HC root depth

[NC10]

Evening all,

Just so I don't over do the capping layer in my HC areas, what sort of depth do the roots generally go down to?

I'm guessing they're not going to be too deep, maybe a couple of CM's at the most??

I don't want them to lose out on all those delicious nutrients

 

[Ian Holdich]

Just remember that aquatic plants don't need to feed from their roots 100% of the time. HC is a stem so it needs root nutients not so much either. Some of the best HC I've seen has been grown in normal sand. The root ime normally gets around 1-2 cm. Give it plenty of c02 of feed the water column.

 

[NC10]

Thanks for the reply Ian.

I'll be adding the final layer tomorrow, so was just thinking I may as well give the HC everything I can give it instead of making it just out of reach for the roots. There's not much point adding a thick top layer when the HC carpet could really be acting as a layer in itself, protecting the mush from getting stirred up. That was my thinking anyway.

I'll go with around 2cm then for the main HC areas then. I'll be going around 4-5cm ish with the rest, all the other plants will be various echinodurus so will no doubt appreciate the extra depth.

Cheers.