Aponogeton Ulvaceus advice

[nynikki]

I picked up three Aponogeton Ulvaceus as a nice beginner plant. I had no idea how big they would get once we got proper lighting. And yes for a few weeks the lights were probably on too long, they are on a timer now with a 2 hour dawn/dusk that runs from 6am - 8pm. The full daylight is on for 10 hours/day. I have been holding off on trimming because of the fry in my tank, but I really think they should be trimmed back. But then I just read that they flower, and that would be something worth waiting to see. I'm pretty good with terrestrial plants, but aquatic is still very new to me.

One of them, at the base of the plant it's all stems, the stems go way up to about 3 " from the top of the tank, and then the leaf starts which is now doubled over in the tank. Seems the one closest to the bubble wand is more stunted (the filter output is on that side also). So here are my questions...

What is the best way to trim these? Should I be trimming back to the bulb? Will this help produce new shoots?

How can I minimize the bottom growth so that they are more leaf and less stem. My tank is 20" tall, is this just a matter of trying to get closer to the light and they will always grow this way?

Please any advice would be most welcome, I think they are beautiful plants, but I would also like for my fish to have some room to swim.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Sorab]

As they are bulb plants cutting off leaves will deplete the food stores in the bulb, just like land bulb plants. If it has more leaves than you want you can cut them off just above the substrate. They are big plants for a 30 gal so its fine to try to bonsai them some. Longer stems do mean that they are growing up to get more light, I have grown aponogetons in low and higher light tanks and the ones with the higher light have shorter leaf stems; less than a third of the leaf length. They are pretty determined to flower so even if you chop off a few leaves they should flower anyway, after flowering they usually die back and rest for a while, different aponogeton have different styles of dormancy. A. ulvaceus can grow up to two feet tall sometimes taller with about forty leaves so it’s a big plant I agree it is a very beautiful plant.

 

[pcnicholson]

I have one of these in my 50g tank. It's a beautiful plant but it gets HUGE. When it starts to take over, I cut back the extra leaves to about an inch above the substrate and have seen no problems because of this. One thing I have noticed (at least on mine) is if I let the flower grow (and grow and grow) Then the leaves on the main plant will start to turn brown and die back.

 

[nynikki]

I have one of these in my 50g tank. It's a beautiful plant but it gets HUGE. When it starts to take over, I cut back the extra leaves to about an inch above the substrate and have seen no problems because of this. One thing I have noticed (at least on mine) is if I let the flower grow (and grow and grow) Then the leaves on the main plant will start to turn brown and die back.

I hear this happens because the plant requires a dormant period, and that if you leave it be, it will grow back. I just had no idea it would get so big. I'm really considering taking 2 of them out, now I just need to find a home for them.