Trimming recommendations for new tank

[sfarkhan]

Hello,

Doing the weekly plant trimming/tank cleaning and I want your opinion/advice on trimming stemmed plants (Rotala).
I know, from experience, that trimming makes them grow faster.
I also have an ADA book which recommends trimming them once they get get to the surface.

I want there to be a wall of bushy rotala

Is it worth trimming now to make them bushier and grow faster or wait till they hit the surface and then trim?

[Judi]

Hmmmm....good question. None of my tanks are very tall, and I usually let plants get close to the surface before I do a trim. I've always felt that it was best to let the plants put out a lot of healthy growth, and develop a root system before trimming them back. But perhaps it's fine to do it sooner than I do.

Hopefully someone with more of a clue will answer!

[150EH]

I think it's a catch 22, if you let it grow to the surface you can replant the top but if you trim now it will spread wider and get bushy, it sounds like the later for your needs.

Hopefully someone with more of a clue will answer!

I gotta cover my tail.

[halak]

Here are the notes from a trimming presentation we had about a year ago:
http://gwapa.org/wordpress/2011/08/july-2011-meeting/

[sfarkhan]

Thank you all for the information.

I will cut them back tomorrow and let the second set of shoots grow to the top, and trim them again for fullness.

The rotala indica are starting to turn a cool shade of green/pink and I don't want to lose that.

IMG_2567.jpg (120.22 KiB) Viewed 1608 times

The rotala h'ra is becoming a tangle instead of towards the surface up so I'm going to trim that down as well.

IMG_2569.jpg (134.95 KiB) Viewed 1608 times