I've read that R. rotundifolia can be grown emersed. It's taken over my tank more than once, and I'd like to have something interesting going on.. instead of it just branching further and further sideways until it's covering the top of my tank.
How do you make a stem plant grow above the water line?
the thing i noticed with other stems is it needs to be able to support its weight when growing out of the aquarium. also so it doesnt dry out. maybe if you pulled some out so its laying on the glass so the glass can support its weight it will grow emersed.
I think you have to somehow support it like Mgamer20o2 said above. I think you could get one of those tubes that they sell aquatic plants in at petsmart and petco(the ones that are hollow with a bit of water and some plants in them.
You would have to get at least 2 depending on tank height.
You could probably find those plastic tubes somewhere else, or you could use PVC, but then you can't see through them.
rotala isn't just going to emerge from the top of an aquarium and grow.
rotala is a ground creeping tropical stem plant in the wild. it needs low ph, non-compacted soil and high humidity on top of it's submerged requirements. at least in my experience.
what i would do if i were to attempt to grow it emerging from the top of a tank would be to close in the top for humidity and plant in similar to or in a riparium planter. otherwise... just some light, loamy soil in a pan/tank/whatever with a lid and keep the soil nice and moist to keep the humidity up.
