I'll be starting on a nano tank tomorrow and normally it doesn't bother me when plants start to 'mix' with each other's planted areas. But this time, i would really like to have a wall of dwarf hairgrass in the back while the rest of the tank will be (hopefully) carpeted with cubas. I really don't want the hairgrass to spread and to mix with cubas because hairgrass establishes themselves pretty quickly, outgrowing the cubas. So my question is, what would be the best method to partition or confine the hairgrass at their initial planting areas? Will a sheets cut from a regular plastic work? (I was thinking i could just cut a plastic bag into a plastic sheet of the shape and size that i want, and the sheet will reach almost to the bottom of the tank, while being a bit under the substrate. Will roots still penetrate the plastic sheet? or because they are carpeting plants, the hairgrass will eventually get roots over the plastic sheet? Or if you have a better method please reply, Thanks!
How To Stop Dwarf Hairgrass From Spreading?
- Thread starter bb1991
- Start date
The only way I can think of would be to put it in a pot that sits even with the top of the substrate... it should be fairly invisible, but that should contain the roots from extending beyond the boundary you have in mind.
BTW, if you do that, you'll need to thin the plants out every so often, other wise they will get root-bound. The hardest part might be finding a pot that is shallow enough for what you are trying to do.
BTW, if you do that, you'll need to thin the plants out every so often, other wise they will get root-bound. The hardest part might be finding a pot that is shallow enough for what you are trying to do.
yeah, i've seen how mischevious but also astounding hairgrass roots can be. (Seen them go between tightly knotted fishing line before) After some time I'm sure they'll find a way to pop up and invade the cubas. I might just not plant them altogether and go for the simple dry start cuba method or sumthin.. But thanks eaglesaquarium, much appreciated
Have you considered other plants that have a similar look to the hairgrass?
A few to consider:
Pygmy Chain swords (Echinodorus tenellus)
Sagittaria subulata (or even dwarf sagittaria subulata)
These are much slower growing and much slower spreading plants than the hairgrass.
A few to consider:
Pygmy Chain swords (Echinodorus tenellus)
Sagittaria subulata (or even dwarf sagittaria subulata)
These are much slower growing and much slower spreading plants than the hairgrass.
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