# pruning telanthera (alternantbera reineckii)



## ereefer (Jul 14, 2007)

I am aware that this plant can be grown above water, in less than a week this plant is now above water. Would it be wiser to cut it and plant it in my substrate(if this is not possible with this plant, don't laugh too hard..lol) or let it grow a flower. I would like to thicken it up a bit in my tank without buying more and it obviously has the growth capacity.
Thanks


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## Gilraen Took (Apr 19, 2007)

When I got a bunch of it from petsmart a while back I cut the top half of it off and planted it in the substrate. Seems to all be doing fine for me


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## ereefer (Jul 14, 2007)

Gilraen Took said:


> When I got a bunch of it from petsmart a while back I cut the top half of it off and planted it in the substrate. Seems to all be doing fine for me


Thanks for the reply! I will try tonight.
Eirik


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## dapellegrini (Jan 18, 2007)

I always pulled mine up, trimmed the bottoms off, separated new growth and replanted. If you chop the heads off, it will throw out more side runners, but I found trimming the bottoms gave you a nicer look, though it is a lot more work!


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## ereefer (Jul 14, 2007)

dapellegrini said:


> I always pulled mine up, trimmed the bottoms off, separated new growth and replanted. If you chop the heads off, it will throw out more side runners, but I found trimming the bottoms gave you a nicer look, though it is a lot more work!


:noidea: I don't even know how to do that yet...


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## dapellegrini (Jan 18, 2007)

Pretty easy. Just pull the plant out, lay it on the counter and cut off the bottom 4-6 inches of each stem that is too long. Then replant.

For instance I take them out like this, then whack the long stems and replant:










I got one stem to fill in a huge area in my tank over perhaps a 6 month period:


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## ereefer (Jul 14, 2007)

Beautiful! Thanks... If will be awhile they have only been in my substrate for about a week, so the root/extra stem system really isn't there yet, well, I guess I better look before I talk.
Thanks again


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## ereefer (Jul 14, 2007)

Strange thing is, there are roots shooting out of the plant mid-level.... what does that mean?


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## dapellegrini (Jan 18, 2007)

That's normal. They shoot roots out everywhere. The more nutrients the plant finds in your substrate the less roots it will make in the water column - as a general rule.


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## ereefer (Jul 14, 2007)

dapellegrini said:


> That's normal. They shoot roots out everywhere. The more nutrients the plant finds in your substrate the less roots it will make in the water column - as a general rule.


Well I dose flourish line supplements, I have seen some talk on here about fertilizing the substrate... How do you do that? Is that like from fish and food waste? The growth has been amazing so far, but I have no fish at all yet, still waiting for something cool.


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## dapellegrini (Jan 18, 2007)

If you are not using a plant substrate like Eco-complete, Aqua Soil or Flourite, then you can use root tabs to fertilize:

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp24862/si1380300/cl0/seachemflourishtabs10pack

I have never tried them with A. Reineckii - but if things are going really well right now, I would keep doing whatever you are doing and forgo the root tabs for now. I had fewer water roots when I replanted mine in Eco Complete (moved from normal gravel).


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## ereefer (Jul 14, 2007)

dapellegrini said:


> If you are not using a plant substrate like Eco-complete, Aqua Soil or Flourite, then you can use root tabs to fertilize:
> 
> http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp24862/si1380300/cl0/seachemflourishtabs10pack
> 
> I have never tried them with A. Reineckii - but if things are going really well right now, I would keep doing whatever you are doing and forgo the root tabs for now. I had fewer water roots when I replanted mine in Eco Complete (moved from normal gravel).


I have flourite.


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## dapellegrini (Jan 18, 2007)

If it more than 18-24 months old it is probably no longer providing much nutrients. If newer and 100% flourite you should be fine.


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## LordSul (Mar 17, 2006)

Is substrate ferts that important for the stem plants like Altheranthera reineckii? If you dose NPK+micros via liquid ferts, do you still need substrate ferts??


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## dapellegrini (Jan 18, 2007)

No you don't need substrate ferts for this plant to grow happy and healthy. My remarks were simply in reference to reducing the quantity of water bound roots on this plant. Substrate ferts can't hurt though and may increase the amount/speed of growth.


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## lowfi (Apr 18, 2007)

how long does eco-complete last?...well before you have to add substrate fertilizer/change it? You were talking about Fluorite so it got me curious!


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## dapellegrini (Jan 18, 2007)

I switched from Flourite to Eco in Jan and the change was dramatic (for the better). I am not sure how long the stuff lasts. I am sure it is a function of how much you have and how much your plants are using. I have heard anywhere from 2 years to forever.


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