Hello just thought id share my wisdom for those who are like me and don't have the money to buy a bunch of pre grown plants to carpet their aquarium with. To start off ill tell you what you need and where to get it. In this tutorial I will tell you how I grew eleocharis acicularis aka dwarf hairgrass. What you'll need(and where to get it):
Seeds(I got my eleocharis from prairie moon nursery online)
A mini greenhouse kit(from walmart its about $9)
Uv lighting for plants ( I got mine at Walmart for $10 per unit)
Water
Refrigerator
Follow the instructions with the mini greenhouse to prepare the soil tabs. When planting eleocharis it is a top seed so simply sprinkle it on the top of wet soil and push it in just a tiny bit so it won't float away every time u water it. This seed should be watered frequently but never submerged in soil or water until fully grown and rooted. For the first night add enough water so that its puddles in the bottom of the tray, do not submerge the seeds. Put the clear greenhouse top on it and put in the fridge for one night, about 12 hours. This mimic the winter process. From then on keep under Uv light for 12 hours a day and never in direct sunlight. Once they sprout breathe on them to encouraged healthy fast growth. Few may sprout in the first few days but after 2 or 3 weeks you'll have many sprouting. When the roots are strong enough to keep the plant well anchored you can plant the pods individually in the tank about 3 inches apart. Remember to use fertilizer(I use flourish excel) and have at least 3 watts of lighting per gallon. good luck! Ps: everyone said it couldn't be done but I showed them! Sorry about no photos this website had issues with my phones browser so I couldn't upload any.
Seeds(I got my eleocharis from prairie moon nursery online)
A mini greenhouse kit(from walmart its about $9)
Uv lighting for plants ( I got mine at Walmart for $10 per unit)
Water
Refrigerator
Follow the instructions with the mini greenhouse to prepare the soil tabs. When planting eleocharis it is a top seed so simply sprinkle it on the top of wet soil and push it in just a tiny bit so it won't float away every time u water it. This seed should be watered frequently but never submerged in soil or water until fully grown and rooted. For the first night add enough water so that its puddles in the bottom of the tray, do not submerge the seeds. Put the clear greenhouse top on it and put in the fridge for one night, about 12 hours. This mimic the winter process. From then on keep under Uv light for 12 hours a day and never in direct sunlight. Once they sprout breathe on them to encouraged healthy fast growth. Few may sprout in the first few days but after 2 or 3 weeks you'll have many sprouting. When the roots are strong enough to keep the plant well anchored you can plant the pods individually in the tank about 3 inches apart. Remember to use fertilizer(I use flourish excel) and have at least 3 watts of lighting per gallon. good luck! Ps: everyone said it couldn't be done but I showed them! Sorry about no photos this website had issues with my phones browser so I couldn't upload any.
