# Giant Hairgrass



## TanyaQ2000 (Jan 31, 2010)

does anyone grow giant hairgrass in their tank? I saw it at DNA and really like it but I don't do co2 so just wondering if it multiplies in an area or just shoots straight up...in other words, if I want it as my background on the 100 gallon, should I buy enough single pots to cover or leave space for it to spread


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi TanyaQ2000,

Giant Hairgrass (there are several species) is not as common as it was 30 years ago in the hobby. most of the time I see variants of the dwarf hairgrass. Some species are 'stiff' while others are softer and sway in the current. I have a very nice Eleocharis species (softer stems) that I received from houseofcards 4 years ago that grows at least 20" tall (that was to the top of the tank and running along the surface). I was growing it with CO2 and have not tried it in a low tech tank.

If you have trouble locating it in TX let me know; I can provide you with a small starter portion of emerged grown plants for the cost of shipping. If you see Tex Gal please tell her Roy in Seattle says "Hi"!


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## TanyaQ2000 (Jan 31, 2010)

thank you Roy...will do.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Tanya, I have some growing in one of my patio ponds. I used to have it in my 20 tall, but I could not keep the cladophora algae out of it and became so frustrated that I took it out. It was pretty, but the algae problem spoiled it for me. Strangely, the cladophora never spread to anything else in the tank. As soon as I took it out, no more cladophora! I never used CO2, and it grew quite well for me. It was identified as _Eleocharis vivipara_ when I first got it.

You are welcome to it. I will check it this afternoon to see if the algae problem is worse or better since I put it in the pond.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Oops, no hair grass in the pond! Either it died, or I threw it out in a fit of pique.


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

The plant you want is _Schoenoplectus subterminalis_. Not an _Eleocharis_, but very tall and wavy, not stiff like _E. montividensis_. I'm just not sure where to get any right now...


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## TanyaQ2000 (Jan 31, 2010)

thank you Michael for checking; thank you Cavan Allen for the info


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Cavan Allen said:


> The plant you want is _Schoenoplectus subterminalis_. Not an _Eleocharis_, but very tall and wavy, not stiff like _E. montividensis_. I'm just not sure where to get any right now...


Hi Cavan,

Thank you! I received the giant "hairgrass" from houseofcards four years ago. I believe he told me it was collected locally (NY) but did not know the name. I have tried unsuccessfully to 'flower' it as emerged growth since then to get a clue as to what Eleocharis species it was....based upon the pictures and descriptions online it appear it may actually be _Schoenoplectus subterminalis.
_


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi Cavan,
> 
> Thank you! I received the giant "hairgrass" from houseofcards four years ago. I believe he told me it was collected locally (NY) but did not know the name. I have tried unsuccessfully to 'flower' it as emerged growth since then to get a clue as to what Eleocharis species it was....based upon the pictures and descriptions online it appear it may actually be _Schoenoplectus subterminalis.
> _


I believe it's an obligate aquatic.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi Cavan,

What I have read is it is a margin plant that lives emerged to submerged.


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi Cavan,
> 
> What I have read is it is a margin plant that lives emerged to submerged.


Yeah, you may be right. Probably one of the best background plants ever for people with really large tanks. Don't know about co2 or light requirements, since mine was always in a high tech situation. Grows to at least 28 inches, maybe more. 
https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/species/schoenoplectus/subterminalis/


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## TetraGuy72 (Dec 12, 2009)

I bought some "Giant Hair Grass"' from Royal Aquatics when we had our meeting there a few months back. It quickly melted and disappeared in my co2, EI dosed tank. I hoped for a while that it would come back, but it never did.


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