# Growing HC on wood



## bharada (Apr 17, 2004)

Not having any "floor" space for it it my 125g tank, I've hair-netted some 
HC to a piece of driftwood after reading how it grows equally well out of 
the substrate. I'm not sure how well it'll do in this particular situation since 
it's placed nearly vertically on the sides of the driftwood. I just wonder 
how long it'll be before the hair net gets covered up.


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## Rob G (Oct 19, 2004)

Very interesting, Bill. Please keep us updated with pics as your experiment progresses.


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## ShaneSmith (Feb 15, 2004)

I've heard of this before, as long as water column is fertilized, why cant all plants exist without a growing medium?


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## shalu (Oct 1, 2004)

ShaneSmith said:


> why cant all plants exist without a growing medium?


 well, I am growing almost all my stem plants out of the substrate, just weight them down. They don't root too deep between trimmings and I only keep the top portion. So my flourite substrate is partly wasted


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## litesky (Feb 9, 2004)

I know rooted plants do much better off in good substrate, because the substrate itself also provides extra nutrients for the plants. but......

Is it possible for driftwood to absorb some nutrients?

If it is...then is it possible for plants that are rooted on woods to absorb the nutrients from the wood? 

Just a thought. I'm not tying to be a wise guy although this sounds absurd.


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## aquatic-store.com (Jun 23, 2004)

The only problem with many polants is they will not actually root to the wood which is really desirable.
I suggest using something that will not deteriorate like fishing line for anyone who tries this.
Great idea though as i have never thought of it


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## cS (Jan 27, 2004)

Some pictures of _Hemianthus callitrichoides_ on driftwood from www.naturacquario.net


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## bharada (Apr 17, 2004)

Ahhhhh...inspiration at its finest!


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

There you go... a middle man is your anchoring solution. I've accidentally grown glosso this way. Some got stuck in the java moss on a piece of driftwood and it used the moss as a substrate to spread around in. Kinda cool 8) It works w/ riccia too, although riccia doesn't anchor to driftwood IME.


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## bharada (Apr 17, 2004)

Riccia doesn't anchor to anything, but I have grown "bushes" of it when a frond got caught in the dangling roots of some Java fern. It looks cool, but eventually will break free from its anchor, at which point I've been taking the floating bunch out and tying it to rocks.

My HC's roots have a tendency to attach to the gravel so when I pull it up it has a built-in anchor. Once the clumps get big enough they can easily be pulled an relocated like little area rugs. Sooner or later I'm going to need to redo my 40g as the wendtiis are taking over the tank and leaving no room for groundcover.


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## bharada (Apr 17, 2004)

*Update...*









As you all can see, conditions in my 125 don't seem as favorable to the 
HC as they are in my 40 (below)...









I haven't given up on it yet. And since I don't have to worry about it 
getting overrun by Glosso I'll just leave it to see how well it adapts to the 
tank (althought I may change the hairnet to a light brown one so it isn't 
as visible). In fact, I think I'll consolidate what's left of the HC to a spot
on top of the driftwood.

And the adventure continues...


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## bharada (Apr 17, 2004)

Well, what I was able to salvage of the HC when I removed the net wasn't enough to continue the project. So I took the pieces and put them back into my 40g tank to grow out. I ended up tying some Java Moss to the wood instead.


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## freshreef (May 14, 2004)

i attached small piece of HC to the vasicularia growing on my wood with great results - the vasicularia gave good substrate to the HC and almost all the vasicularia is covered now with HC. ill add a pic soon


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## bharada (Apr 17, 2004)

I don't know the specific reason why the HC does so well in my 40 versus the 125. It could just be the fact thet the 40 is older by about 7 months so the system is more developed and stable.

If the moss makes a good planting medium then I'll try weaving some HC into it in a couple of months.


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Just got me thinking; if there's anyone out there who has tried to plant in porous rocks. I tried to grow the Hemianthus on slates. Some did grow roots and attach themselves, but majority would float back up. Maybe tying with net would work. The same can be applied to woods. 




Paul


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## freshreef (May 14, 2004)

here is my HC growing on vasicularia attached to wood


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## gpodio (Feb 4, 2004)

People that grow HC on wood and other items usually let it grow over moss, this seems to be the most enduring method. 

Giancarlo Podio


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