# Trimming back some Temple Compacta



## TDSapp (Feb 28, 2019)

So first time having to trim plants in my tank. In the last 10 or so days the Temple Compacta at the back of my tank has grown about two inches or so and is now out of the water. 

Where is the best place to cut it? There are 4 stems at the back of the tank and they all have roots coming out. Can I cut anywhere below a root and then just plant the new stem? Do I need to leave a couple of the leaves on the remaining stem or will it just grow new leaves?











Sorry about the fuzzy picture. The camera phone does not do to well with the lights and darks like this.


Tim


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## DaveKS (Apr 2, 2019)

Will start this scoulding you for common noob mistake. Sticking all 4 stems in gravel as one planting. For these plants to look their best you should have separated them out and spaced them 2-3” apart putting tallest one in that back corner and other shorter stems in front of it behind rock.

Now as how to handle these I would just do a ninja cut above that node that’s about 1” above rock, pull up base stalks and replant those top crowns properly spacing them as I suggested above. 

Now those base crowns you pulled. Do you want to propagate more stems? If so take those base stems, trim up roots so their 1-1.25” long and replant them at 2” spacing out front somewhere and they will soon start popping up new stems. 

Then once you have enough stems of varying height to fill in a region of tank you desire you will simply pull plants when they reach peak height, cut off 2-4” of base and replant the tips as a arrangement a few inches shorter every month or so. Old bases you will just trash.

That plant is lovely and one of my favs when tended to properly. And it’s so simple to grow. No intense lighting or CO2 injection needed. Highly recommend some NilocG fert for Low Tech tanks as a simple carbon/nutrient source for these if your going low tech route. Just do 2/3 initial dose then add recommended amount to your top off water for evaporation.

In like a 12-14” tall tank get dosing/light cycle/spacing right when tips of leaves get about 2-3” from surface stem will turn reddish and tips of leaves will get a bronze/pink cast to them. Stunning looking mid to shallow water tank plant.


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## TDSapp (Feb 28, 2019)

DaveKS said:


> Will start this scoulding you for common noob mistake. Sticking all 4 stems in gravel as one planting. For these plants to look their best you should have separated them out and spaced them 2-3” apart putting tallest one in that back corner and other shorter stems in front of it behind rock.
> 
> Now as how to handle these I would just do a ninja cut above that node that’s about 1” above rock, pull up base stalks and replant those top crowns properly spacing them as I suggested above.
> 
> ...



Yeah I knew I should have planted them spaced apart. But the problem with this being a Nano tank is there is not much room in the back. At least not with the rocks and driftwood in there. I may have one other place to put a couple of the plants but they will still be at least two stems in each spot. 

I was also wanting to fill that corner up. That corner of the tank is the furthest from me and was looking so empty. 

So yesterday I ended up not coming into work so I will to the lawn maintenance sometime today.

Bump: Dave,

Another question. If I clip down the crowns one inch above the rocks as you suggest, can I just leave a couple of the stems where they are?


Tim


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## DaveKS (Apr 2, 2019)

Sure, they should already starting to root and should quickly pop out a new stalk. 

Me personally I would move that rock out from the corner maybe 3/4 of an inch to give enough space to do a proper planting of those stems, put three in the back corner properly spaced in a triangle. Then just simply move the base of the old plants and put them wherever you want to propagate your new stalk.

How nano of a tank are we talking about? If we’re talking 2 1/2 gallons or so I really wouldn’t recommend these plants for that small tank. When grown in 3-4 stems of this would completely fill a corner of 5gal.


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## TDSapp (Feb 28, 2019)

DaveKS said:


> Sure, they should already starting to root and should quickly pop out a new stalk.
> 
> Me personally I would move that rock out from the corner maybe 3/4 of an inch to give enough space to do a proper planting of those stems, put three in the back corner properly spaced in a triangle. Then just simply move the base of the old plants and put them wherever you want to propagate your new stalk.
> 
> How nano of a tank are we talking about? If we’re talking 2 1/2 gallons or so I really wouldn’t recommend these plants for that small tank. When grown in 3-4 stems of this would completely fill a corner of 5gal.



No this is a 7 gallon Waterbox (AIO). This is what it looks like now that I trimmed the Temple.










And if this gets to be too much for this tank, I do have a 150 gallon tank I can put them in. Actually, I took a couple of the stems to put into the big tank yesterday.


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## DaveKS (Apr 2, 2019)

Looking good. roud:

Bump: Looking good.


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