Why is my horn wort not floating?

[16gallontanker]

I just bought some hornwort from ebay and threw it in my tank will it float to the top later on or not?

 

[GaryE]

It should get there. In nature, it roots.

 

[16gallontanker]

Is this fine for now ? Will it float to the top later I put a filter in with more gentle flow but the needles are everywhere.

 

[16gallontanker]

Or is this better ankering it by wedging into holes of aquarium decor

 

[GaryE]

I like hornwort, but it doesn't like my water. It does have a tendency to shed when moved, with lots of falling needles. When I had moderately hard water, it did very well, but in my current soft water, it dies quickly.
Where I was before, I would kayak over massive meadows of the plant. Where I am now, I haven't seen it in the water in 3 years of exploring streams and lakes in the summer. So it likes some water hardness.
I used to float it, but some would sink and send out roots (always welcome). The rooted ones would grow to the surface. I always found it interesting that when kayaking lakes with carpets of it, I would pick up Vallisneria and Elodea from the surface, but not a lot of hornwort.

 

[Back in the fold]

I have hornwort in a ten gallon with too many guppies in there . It’s also under a light in a room that gets lots of southern light . I thin lots of it out every other week .

 

[MaloK]

They need a lots of light and are perfect shade providers, but planting them at the bottom of a tank instead of floating it someways. Makes them decompose really fast.

But once they reach surface with an anchoring point they can become a thick layer in months.

A string of fishing line across the surface holding them is enough to let them take a grip on their environment.