Trimming fixed plants in a paludarium

[Hanterben]

I'm ok with plant trimming in an aquarium, but I'm a little nervous about cutting back the plant growing semi-immersed/out of water.
You'll have to excuse my inability to name plants, but the brown/purple/green one in the pic (echinodorus sp.?) has started to take over and it's all grown in to the base so pulling it out isn't really an option.
Should I just remove outer leaves and see how it goes? Or should I try to find runners/roots and separate the individual plants and then see how it goes? Honestly, I have no idea!!!
I'm ok with trimming the bacopa, moss and anubias and the creeping fig (the only land plant in there) just needs the occasional hack back!
This tank is 12 months old, so it's time for a proper trim.

 

[ScareCrow]

I think we need a full tank shot quickly followed by a journal to give proper advice 😂. Seriously though,it looks like a beautiful tank and it would be really good to see in context of the whole tank.
I can't comment on echinodorus but with rosette plants I generally cut from the base and remove everything apart from the smaller/new leaves or until I've removed enough for aesthetics / to give light to lower level plants. I don't think there's really 'it must be done this way or everything will die' type answer. Just cut as close as you can to the base to reduce the amount of material that will die back and rot in the tank.

 

[Hanterben]

Cool, makes sense to me...I think! I'll do that tonight then!
More pics coming up, there's supposed to be vampire crabs in there somewhere, but I rarely see them!

 

[Hanterben]

 

[ScareCrow]

That looks great. Do you get much condensation on the glass at the front? I want to try this sort of setup one day.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Nice tank.

but the brown/purple/green one in the pic (echinodorus sp.?) has started to take over and it's all grown in to the base so pulling it out isn't really an option.

My guess is that it is a Cryptocoryne, but that is very much a guess and it could definitely be an Echinodorus. I'll add in @Mick.Dk.

I'd take a sharp knife and cut the runner between each plant. You should then be able to pull the plant crown upwards, without all the roots snapping off. Start at the front edge and work backwards, if that makes sense.

cheers Darrel

 

[Hanterben]

That looks great. Do you get much condensation on the glass at the front? I want to try this sort of setup one day.

Virtually none at all provided I keep the glass clean.
The humidity is over 95% in there, and the only real condensation build up is on the lid

 

[Hanterben]

Hi all,
Nice tank.

My guess is that it is a Cryptocoryne, but that is very much a guess and it could definitely be an Echinodorus. I'll add in @Mick.Dk.

I'd take a sharp knife and cut the runner between each plant. You should then be able to pull the plant crown upwards, without all the roots snapping off. Start at the front edge and work backwards, if that makes sense.

cheers Darrel

Perfect! Cheers Darrel.