Anacharis Help

I

iovaykind

Fish-o-natic
Jun 20, 2005
38
0
0
New York
Well..this is my first day, and my first post on this forum. I really like all the information I can find here. Thanks!

I bought some anacharis today, and I planted it inside a 3 gallon tank to let it grow out before I put it into my main tank. The 3 gallon tank doesn't have any lighting on it, so I put the tank next to the window, where it gets direct sunlight from 2-9pm. A couple of questions though:

1) Do I need to add a co2 system to the 3 gallon? There are approxiamately 6-8 stems in each 3 gallon(total of 2), so I don't know if there will be enough co2 in each tank to support all of them with enough co2.

2) Some of the anacharis is already sticking up out of the water, because it is too long. Should I cut it off and anchor it into the gravel to let it grow?

3) How much should I prune it, once a week, once a month, etc?

Thanks in advance,
Isaac
 
1. Anacharis generally grows like a weed and CO2 is not necessary at all.

2. Yes, you can trim the ones that have outgrown the tank... I usually let mine curl and bend on the edge of the water... then I'll clip em about half way and yes, replant the clipping into the gravel or into another tank. I have been taking clippings from my 10 gal and replanting the anacharis in my 29gal... u really never need to buy much anacharis :D.

3. Prune as often as it outgrows your tank.... for me personally, this means when it's bending at the water and taking up too much surface area at the top!

not to go off tangent... but now I am motivated to start a small betta tank and use my Anacharis clippings as plants for it.
 
How many stems of anacharis should I put into my 29 Gallon tank, for it to help with the cycling? I don't want the ammonia levels, or nitrites to go to toxic levels. I've read many times, that fast grow stem plants help, that's why I bought Anacharis.

Isaac
 
Anacharis doesn't need c02. You don't NEED co2 at all in many cases, it just helps for fast growth and color. Anacharis grows like a weed anyways. Most aquatic plants do fine sticking partly out of the water. Anacharis can be floated or you can stip it and anchor the stems. Plants will not remove your ammonia and nitrites. They will remove the later stage in the process nitrates.
 
For plants to nuetralize all the ammonia in a new aquarium, you'd need A LOT. I have a planted tank and I have never been able to just add fish to a planted tank. In my experience it still needs to go through the cycling process. that article also mentions the need for co2. Co2 increases a plant's growth and food intake. Id suspect that the co2 therefore helps with the ammonia absorption of the plants. Without c02 or with poor quantity like DIY co2 devices, I don't know if just plants would work so well without cycling.
 
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