# Trimming Plants in the Nature Aquarium by Takashi Amano



## Jason Baliban (Mar 3, 2005)

This is awesome!!!

jB


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## Hypancistrus (Oct 28, 2004)

It's very clear that Amano doesn't just "plant and forget" in his tanks. Even though they look very natural, there is a LOT of trimming and work involved past planting, fertilizing, and changing water.

I've always said when trimming stem plants you pull it out, clip the bottom, and replant the top. Amano doesn't do that. He trims the tops, which is similar to what gardeners call "pinching." The plants form side buds and grow wider and denser. And he doesn't just do it once, he does it several times and actually shapes and sculpts like one does with a Bonsai tree.

Eventually he does pull and replant the tops, but there's a lot of intermittent steps he does before it gets to that point.


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## DaAverageJoe (Sep 7, 2004)

Yeah I read that at Barne's & Nobles, I wonder how many more articles he'll write for TFH?

By the way, how come it doesn't tell how to trim vallisneria plants?


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## Pseud (Oct 2, 2005)

> Normally, multiple shoots develop from a stem in a week or two after trimming. Taking advantage of this nature of stem plants, the second and subsequent trimmings are done at a location that is a little higher than the previous trim position. This encourages the tip of a stem to branch out and the stem and its leaves to grow densely.


I found this particularly helpful, and it was something that I'd just started to notice on my hygro' polysperma. Wherever I make a cut, at the node below the cut, it seems to grow a new shoot and thicken out. So you can predict where to cut to make it grow how you want. Pretty cool.

Thanks for writing this article out. Very informative.


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## Momotaro (Feb 21, 2003)

> I've always said when trimming stem plants you pull it out, clip the bottom, and replant the top.


I basically do the same thing as well. I trim most of my stem plants from the bottoms, with the exception of Hemianthus micranthemoides.

Mike


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## mikey (Mar 14, 2004)

Nice summary. I just happened to read that article last night going to bed and your summary is right on! Good job!


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## Wö£fëñxXx (Dec 2, 2003)

I had the pleasure of meeting Tomoko a few months back, we do not live far from each other, we met at the LFS along with a couple of other fellow hobbiest's for a good chat for an hour or so, I had the pleasure of giving her some plants she was wanting for some time, Stellata, Diandra, L. Aromatica, P. Gayii to name a few...She was interesting to talk to, very knowledgable, was a good meet.

Just thought I would share


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## SnyperP (Dec 31, 2004)

Amano has been giving TFH aquascaping articles for awhile now. I imagine there are still a few more coming up.


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## hooha (Mar 14, 2004)

it's interesting to see his suggestions on glosso and hairgrass. Does he mean to say you should trim glosso like "mowing the lawn"? At least that seems to be what he's implying using curved scissors.


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## jhoetzl (Feb 7, 2005)

Amano via TFH said:


> Scissors made for trimming aquatic plants are characterized by their sharp edges


Just curious, does anyone use real specialized scissors for trimming? I use my the scissors that came with a disecting kit which seem to work well. Anyone use anything else "special"?


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## rrguymon (Jul 10, 2005)

I will start using scissors I guess. I have just been pinching them off with my finger nail. I have some laying around somewhere.


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## Hypancistrus (Oct 28, 2004)

I know he uses surgical steel scissors. He sells them for quite outrageous prices (if you ask me) - http://www.aquariumdesigngroup.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=22_33

You can get ones for more reasonable prices here --> http://www.azgardens.com/newtools2.php


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## thatguy (Oct 11, 2005)

This is the technique that I use to trim my stem plants. Often the new nodes that develop are in pairs. Which makes the plant bunch more full.


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## BSS (Sep 24, 2004)

As I'm ready to 'evolve' in my stem trimming techniques, I found this article with a quick search, and it was exactly what I needed!

So, I'm commenting to bump this one up, so others may benefit as well.

Now, if I can just carry out what is suggested...
Brian.

Oh, and for those that might be interested, Amano is still getting a monthly article into TFH.


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## medicineman (Sep 28, 2005)

I stopped too much cutting from the bottom once I read this article some time ago and started to cut more from the top. It is fun work and the only thing to do is get a net ready and scoop it up from the surface after you are done.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

I use nice scissors.

I mow gloss and hairgrass.
Hair grass just like a lawn.

Gloss and HC differently though.

I go in at 60-30 degree angles and take out bits rather than mowing the entire rug.

This keeps it looking good and slowly reduces biomass from piling up.

"Topping" is the method Amano suggest in some cases.
You should uproot the lower part every so often though.

It gets ratty and the substrate also compacts and gets a lot of mulm over time.

Uprooting loosens things up and allows good flow down into the substrate.

Shape scissors are worth while, AAG and ADA are the two best places, there's a place in Auburn CA, they are on Ebasy and are quite good for 12 and 18" long tweezers.

A Kent Pro scraper is a better tool than the triangle thingy.

I use my fingers the most though.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Ramirezi (Feb 13, 2006)

Thanks for giving this the bump. Very informitive article. 

I mostly use a small pair of sicissor to trim plants but I have never have trimmed low and then worked up the stem like noted in the article to make a bush like plant. I can't wait to get home and dive into the tank.


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## BSS (Sep 24, 2004)

I had to contemplate it for several hours, but I finally grabbed the scissors and took the plunge last night. I topped my aromatica, A. reineckii, stellatus and pruned off some of the longer Windelov off-shoots. I'll certainly feel better about it once the new offshoots start to appear.


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## SuRje1976 (Feb 2, 2006)

I'll do the same this Friday and keep my fingers crossed. I'll be sure to report back...


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

At the last AGA a couple of us got to have dinner with Mr. Amano and asked about trimming, loosely translated it came out like this.

The topping of stem plants is pretty easy to form a bush, first trim should be about 2 inches above the substrate when the plants are 5 inches tall, second trim should be 4 inches above the substrate when the plants are 7 inches tall, and again at 6 and 9 inches respectively. All this, however, is relative to also making the 'shape' you want. The idea is to grow and strengthen the plants between trimmings.

I like to replant all the tops from the first trim back into the stand as well to further thicken it up.

There is no equal to a pair of sharp point tweezers. My trimming scissors are a pair of plant clippers from WalMart with a spring that opens them back up for me.


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## garuf (May 30, 2007)

Is it just me or should this article not be pinned? It's helped me no end.


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