Water sprite in aquascape

[Tom Michael]

Happy new year!

Does anyone have experience of this plant in a high tech set up?

A week ago I set up new aquarium and added this for plant mass. It’s attractive fern like, however after googling looks like I can’t simply trim the stems/branches?

I’d like to keep but if I have to constantly replant churning up substrate might be best to sling?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Does anyone have experience of this plant in a high tech set up?

I've never kept it high tech., but it is really useful low tech.

It’s attractive fern like, however after googling looks like I can’t simply trim the stems/branches?

Yes, it doesn't have a stem, the "leaves" (fronds) come from the base and the stemmy looking bits are the bases of the fronds.

You are best of nipping the older fronds (outside ones) off occasionally. I usually wait until they start to brown. New plantlets form on the older fronds all the time, a bit like Java Fern, but with a much quicker turn-over of fronds.

I’d like to keep but if I have to constantly replant churning up substrate might be best to sling?

I just let it float, if it snags on wood etc. it may re-root, but it is fine floating. The individual plants never last all that long for me, but I've had the "same plant" in the tanks for the last ~15 years.

cheers Darrel

 

[Tom Michael]

Thanks Darrel, the trimming advice is especially helpful.

I just wonder how much work it will be in high tech and what it will eventually look l don’t think I have ever seen in an Ada type set up

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Thanks Darrel, the trimming advice is especially helpful.

I just wonder how much work it will be in high tech and what it will eventually look l don’t think I have ever seen in an Ada type set up

I’m not sure, it isn’t a very tidy plant, and I would imagine pretty high maintenance high tech.

I like it because you can ignore it, and it will grow in really low nutrient water.

Cheers Darrel

 

[Parablennius]

Evenin'
I keep Ceratopteris but cannot grow it submersed for some reason, I guess it was grown emersed at nursery? It does make a great floater though.
Alternative that looks similar might be Hygrophyla difformis?

 

[Tom Michael]

Cheers - I think I shall uproot as it’s growing like a weed, I will also put a couple of the smaller fronds on some lava rock, to see if it will grow akin to a java fern

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I think I shall uproot as it’s growing like a weed

It shows a pretty linear response to nutrients. Mine never looks anything like as happy as @Parablennius's. @Geoffrey Rea has <"just posted"> that he uses it at the tank start, but then removes it once the permanent plants are growing well.

I keep Ceratopteris but cannot grow it submersed for some reason

I think the plant above is C. cornuta. I wonder if Ceratopteris thalictroides is more likely to remain submerged, it has narrower leaf segments. I haven't grown it, but I think that the even wider leaved Ceratopteris pteroides is an obligate floater, @Edvet <"grows it">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Geoffrey Rea]

@Geoffrey Rea has <"just posted"> that he uses it at the tank start, but then removes it once the permanent plants are growing well.

Yes and use it in other ways too. Very fond of Ceratopteris thalictroides. Grow it low tech in the shrimp breeder attached to wood with a third poking out the water. Does infinitely better than java fern and Bolbitis in low tech for me, but low tech is no tech in this house. Basically a tank that receives daylight and light from a desk lamp when working at the desk.

High tech either float it at start up to lean up the water column and to put extra dissolved o2 in the system or simply attach a piece using a suction cup and clip as feedback on the tank occasionally:



Never planted it permanently in high tech as not fond of that much pruning Have no doubt it would out compete everything.

 

[Onoma1]

I have found it useful when dealing with persistent BBA in a high tech setup by using it as a floating plant. It grows and reproduces at an amazing pace, sucks up any excess nutrients and provides shade for slower growing plants. It also provides shelter for shrimp. Pruning isn't effective and I tend to periodically remove clumps to bring it back to one small plant per tank.