Xperiences on Hemianthus callitrichoides ”Cuba”

[splatt3]

Has anyone out there have any success on HC? i need more information about them before i will actually buy them from lfs. i've been reading and researching abut them but i need actual experience from you guys. i don't really trust the online planters guide because some of them are just trying to convince you to buy their plants to make money. thanks!

[phanmc]

I recommend around 2.5-3wpg for HC, so CO2 and additional ferts will be needed. A small grain substrate will help keep them down but they uproot very easily, so I wouldn't recommend any active bottom dwellers. They are slow growing, so patience is needed but other than that they're pretty easy to maintain. You can grow them floating, it's how one grower I know prefer to grow them when he needs to grow them in bulk.

[Hurley]

I would be careful if you have any apple snails. My brigs(which aren't supposed to eat plants) ate mine. They also eat my duckweed. Who knows, maybe its because both those plants are bite sized. Its a very pretty plant though.

[fresh_newby]

also try to leave them undisturbed. It is easier to grow a carpet when you don't have Corys and other bottom dwellers that like to pull it up. One stablished, it is no problem, but in the beginning, it needs to be undisturbed. Also tease out small plantlets and space it well when you plant. This helps it grow in faster.

[splatt3]

i would like to thank you guys for the replies and ideas. thank you so much. i lost the subscription to this thread and i totally forgot about it... sorry for not replying so fast. i just purchased a bunch of HC's and some riccia's hopefully it will get here soon. I'm placing them in my test 2.5gallon tank. i already have dwarf hairgrass in it. the DH is already established and growing pretty well. i have to tuck in quite a few runners from the plants that way i won't see them. i have some red cherry shrimps and they are doing pretty good at cleaning up my mess. love them. i hope they won't disturb the HCs when i plant them because of what "fresh newby" said. i really don't want to mess up it because they are pretty expensive not to mention the time i will be spending on taking care of the tank. but it does look like the red cherries are not plant pullers. they just like to nibble on the black sands.

Also, does anyone have any experience on HCs growing in sand? i picked sand because i read a lot about people having trouble with HCs staying in put on their substrate. THey are saying HCs stays better intack on sand or finer size substrate. am i going to have a hard time with it or no? my dwarf hairgrass took about 2 weeks to finally settle in without CO2.

[phanmc]

Cherry shrimps won't uproot the HC.

Sand is a good choice for a substrate because HC needs a small particle substrate to hold it's very fine roots, which don't burrow deep.

It may take the HC longer to acclimate and spread than the DH, it's pretty hard to notice it's growth but it will creep up on you given time and good growing conditions (Co2, ferts, lights).

[fresh_newby]

Cherries are great with HC no worries. As for sand, I would have to disagree with that choice. HC needs a nutrient-rich substrate. I have seen the best lawns of HC grown on ADA Aquasoil, although I have no issues with growing it in my Eco Complete. I think, though the grain size is small, you will be hard-pressed to get a confluent lawn of grown on sand. Try it, I guess, but I would go with a different substrate.

[phanmc]

HC doesn't need a nutrient-rich substrate if you provide proper water column fertilization. I've grown HC crammed into a nook in a driftwood log and I've seen them grow in abundance when left floating.

[fresh_newby]

floating yes...in a bunch, no problem...if your aim is; however, to grow a carpet, I have yet to see even confluence in sand. Aquasoil makes growing HC a no brainer, and I have seen many comparisons in media with controlled parameters in everything but substrate...

[splatt3]

will adding those flourish tabs for the roots help? or its just a waist of money?

[fresh_newby]

really no need if you are adding ferts to the water column. They aren't heavy root feeders, their roots are shallow, so they obtain nutrients just as well from the water column.

[splatt3]

thanks for all the suggestions. i got some HCs ordered. hopefully it will be here next week. i'm excited. :)

[Robert H]

There is a store in Chicago selling it? It is real rare for any store to sell it in the USA, it is rare for anyone to sell it in the USA

[splatt3]

the only ones i can find are the ones online. i doubt that lfs are selling them, if so they will be gone the min they open the box. try aquabotanic.com