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Hygrophila pinnatifida pinching tops

Zeus.

Zeus.

Fertz Meister
Joined
1 Oct 2016
Messages
4,815
Location
Yorkshire,UK
Hi All

Trying to grow Hygrophila pinnatifida and grow it compact so got the light pretty high and was after input on how soon to 'pinch' the tops out to promote/encourage lateral grow to keep it compact.

The Hygrophila pinnatifida thats wedged in the middle of the Anubis below looks like its ready to me for Pinching the head of the main stem off!
Would you agree and if so how much?
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TIA for any feedback

Zeus
 
It depends on how tall you want it to grow as well. I usually let it get to the size I want and then pinch the apical meristem out.
 
Pinch relentlessly. Otherwise it grows LARGE and unwieldy. Try not to shade it though.
 
Your tank may benefit from doubling your phosphate also.
 
HiNtZ said:
Never had any luck with this plant. It is my nemesis.
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This is my fourth attempt with it in same tank, first went ok but tall and leggy, second failed same as third attemp, but first time with it high in tank with higher light and seems to be going well ATM

rebel said:
Your tank may benefit from doubling your phosphate also.
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Does it benifit from higher ppm of phosphate? I'm dosing about x1.2 EI levels of Phosphate ATM
 
Zeus. said:
Does it benifit from higher ppm of phosphate? I'm dosing about x1.2 EI levels of Phosphate ATM
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It appears so IME. As you know it's fine to dose 2x or even 4x. Try increasing and see. It will also help your green spot algae.
 
rebel said:
It appears so IME. As you know it's fine to dose 2x or even 4x. Try increasing and see. It will also help your green spot algae.
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did increase it a bit back when using APFUK EI dose recommendations but then switched to using TNC dosing guidelines and the Phosphate weekly dose is about 10ppm
 
Looking good Zeus!

I found this plant one of the most tricky to get going. It really doesn’t like growing in any low flow areas in my tank but does great in front of the filters outlet.

Interesting to read the TNC site, I’ve been dosing 5ml a day of TNC complete but their guide suggests 8 ml a day would be nearer to EI level in my tank. Keen to try TNC light at some point, maybe get the H.pinitifada growing more red?

T


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Looks great! AND SMALL!! I assume it's anubias nana barteria near the plant? If so, you've done well to keep it miniature.

Now you can try nitrates at 5ppm and increasing light to unlock next achievement... RED.
 
Thanks for the kind comments and likes :)

TBRO said:
It really doesn’t like growing in any low flow areas in my tank but does great in front of the filters outlet.
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Well it is in the main flow from the spraybar, infact some leaves do have algae on them as the snails and scrimp just get sweep off in the current.

rebel said:
Looks great! AND SMALL!!
Click to expand...

Yes is hard to keep it small as it soon fills in with bigger leaves and shoots up had it out of water at times so its been a case of pinch pinch and pinch again would of taken over if I hadn't and bigger leaves too

rebel said:
assume it's anubias nana barteria near the plant? If so, you've done well to keep it miniature.
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Yes and thank you, do have a little BBA on it too with it being in a light light area also, but seem to have it under control havent needed to spot dose with LC yet.

rebel said:
Now you can try nitrates at 5ppm and increasing light to unlock next achievement... RED.
Click to expand...

Well thats is the grand plan but reducing the nitrates will be :nailbiting: with all the other plants as dosing at EI 150% ATM. Would like to get it more filled in first and I have been increasing the light intensity also as it fills in also.

Do have some Rotala H'RA in my pot scape ATM just getting it going after a trip in our postal service, which I picked up off 'buttons' so might end up with a sea of RED :crazy:
 
Haha looking forward to this. Your plants will have a hard time adjusting with that sort of nitrates to start with!
 
rebel said:
Haha looking forward to this. Your plants will have a hard time adjusting with that sort of nitrates to start with!
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Not planning it anytime soon :nailbiting: my present weekly Nitrate dosing level is about 45ppm so jumping to 5ppm is a big change! however the AS will buffer the decreased dosing weekly input till its reserve of nitrate is diminished OFC
 
Following with interest, does seem to bit of a tricky plant at times. The couple of stems I got hold off were emerged form and they seemed to quite happily convert to submersed living, initially I planted into substrate but they seemed to dissolve at the bases although top growth was fine. I tend to find mine get decent new leaves but the older ones get a bit shabby even though all the rest of the plants in the tank are fine. Any I've attached to hardscape seemed to just melt away also. I did notice at one point that one of the substrate plants that dissolved had set off some little plants along the substrate but these appear to have gone now as well so down to my last couple of stems which I've already noticed is thinning out at the base so I expect to find this floating pretty soon!

Maybe a light related issue for me, it's not up to par (pun intended) only dose about 30% EI values as well but I can't really see much point upping it just for one plant when all the rest seem happy.
 
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