# Dwarf Hair Grass requirements???



## gowfan05 (Feb 16, 2010)

Hey guys, I just need to verify the requirement to keep my DHG alive. Will this be all right?:
- amazonia II soil
- flourecent light (strong light)
- shrimp/ fish
- small filter

I don't want to use CO2 or excel bcs I don't want to trouble my shrimp. All advice is welcomed
thank you.


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## gordonrichards (Jun 20, 2009)

Seems fine to me! Ada aquasoil works great for growing plants.

-Gordon


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

I can tell how not to grow it because mine is not doing well. I got a mat of DHG 3" x 5" and cut it into 1" x 1" squares and planted it in Flourite Red with 1.73 wpg on for 11 hrs. per day with no CO2 and I dose PPS Pro for now, and uder these conditions it grows upwards but has not spread in a months time. I was told by another member here to use smaller pieces to make it spread faster after they had seen my pics. I have just fixed a second light fixture that gives me 3.01 wpg for 5 hrs. out of the day but I just got it fixed yesterday so I'll have wait and see, it might help if I were to use some type of root ferts but I'm not sure on that front either. I have a new CO2 reator on the way and am most certain that will help me but does nothing for you, I read that it did ok in lower light tanks but as stated my substrate may be the weak link as it is also very old and not much nutrients remain but I am sure a more nutrient rich soil can't hurt, good luck and I hope this helped.


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## BBradbury (Nov 8, 2010)

*Hairgrass Requirements*

_Good morning gowfan..._

_The height of the plant varies depending on the lighting conditions. Bright light produces a shorter plant. If you have bright light, then it needs to be planted in the foreground. If you have a sandy substrate, you'll have success with Hairgrass._

_It's a medium grower and can collect a lot of tank debris, like uneaten food and pieces of dead plants. Corydoras are a good addition if you have a lot of Hairgrass, they'll remove anything that collects in the blades of the grass._

_It likes water temps in the 64 to 82 degree range, so works in just about any tank. The plant usually comes in fairly dense clumps, so needs to be separated before planting to get good growth._

_B_


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## gowfan05 (Feb 16, 2010)

Thank you Gordonrichards, 150EH, and BBradburry for all of your advice! I'll take note on all your guys experience and thoughts. Possibly try post pics sometime next week and show how my set up will look  thanks again!


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## Sharkfood (May 2, 2010)

I've always thought of DHG as being a fast, undemanding grower. I've never tried to grow it in a non-CO2 tank however. Perhaps that's the difference. 

I don't really get too hung up on wpg, but if you did the math on my main tank (Where I grew DHG until I got tired of always trimming/replanting it) you would get 1.2wpg. I think of this tank as being right about in the center of the medium light range. I grew mine on pure flourite, which is inert. I gave root tabs initially, but not once it was grown in.

It seems that most of the posts I see where someone is having trouble growing DHG, it is in a non CO2 tank. Also worth noting is the fact that most of the DHG I see in the LFS has emersed leaves, meaning that it will melt initially.


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

I just got my CO2 reactor setup tonight and prior to this my fish have been eating and pulling out my DHG faster than it can grow and the growth has been upward and not spreading. The brighter light has helped in it putting out new shorter grass in the center of the mass and I hoping the CO2 will help it take off, but I have a feeling my substrate is also holding it back, I have Flourite and have heard it does better in sand or soil. I'm also looking into gel caps and Osmocote Plus as a substrate fert. Sharkfood are you sure about that 1.2 wpg it seems very low.


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## bbaker (Jan 18, 2008)

I had a hairgrass carpet only once, and it was several years ago, so take this with a grain of salt: I found that it filled in faster after I trimmed the tops off. And it will definitely grow faster with CO2, so that alone might solve your problem.


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## Sharkfood (May 2, 2010)

My money's on the CO2 also. It will grow just fine in flourite. I grew all mine in the regular brown stuff.


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

Mine also came in a mat, so it was like root bound and now the fish are still pulling out peices but there smaller and have a root that is an inch and a quarter, so ot should start to spread soon.


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## Kathyy (Feb 22, 2010)

My first pot of HG was put into a high light tank with gravel+laterite and no CO2. It was happy enough and grew some, probably covered with green fuzz algae but I don't remember. 

I think you are going to be fine as long as the light isn't too strong. If you have too much light and no CO2 then algae is going to collect on the HG big time. Pruning off the algae covered ends will probably help short term. How much light do you have over the tank?


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## karatekid14 (Jan 16, 2011)

Mine has grown very fast in a 5 gal 18 w, with no co2. In the last 3 months it went from covering a couple inches to almost half the tank. It is not super thick, but it is getting there. No algea.


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