# how to keep it down



## wicca27 (Oct 13, 2008)

i have some dwarf baby tears in a 10 gal and since there are trumpet snails in the tank it wont stay down any one have any ideas on how to keep it in the gravel. for a look at the tank it is in aquascape catagory and my thread is my first shot. thanks a mill wicca


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## Calcimoo (May 15, 2009)

I had 2 of them, barbs and cory cats half destroyed them. So I put them in a tank with no fish, nothing at all, and they still wouldn't stay down and kept falling apart. I'd find them floating all over in tiny bits. Everytime they'd start to grow good again off they'd go. I hope someone tells you how to do it. I still have one little piece left, it is the prettiest stuff.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Try pulling or cutting the clump into smaller clumps or even individual stems. Then plant with tweezers as far down as you can without completely burying it.

This is a fairly common problem people have with HC, especially when trumpet snails are in the tank.

-Dave


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## Crispino Ramos (Mar 21, 2008)

You could also tie it on a driftwood, use some moss to cover the base of the baby tears stems where you tie it with a fine nylon fishing line. If you don't have a driftwood, stones and rocks will work.


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## Calcimoo (May 15, 2009)

That's where the problem is, they don't really have any stems to speak of. They have about as much roots as they do tops, not much. Super delicate almost microscopic stuff. I did have them growing in good, they even grew upwards quite a bit from sunlight from a window. I had them weighted in with circles of polished stones and they still floated up repeatedly. The fish got a taste of the roots and that was that. They are just so determined to be air born, like they build up oxygen in that almost invisible matt of roots. I had it taking off and floating up and down another tank along with marimo baby balls.


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

I keep Hemianthus calitrichoides as well. There's definitely a trick to it. For my own purposes, I've found it stays down better when removed from stone wool (rather than tropica show, planted in plugs), planted in patches before growing in. From there, keep it very short. This plant does NOT require high light, and letting it get too thick will wind up with it cannibalizing off its own mulm, uprooted.

I'd advise trimming very regularly, or running a lower WPG; which ever suits your style. In addition, removing the snails wouldn't hurt. There are bait traps, assassin snails and dwarf chain loach that will work. If you can safely drop out your KH and pH some, or control the calcium levels somewhat, their shells will slowly degrade and help with any other efforts. Manual removal also does its part.

-Philosophos


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## Calcimoo (May 15, 2009)

Philosophos said:


> I keep Hemianthus calitrichoides as well. There's definitely a trick to it. For my own purposes, I've found it stays down better when removed from stone wool (rather than tropica show, planted in plugs), planted in patches before growing in.


directions said remove as much wool as possible, needs bright light, and nothing about splitting it up.

So what you want it to do is NOT grow? This sounds like such a PIA plant. I mean even worse than it has been. When it first comes I suppose there is enough length there someplace to sort of anchor it down in small clumps, in the shade? What a crazy notion this plant is. So this is where you need those foot and half long tweezers and a whole lot of time and patience. (I don't think I'm that bored.)



> From there, keep it very short. This plant does NOT require high light, and letting it get too thick will wind up with it cannibalizing off its own mulm, uprooted.


*I don't why but that actually makes sense. It does seem to hate itself. *

How in the world do you trim stuff like that? Where do all the pieces go? Sounds like surgery. More patience required. Hands that aren't ruined by farm work too. Long gone are the days of piano playing and fine embroidery.



> I'd advise trimming very regularly, or running a lower WPG; which ever suits your style. In addition, removing the snails wouldn't hurt. There are bait traps, assassin snails and dwarf chain loach that will work. If you can safely drop out your KH and pH some, or control the calcium levels somewhat, their shells will slowly degrade and help with any other efforts. Manual removal also does its part.


I got snails from Petco plants. I like to sit in front of that tank and look at it all with an antique magnifying glass, saw the first and only 2 tiny little snails right away. Bye bye slugs. At least they're easy to catch.

I've just decided I don't need dwarf baby tears either. I think it's going over the side of the porch along with all those marimo babies and that lousy java moss ball. Some things just aren't worth it just like some kinds of fish just aren't worth it.


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

Calcimoo said:


> directions said remove as much wool as possible, needs bright light, and nothing about splitting it up.
> 
> So what you want it to do is NOT grow? This sounds like such a PIA plant. I mean even worse than it has been. When it first comes I suppose there is enough length there someplace to sort of anchor it down in small clumps, in the shade? What a crazy notion this plant is. So this is where you need those foot and half long tweezers and a whole lot of time and patience. (I don't think I'm that bored.)[/quote
> 
> ...


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## Calcimoo (May 15, 2009)

Not having difficulties with them, that's not what I'm saying. Like I have to go rake about 25 acres in a little bit, plants on a bigger scale are more important to me than some dopey marimos that are just balls of algae anyhow. I played with them and I've had my fill of them. I'm more concerned with all my plants from Breck's and bulbs from Holland than caring about fussing with some underwater artistry. 

Those plants that are ridiculously time consuming crazy things for artwork should come with a warning label. I like things that grow, not things that NOT grow. 

I don't know why you think everyone would want to do that stuff. In my world simple is good, you feed it, you water it, you watch it grow. Plain and simple. You don't fuss with it. Fussing with it messes it up. You want a good healthy stand. Not stuff you purposely torment into twisted stunted mangled weird things. 

See, one of you could have told that girl right off first thing dwarf baby tears isn't for growing to look pretty like other plants. It's something else entirely. Complicated fusspot stuff like bonsai trees. 

I don't think a plant that eats itself trying to get free is really meant to be underwater. 

We're always going to see things entirely different. I like what is natural and you like to torment what is natural into doing what you want. I'm not ever ever ever ever ever a million times ever going to see things that way. Put a warning label on that plant.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Everybody has different levels to which they are willing to go. This is true in this hobby as well as in life. If you want an HC lawn, you need to be prepared to do what it entails to obtain one. And there are lots of folks out there willing to do that. 'One's man garbage is another man's treasure'.


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

Calcimoo, I wrote a rather long rebuttal and then deleted it after pondering the situation. I know you have no experience with this keeping this plant, and little academic knowledge about it either. I know that you do not keep tanks using methods that will sustain it. You are not interested in this plant, so please don't try to discourage those who are. This person is trying to grow HC, so I'm lending advice. 

I am not looking for a thread jacking here. If you want a debate about the issue, message me or make a relevant thread.

-Philosophos


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Folks, please keep the flaming to a minimum.


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