# Hornwort observation...



## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

When I set up my new 50, I added the 'good' plants (ones I really want in there), as well as some hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) for nutrient sponge and competition against new tank algae. At the beginning, for the first 3 weeks or so, the hornwort grew over a foot a week, (I've never seen anything grow that quick except for kudzu), the other plants very little. Gradually over the next month or so, I noticed that when the rest of the plants kicked in and the algae started to disappear, the rate of the hornwort slowed down considerably, down to about 4-5 inches a week. I don't believe I was nitrate deficient there, because everything else was going well. I have removed the hornwort completely now, because it's not needed for what it was intended. 

Curious if anyone else might have had a similar experience.


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## travdawg (Mar 3, 2005)

My HW grows like crazy. I keep it in to sponge up nitrates, but I hate it. Seems like I am trimming it back & replanting every 5 minutes. I really hope my new Marsilea Quadrofolia & Red Wendtii take off, so I can begin to phase the HW out.

edit: Sorry, skipped your question. I have not realyl noticed any variety in the growth of my HW. However, this is a small (10gall)tank, low med-medium light, DIY co2 (hagen ladder), & Flourish Excel, with a heavy bioload. I just recently restarted doing weekly water changes, but am not dosing EI... YET!


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## shalu (Oct 1, 2004)

Hornwort grows like 2-3 inch per day, with VERY long internodes in my warm, nutrient rich, high light/high CO2 tank, removed it. It grows slow and bushy in my low tech tank.


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## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

I use it as a base in all my tanks. Grows fast in all of them (from 1.5wpg no CO2 to 3wpg CO2). Obviously some faster than others. Keeps algae at bay for me.


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

shalu said:


> Hornwort grows like 2-3 inch per day, with VERY long internodes in my warm, nutrient rich, high light/high CO2 tank, removed it. It grows slow and bushy in my low tech tank.


I have noticed the same thing! I don't care for it at all in a high light, CO2 injected tank. It seemed pale and lifeless when I had it in my 75g. Kinda like it was just hanging on to life.

It is much fuller in my low light, low tech tank. I actually like it in this tank!


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## travdawg (Mar 3, 2005)

hrm, the last like 4" seems to be somewhat bushy, but below that it is REALLY "leggy".


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## BillD (Jun 10, 2005)

Some interesting observations. I find that it is far more compact in high light conditions, although, it is not as nice a colour as in lower light, as it tends to reddy brown. It only flowers in high light. Since it will not root under any circumstance, it stands to reason that any portions that are at the bottom of the tank, will do poorly.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

My experience has been much the same as yours Bert. I never plant it in the substrate because it gets leggy much to quickly, but I almost always float it in a newly set up tank to out compete the algae. 
At first before the tank is well established, the Hornwort grows in leaps and bounds, then when the rest of the plants start filling in, it slows way down.

In my African Cichlid tank, it's always growing fast, but I only have a few Anubias in there, so I suppose it doesn't have much competition from other faster growing plants.

All in all, I believe it's a good thing to always have on hand, so I let it grow in the African tank and just toss the excess.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

When I set up my first tank I tried planting HW in the substrate and found it did great in the beginning but after a while the bottoms began to die off and made a mess. So now I use HW as a floater, I just keep enough around to help soak up extra nutrients. It does much better as a floater, I keep it trimmed on a weekly basis or bi-weekly when I get lazy.


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## BillD (Jun 10, 2005)

Hornwort will alwways do better as a floater, because that is what it is. It will not root, so sticking it in the substrate is a waste of time, and counter productive.


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

I use a large rubber band to anchor a bunch to a rock. and then cover the rock with gravel to keep it in place. It looks nice that way. It's kind of a pain tho, cuz each week I have to take it apart, pinch off about 4-5" of the bottom and re-rubberband it. I usually put the clippings back in the bunch or put them in my red worm composter. Here's a pic of my goldie tank (2nd pic down) with hornwort done that way.

Betty


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## Chris S (Feb 27, 2006)

I know using this post is like raising the dead, but, I found it a very interesting topicfor discussion. I did the same thing. Planted hornwort in my 20 gallon alone with fish and it grew like 1 inch or 2 per day. This setup was a .75 watt er gallon factory 20 gallon tank , with the light bar that came with it. I decided to double the lighting to 1.5 watt per gallon and add a diy CO2 and alot of other plants. the other plants ina weeks time have gained and overcome the growth rate of the hornwort and the tops of the hornwort are all reddish brown like they are fading but after reading Bill d's post about the colour and flowering, I think I'm not worried at all and that this is really cool. Flowers in there would be awesome .thanx for all the info!


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