Cutting back Vallis & crypts

[idris]

Much of my Valis Americana and Crypt Wenditi is heavily blighted with algae.

I'm working on a remedy for the algae growth this weekend, but if I get rid of all the leaves that are covered on algae, there won't be much left.

I can't aford to replant at the moment so I was wondering how harsh I can be with cutting back the plants I've got. The Vallis grows about 6" a month (I guess) and the crypts have taken over most of the rest of the tank.

Any thoughts?

 

[G H Nelson]

Peel back don't cut!
As long as you leave some sort of root stock...they will survive okay!
hoggie

 

[idris]

Please can you explain "peel back"?

 

[G H Nelson]

Remove the leaves...like you would peel back a banana skin!
hoggie

 

[idris]

I confess I can't see how that would work as all the leaves of the Vallis, and all the stems of the Crypts, seem to originate at substrate level or below.

 

[G H Nelson]

hoggie

 

[idris]

Ah. I see.
Not sure that's going to be very easy in the circumstance, but thanks.

 

[sciencefiction]

Cut the leaves as close to the base as possible. I use my fingers instead of scissors as it's easier and I just run them down along the leave to the base and snip it. Vallis doesn't have that deep roots so pulling a leaf or trying to peel it instead of cutting sometimes gets the whole lot unplanted.