "topped." If you cut it
back hard, it will grow back even bushier. You don't have to uproot it, like
you do with most stem plants.

I currently have from 25-35ppm of C02 and 2wpg in a tank that's only 12
inches high.


2 wpg might not be enough for babytears. It will grow, but it won't root.
Instead, the stems will rot and it will float up, closer to the light.

If you're looking for a low-maintenance plant, babytears isn't it.

Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/
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Old 17-07-2003, 09:44 PM
Dave Millman
 
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Default thinking about getting baby's tears...any suggestions?

"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote:

Since I have a small 15 gallon to work with, I'm thinking of replacing my
hygrophelias. I don't like the constant shedding of the leaves and straggly
bottoms. I would prefer more of a bushy plant that grows many leaves all
along the stems...I've been doing some research on Baby's Tears. I'm
beginning to like what I see...it seems both appropriate for the small and
large aquascapes. Any opinions or tips on these guys?


It is a fast growing plant that can be grown vertically or horizontally along
the substrate. The horizontal aspect is possible because virtually every node
sprouts a root. You can actually get a very pretty ground cover going with this
if you like. It is one of the few stem plants which you can trim like a
hedge-it is not necessary to remove the bottoms and replant the tops.

It will also grow so fast that it will suck all the nutrients out of the water
if you let it go without pruning. I started with six short stems and ended up 8
weeks later with a mass the size of a football (no exageration). I prefer lower
maintenance plants.

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Old 17-07-2003, 09:45 PM
Dave M. Picklyk
 
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Default thinking about getting baby's tears...any suggestions?

Hmmm. So maybe I've been cutting the Hygros back too little. I only cut
about 2-3 inches off the tops...so your saying that if I cut it back, say
half or more it'll become much more bushier?

Thanx,

--
Dave Picklyk
www.picklyk.com/aquascape

"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
I believe I have sufficient light for the Hygros. They are growing much

too
fast. I have to trim them every couple days. The problem is that I don't
want to be constantly uprooting them and planting the cuttings...


You don't have to do that with Hygro. You do have to do it with

babytears.

Hygro is one of those plants that can be successfully "topped." If you

cut it
back hard, it will grow back even bushier. You don't have to uproot it,

like
you do with most stem plants.

I currently have from 25-35ppm of C02 and 2wpg in a tank that's only 12
inches high.


2 wpg might not be enough for babytears. It will grow, but it won't root.
Instead, the stems will rot and it will float up, closer to the light.

If you're looking for a low-maintenance plant, babytears isn't it.

Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/



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Old 17-07-2003, 09:45 PM
Dave M. Picklyk
 
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Default thinking about getting baby's tears...any suggestions?

Wow...that's cool. Prune like a hedge, that's what I want! Every node
sprouting roots is also good...sounds a bit like the ludwigia.

"Dave Millman" wrote in message
...
"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote:

Since I have a small 15 gallon to work with, I'm thinking of replacing

my
hygrophelias. I don't like the constant shedding of the leaves and

straggly
bottoms. I would prefer more of a bushy plant that grows many leaves all
along the stems...I've been doing some research on Baby's Tears. I'm
beginning to like what I see...it seems both appropriate for the small

and
large aquascapes. Any opinions or tips on these guys?


It is a fast growing plant that can be grown vertically or horizontally

along
the substrate. The horizontal aspect is possible because virtually every

node
sprouts a root. You can actually get a very pretty ground cover going with

this
if you like. It is one of the few stem plants which you can trim like a
hedge-it is not necessary to remove the bottoms and replant the tops.

It will also grow so fast that it will suck all the nutrients out of the

water
if you let it go without pruning. I started with six short stems and ended

up 8
weeks later with a mass the size of a football (no exageration). I prefer

lower
maintenance plants.



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Old 17-07-2003, 09:45 PM
LeighMo
 
Posts: n/a
Default thinking about getting baby's tears...any suggestions?

Hmmm. So maybe I've been cutting the Hygros back too little. I only cut
about 2-3 inches off the tops...so your saying that if I cut it back, say
half or more it'll become much more bushier?


Yes. I've seen people make small "bushes" out of Hygro, by trimming it
regularly. The trick is to trim often -- before the bottom gets straggly. It
will still grow back, even if there's nothing left but bare stem, but it
doesn't look very good for awhile.

In one of Amano's books, he demonstrates how he prunes his plants. He just
cuts them straight across, at about 3" above the substrate. They grow back
even bushier. (This only works for certain plants. But it does work for
Hygro.)

Babytears probably won't grow as a hedge or ground cover for you. You don't
have enough light. It may grow like a stem plant, but more likely, the base of
the stems will rot, and the plant will end up a floating plant. It will grow
insanely fast that way -- almost as bad as duckweed.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/
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