How To Plant

[roughyed]

Sorry if these are stupid questions!!!-

1) Planting Elodea Densa - I take it I 'just shove it in'? Do I need to remove the bottom few leaves?

2) Planting Dwarf Sag (Sagittaria sabulata) - I bought this in 2 potts, and have removed the rock wool from the roots as carefully as I could. Do i plant this in clumps? Or do I plant each plant 2-4cm apart? Will it spread?

I am currently doing a fish-less cycle and after reading these forums have realised I haven't bought enough plants to prevent any algae. So does running the lights for limited hours (4-5hrs?) until I can buy more plants sound like a good plan?

Planning on adding Rotala Rotundifolia, Java Fern, Java moss, and more Edolea + Dwarf sag next week.

 

[SnBMeg]

1) Planting Elodea Densa - I take it I 'just shove it in'? Do I need to remove the bottom few leaves?

Pretty much, yeah. Removing the bottom leaves encourages new roots to grow where they used to be, which of course is a good thing--more roots = more nutrients going into the plant from the substrate. So you remove the bottom inch, or thereabouts, and plant the bare length in the substrate.

2) Planting Dwarf Sag (Sagittaria sabulata) - I bought this in 2 potts, and have removed the rock wool from the roots as carefully as I could. Do i plant this in clumps? Or do I plant each plant 2-4cm apart? Will it spread?

It really depends on how you want it to look. If you want isolated bushes, plant them together. If you want a spread or carpet, plant them individually with distance between. Even if you plant them in clumps they'll spread as they send out runners, but planting them apart will get you more coverage sooner.

I am currently doing a fish-less cycle and after reading these forums have realised I haven't bought enough plants to prevent any algae. So does running the lights for limited hours (4-5hrs?) until I can buy more plants sound like a good plan?

The short photoperiod might not prevent all algae (especially brown, since the tank is cycling), but it should definately be reduced from what it would be.