# Dwaf hair grass



## m4gichat (May 22, 2012)

Getting dwarf hair grass today.... any tips? I'm new to aquariums and am looking for a carpet feel. Thanx!


----------



## pjb9166 (Apr 2, 2012)

If you get it to grow please let me know. Mine is not doing much of anything.
I was told to break it up to smaller clumps and plant an inch or so apart. After planting cut the grass down low this will force the roots to send out runners when it grows in you should get that carpet affect.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## kimcadmus (Nov 23, 2008)

divide the hairgrass into thick pencil diameter plugs. Cut the tops to 3/4-1" from roots and plant with tweezers evenly apart. It takes it about a month to aclimate then you will see new growth and it will start to spread. Here is picture of my 90p with Eleocharis acicularis.


----------



## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

you could also as kim said pull it to thin plugs then plant with tweezers, and do the dry start method. it a way where you just fill the tank with just enough water to cover the substrate. the dry start will help the hair grass to build it's roots and spread. then you can flood tank. some people try to plant hair grass and it floats, that's why people do dry start.


----------



## m4gichat (May 22, 2012)

fishyjoe24 said:


> you could also as kim said pull it to thin plugs then plant with tweezers, and do the dry start method. it a way where you just fill the tank with just enough water to cover the substrate. the dry start will help the hair grass to build it's roots and spread. then you can flood tank. some people try to plant hair grass and it floats, that's why people do dry start.


My tank is already flooded :neutral:


----------



## m4gichat (May 22, 2012)

kimcadmus said:


> divide the hairgrass into thick pencil diameter plugs. Cut the tops to 3/4-1" from roots and plant with tweezers evenly apart. It takes it about a month to aclimate then you will see new growth and it will start to spread. Here is picture of my 90p with Eleocharis acicularis.


Do I have to divide them or will they still grow if I have them in plugs of about 1 by 1 inches?


----------



## _chicken_ (Oct 7, 2007)

m4gichat said:


> Do I have to divide them or will they still grow if I have them in plugs of about 1 by 1 inches?


It will still grow, but it will grow and spread much faster if you divide it into smaller sections. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but you will get better results this way.

I've never bothered to trim the tops, though.


----------



## kimcadmus (Nov 23, 2008)

+1 on _chicken_'s comment. It is worth the time to divide it. The top trimming encourages root spread as with many grasses.


----------



## _chicken_ (Oct 7, 2007)

kimcadmus said:


> It is worth the time to divide it. The top trimming encourages root spread as with many grasses.


Makes sense. I should probably try doing that next time and see if it makes a big difference for me.


----------



## m4gichat (May 22, 2012)

What about c02? will it grow much better with it? or does it do fine without it? I have exel.


----------



## _chicken_ (Oct 7, 2007)

It will grow with just Excel, but will do better with co2.


----------



## kimcadmus (Nov 23, 2008)

I grow it with and without CO2. I don't use excel. In my lowlight/tech tank with no CO2 it does well but growth is slower. In my high light/tech it grew crazy thick and and I had to mow it every 2-3 weeks.


----------



## m4gichat (May 22, 2012)

so without c02 (getting it soon), with exel, Ive split some of it up, hoe many weeks in my 20 galloons till i have a carpet do you guess?


----------



## kimcadmus (Nov 23, 2008)

I usually takes 3-5 weeks to acclimate then starts spreading. The how many weeks to get a carpet depends on how much you planted, how you planted it, how far apart it is, and your quantity/balance of light, carbon sources, and macro/micro nutrients.


----------



## pjb9166 (Apr 2, 2012)

kimcadmus said:


> I usually takes 3-5 weeks to acclimate then starts spreading. The how many weeks to get a carpet depends on how much you planted, how you planted it, how far apart it is, and your quantity/balance of light, carbon sources, and macro/micro nutrients.


I have a pressurized c02system. I use the seachem full line ferts. I do a modified version of dosing not the light version of recommend daily dose. I have 2 T5 HO lights and high quality substrate. the plugs hardly grow but and defiantly no spreading.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## _chicken_ (Oct 7, 2007)

pjb9166 said:


> I have a pressurized c02system. I use the seachem full line ferts. I do a modified version of dosing not the light version of recommend daily dose. I have 2 T5 HO lights and high quality substrate. the plugs hardly grow but and defiantly no spreading.
> 
> Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2


How long ago did you plant it?


----------



## aquaman555 (Mar 22, 2011)

This was one of my first plants for my tank and I had five pots and I just pulled some rockwool off that didn't have grass in it and stuck it in the substrate and it grows and looks decent enough, but did not spread very good. 65w PC 29g DIY CO2. So I would recommend what others are saying about splitting it up.


----------



## pjb9166 (Apr 2, 2012)

_chicken_ said:


> How long ago did you plant it?


I planted around six or seven weeks ago. All but one little patch has died off. All other pants are doing great.
Growth is so fast.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## m4gichat (May 22, 2012)

kimcadmus said:


> I grow it with and without CO2. I don't use excel. In my lowlight/tech tank with no CO2 it does well but growth is slower. In my high light/tech it grew crazy thick and and I had to mow it every 2-3 weeks.


How many watts per gallon do you have in your advanced system?


----------



## pjb9166 (Apr 2, 2012)

m4gichat said:


> How many watts per gallon do you have in your advanced system?


2 t5 thirty inch bulbs. So like around sixty watts. One is 10,000k and one 6700k

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## pjb9166 (Apr 2, 2012)

_chicken_ said:


> How long ago did you plant it?


I tried to grow it out for like sixweeks or so. It all died off. I'm going to purchase another batch and try again.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2


----------

