suggestions for rooting pennywort?

PrincessPea

AC Members
Jun 26, 2008
21
0
0
near Seattle
Hi guys,

I have a problem keeping my brazilian pennyworts rooted in the substrate, I know they like to float too, but they are tearing out and floating around the tank which is quite irritating. this is a pretty new development, they were pretty staid for quite some time. Ideas?

P.P.
 
I've had the same problem so I've just let mine float now. But they so sell little weights which you can wrap around the bottoms of your plants to keep them down. The weights are made of some soft metal, probably lead. Look for them at your lfs.
 
I've used the weights for my pennywort and they work pretty well. Although most of the time I just keep sticking the floating ones back in the substrate. Sometimes I will leave one of the lower leaves on a cover it with a bit of gravel. It probably causes the leaves to rot faster but my fish and snails take care of that.
 
I actually wove some into chicken wire in my earlier days. it worked well, although I wouldnt recommend using any galvanized metal in your tank, there are other options.
 
other options;......
Slightly bend the stem when placing in the substrate.
Use the plastic bottle cap, anchor method. Cross slit a plastic bottle cap, push stem through slits and invert under gravel/substrate.
 
I have managed to plant them. All I do is rip the "vine" in half so I have 2 ends with growing buds on them. Then, I rip off a leaf from the side that I just ripped off so I have a stem about 2 inches long. Now I plant that stem into the sand and I also semi plant the other leaf so that there are roots holding into the sand.

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