# How to carpet dwarf hairgrass???



## mr_convitbau (Jan 7, 2009)

I have been keeping DH for quite a few months. They only grow vertically but hardly send out the runners. I wonder how to have a nice carpet of them.

My tank is 45 gallon with aquasoil. Light (110W) is raised 1 foot above water surface, turned on 10 hours daily. I am using pressurized CO2 and dosing EI method.

I keep the temp at around 86F since I am keeping juvenile discus.

Any ideas or suggestions will be welcome.


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## Felf808 (Mar 21, 2006)

Dwarf hairgrass needs high lighting, co2, ferts, and preferably a nutrient rich substrate. I can see that you have 2 of the 4 but your light is probably too high above the tank to reach the hairgrass, maybe lower it 6"? Another problem might be that your temperature is too high but I have grown carpets of hairgrass at 85F so *shrug*. What kind of substrate are you using?


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## mr_convitbau (Jan 7, 2009)

I use aquasoil with power sand underneath.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

How talll is the tank and is it CF lighting?


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## rich815 (Jun 27, 2007)

I replied over on barrreport.com.......


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## mr_convitbau (Jan 7, 2009)

houseofcards said:


> How talll is the tank and is it CF lighting?


The tank is about 15" tall. Light is PC.


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## DUHK (Aug 6, 2009)

If the conditions are perfect and your Dwarf Hairgrass grows, would you need cut and replant or does it naturally start filling up the carpet?


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

mr_convitbau said:


> The tank is about 15" tall. Light is PC.


With a 12" space above the tank and 15" to the bottom, you might be pushing it with 27" between the PC lights and the substrate. I would try lowering the light a bit if possible. If conditions are less than ideal it's always easier to grow hairgrass if you plant in smaller groupings of maybe 4 or 5 leaves. Ths allows more light to get to the plant. Also if you didn't do so trim the plant IMO this helps the plant spread quicker.

And yes if conditions are good the plant will spread without having to uproot and move.


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## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

I have to agree with Felf right now you have about 2.4wpg. Check out the progression of my HG in my 55g journal (link in sig). The growth "explosion" happened when I changed up my photo-period. I went from 5.5 hours 110w (2wpg) 4 hours 220w (4wpg) a day to 8 hours 220w (4wpg) a day. When I did the change I immediately noticed massive growth. Now that it is pretty much filled in I'm gonna switch it back to keep the trimmings to a minimum. I think you should be able to grow HG in that light it may just go slower if you are able to you may want to add 1 more 55w light. Just my .02 though.


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