# 10 Gal Iwagumi Style *First Tank* :)



## Paul Munro (Aug 5, 2007)

Hello people! I will be posting some pictures of my tank in a few hours (when the lights come on)!

Though I have a question first... how the hell do I plant HC? I have Eco-Complete substrate and I cannot get it to stay down (in the substrate) any advice? Maybe a link to a tutorial type thing?

Many thanks, will post pics and details later


----------



## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Do you have aquatic tweezers? You want to break it apart as much as possible and stick in into the substrate. Sometimes it helps to actually push it further down and then pull it up slightly. This will allow the eco to fall in around the plant stem. You have a small tank, so you'll be more successful if you plant individual stems.


----------



## Terra Incognita (Jun 12, 2007)

I just went through planted HC with Flourite for the first time in a 10g, also. You're using Eco-Complete, which I have no experience with, but this is what I did:

Broke up the potted HC into managble clumps. Then I took my tweezers, and grabbed under the ~1x2'' clump of HC, at the roots, and pressed it way into the substrate. Then I pull up on it slightly, to let the substrate settle back around the plant. So far, none of it has come up!


----------



## fluffiebuggie (Sep 25, 2007)

I've done the same recently and without experience too.

I drained down to just above gravel level, broke apart the HC and then picked it apart even more with small tweezers. This way you can spread it out more by only planting small clumps.
Then it's a matter of positioning it right in the tweezers so that the roots are going in first, then have something pointy handy to push the gravel back over the roots to hold it in place.

Some of the HC will pop out again, it's inevitable.

I would certainly recommend buying a pair of long tweezers and a pair of long scissors as soon as possible. I am waiting on mine to be delivered (damn crappy British Postal strikes :frusty: )
The tweezers are vital for planting in my opinion, and the scissors will be vital for keeping things neat and encouraging the HC to grow dense and low.


----------



## gotcheaprice (Sep 4, 2007)

My HC stays nice and planted. At least most of it do. I have those short tweezers but I guess it would be nice to upgrade. Does anyone know where I can get them instores? I don't want to pay for shipping since it's to hawaii.. Thanks.


----------



## XRTech (Jul 15, 2007)

I planted mine left in the big clump in came as. It was easier to get it to stay in the substrate (eco-complete). Runners just came from the mother plant....much slower to cover ground, but neat to watch. I would keep the mother plant trimmed when it got too bushy and just let the clippings float. When the clippings started to get long roots I would re-plant them.


----------



## Paul Munro (Aug 5, 2007)

This is my tank, it's been set up now for about 3 weeks, I still need to plant the HC properly, the pebbles at the front are there purely to hold it down. I was hoping it would take root but it just gets bushier and higher!

I also had some Eleocharis Vivipara (tall hair grass) at the back, though that all died really fast!

Ive ordered some in and out-flow glass ware which should look better.

I think I would like some tall bushy plants on the left that will sort of hang over the hair grass creating shadow and depth (after Ive sorted that HC)

Any suggestions on plants guys?

Thanks


----------



## Jessie (Apr 23, 2007)

I planted my 125g's foreground with HC and yes, it was royal pain. Stabbing it into the substrate with tooth picks to hold it down helps too. Don't be afraid to man-handle it a little!


----------



## Paul Munro (Aug 5, 2007)

Cool thanks for the tip!

I'd like to add that this used to be a Juwel Rekord 60! So it's been modified quite a lot.

hopefully I'll sort the HC this weekend


----------



## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

It's interesting about the HC. I think when you first get it your worried about the roots and you'll try to plant a horizontial piece with all the roots hanging down. This is really heard because the roots are small and delicate and the stems and leaves have too much buoyancy. I have found after planting my 46g with HC, my 72g with HC and just recently replanting my 46g the best way to plant HC is by treating it like any other stem trimming. What I mean by that is, simply take individual stems and don't worry about the roots. Just put the steams into the substrate. It might sound daunting at first, but it's really not and you'll be surprised at how fast you can plant the stems when they don't float up. It will also spread much quicker and is more fun to watch. In your 10 gallon it shouldn't take long at all.


----------



## fluffiebuggie (Sep 25, 2007)

My HC seems to be doing ok and I just used tweezers and poked the root end into the gravel. You don't need to be too precious with this plant, it can take a bit of punishment. As long as the majority of the foliage is above the gravel, what is poked beneath will appear as it grows.
It also grows in all directions, some clumps shoot upward, some outward, some stealthily springing up from the gravel lol.

I think the best way to grow HC is to just spread it out without trying to be too delicate, let it do what it wants for a couple of weeks, then trim it down a little to encourage bushier growth.


----------

