# Dwarf Hairgrass?



## RowdyBetta

I love the way dwarf hairgrass looks in a tank. But I'm afraid if I get it I'll probably kill it. XD Has anyone here had experience with DHG? Does it have any special requirements? 
My tank has a 13w 6500k fluorescent bulb, no added co2, and starting next week I'll be using Seachem Flourish Comprehensive liquid ferts and Excel.

-Rowdy


----------



## Sylerwin

I too wanted dwarf hairgrass to replace my fake grass in my tank. I hear that it needs high lighting and some CO2 supplement. I wonder if liquid co2 will work? What kind of substrate do you have? I just have basic gravel, so if you find a good answer to this, let me know, I'd love to hear it!


----------



## snowflake311

I have had dwarf hair grass still Have some. 

It is easy to keep hard to grow. Mine stayed green looks nice but has not filled in or grown much in a year. But it's still green and looks nice.

It loves high light and lots of co2 if you want it to grow as a carpet. It also is hard to plant since the roots are so little. If it is not established and well rooted any little movement and it will float to the top. I lost most of my Dwarf grass by touching it too much during wc. 

It needs a good plant substrate too because it is a root feeder. Some aquatic plants that are easy to grow take in nurtrients from the water not to much the roots making it easy to keep these plants in many types of tanks.


----------



## VJM

I used one pack of the DH sold at Petco, and has totally taken over. It wants the same stuff a lawn wants: nutritive substrate that is soft enough to send runners through, and a bunch of light. 

I have a medium/med high LED light, and Miracle Gro substrate with a sand cap. Now I have to go back and put in plastic dividers to try and contain it.

I do not use cO2.


----------



## OrangeAugust

I had some in my 5 gallon and it slowly melted. Then a few months later I got some for my 55 gallon and it was dead in about 2 weeks. I think I might have still only had 1 watt per gallon at that time, so maybe that's why...


----------



## Lights106

I got some from petco and I went mad keeping it planted. I really wanted it to work out


----------



## Aquacrazed

I picked up some a few days ago and from what I know it needs 3 things for it to do well: good lighting, co2, planted aquarium substrate. I just have good lighting, no co2, sand substrate. I notice they are a bit more greener since I got them but I think they will not grow much and pretty much stay the same. The good thing is I may not have to trim them in this case.

I also planted them in big bundles as I had a bit of a hard time keeping them rooted, it's not the ideal way of doing it.


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu

DHG 'blem' is supposed to be easier. It is also shorter than regular DHG.


----------



## ao

If you want dwarf hair grass to grow... you do not need CO2
how ever you do need decent (med- high) lighting and a substrate that can hold in nutrients....


----------



## VJM

Planting method is also key. Use a chopstick and poke a hole in your substrate. Then plant only as many stems as can fit in the hole. Move over a 1/4 to 1/2 inch and do it again. It's like doing hair plugs! Then it will have a much easier time spreading and won't rot or brown in the middle.


----------



## lillyandquigly

does gravel work for a substrate?


----------



## RowdyBetta

I have sand substrate by the way. :3 Forgot to mention.


----------



## BittyB

What I find funny is that Petco sells this as a plant for your betta and says to plop in in their bowl....when a majority of people probably don't have medium/high light, substrate, nutrients/co2. :-? Well played corporate jerks. Will die on most people who buy it.


----------



## VJM

Definitely agree on the substarte and at least medium light, but I also have hairgrass growing in two pint size glass containers on my window sill. Zero water movement, zero fertilizers, just natural light. But it is sunny here.


----------



## lovefordebbie

you guys have BIG tanks....


----------



## Lucubration

I have DHG in two planted tanks that I'm still in the process of setting up. It's pretty hearty and has survived well with cruddy stock/ambient lighting, even grown a little bit, but since the Finnex FugeRays I have on order have been out of stock (for my tank sizes), I haven't had enough light to make them flourish.

I doubt you're going to kill it, though; heck, when some pieces drift loose they live just floating around on the surface until I pluck them out of replant them. XD


----------



## lillyandquigly

No one's answered my question, does gravel work for a substrate?


----------



## VJM

Not well, in the best of cases. DHG needs to send runners out, needs to be planted in small bunches of two or three blades, and is a heavy root feeder. All things that gravel doesn't do well with.


----------



## Greylady

Aguacrazed...how do you keep your sand so white? Do you have any MTS to airate the airpockets or do you poke it or turn it? Mine has turn a dull beige even though I vacume but I usually dont turn it because I have MTS and I usually end up uprooting the plants if I mess with it too much.

PS I too have DHG, it was exteamly difficult to plant and tends to float up to the surface if messed with. So far it is still green but has not really grown much. I have sand substrate also and no co2 added. Lighting is approximately 2 watts per gallon but it is also a shallow tank, approx 9 Iinches from bulb to substrate.


----------

