Overgrowing plants

[maronov]

Just when I thought I had my aquarium exactly the way I wanted it, I encountered a new problem: my water sprites are getting a bit out of hand. I have 14W of light in a 5.5G tank and maintain a regular fertilizer dosing schedule (Trace, NPK, Iron, Excel). The other plants are what I think are Amazon swords (the leafy ones in my avatar), and a couple of small java ferns. While the latter two are fine size-wise, the water sprites have grown very rapidly and are now above water level in places. Should I just cut them down to a more appropriate length? And what can I do to prevent such rapid growth?

 

[djlen]

Won't work maronov. Sprite and Amazon Swords are not meant to go into a 5.5 gal. tank.
They will drive you crazy if you insist on trying to make them fit, IMO. The sword is even tougher to control than the sprite because the sword is a rosette plant an not amenable to being pulled, pruned an re-planted.
A better choice would be small leaved stem plants, smaller varieties of cryptocoryne, hair grass and many other small plants to go along with your Java ferns.

Len

 

[Mgamer20o0]

what djlen said is right. you can cut down the water sprites but it will just go back just as fast.

 

[maronov]

Thanks guys. In that case, if anyone wants some free water sprites, PM me.

 

[Jack459]

yea cut the sprites then send to me lol

 

[maronov]

Any specific suggestions for a taller background plant that won't overgrow?

 

[epicfish]

Although hair grass is used as a mid/foreground plant in larger tanks, it might do well as a background plant in your tank.

Forget any type of vals or even dwarf sag. My "dwarf" sag grows to about 12" in my tank!

 

[maronov]

Anything else? I'm thinking of replacing the water sprites with a large, cavelike piece of driftwood to give my corys some additional shade, but I still want a couple of background plants.

 

[webcricket]

If it will be in a fairly unshaded location, Hemianthus micranthemoides (also called baby tears or pearl grass) might be a good background plant option for you. It's the stuff on the left in my 5.5 gallon:

This stuff certainly does need trimming (a quick pinching off of the tops) on at least a monthly basis, but you'll find that with pretty much any plant you try to fit into a smaller tank.

 

[Starry]

I have a 10 gal and I'm constantly frustrated by fast-growing tall plants. Lysimachia nummularia would be perfect for that size tank, and is easy to take care of, if you can find it (actually, I think that's what's in the post above, on the right side). Also Hemianthus micranthemoides as someone else mentioned, it's really pretty and small. Bacopa and Rotalas would work too, and are easier to find.