Growing HC Cuba... on hardscape

[AndyTaylor]

the latest in my sporadic posting career on UKAPS. Good to be back.

As usual, when every other source fails me, I come here for advice.

My latest order of plants arrived from Richard in AE yesterday and typically I realised that I hadn't fully thought through my planting plan. I had a vague notion that I might use HC Cuba on this beautiful lump of bogwood that I've been saving for a while. It's riddled with loads of small pockets that would be perfect to hold the plant.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/I ... directlink

So, has anyone had any success with this? Should I leave some rockwool attached to the plant to improve the chances of it staying put?
Will HC be happy on wood?

I'm dosing daily ferts and aiming for 25-30ppm diffused CO2 from a FE cylinder

I'm putting the journal together but this is how it looks so far. The crypts look sad but they were floating in a holding tank for 2 weeks since I dismantled their previous home. They'll bounce back.
Staurgyne (sp?) carpet was only planted last night and the floating wood is just a moss farm pending use in the next tank in a few weeks.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/i ... directlink

All comments are welcome and apologies for the linked photos. I can't get them to display in-thread for some reason.

Andy

 

[foxfish]

You could drill some pockets to fill will soil, check my sig link - my log...

 

[AndyTaylor]

Wow! I dunno if I want to dismantle my hardscape to go drilling the bogwood but I kinda wish that I had now. Your's looks fantastic. I particularily love the view from above. The glosso was nice but the crypts are amazing. Well done.

I suppose my question was more about whether HC Cuba would be happy to grow on bogwood, without soil in the manner of Anubias or moss but you've given me a great idea for the next tank...

..where's my Dremel drill?

 

[Stu Worrall]

just stick it in the holes but do remove the wool. It will grab on after a while or you could temp secure it with some bonsai wire/cotton/fishing line? As long as you have ferts in the water it will grow without soil.

see here on lava


90x45x45cm Optiwhite tank - Lava Rock Scape by Stu Worrall Photography, on Flickr

 

[AndyTaylor]

Excellent Stu, thanks.

I can start it up high and train it downwards. Exactly what I hoped...