# Hornwort plant MAKING A MESS!



## automatic-hydromatic

I put some hornwort in my tank to give my Dwarf Gourmis something to build bubble nests in, and these plants are driving me nuts! *Mad*

I been having to clean up the needles every day off the HOB intake, around the edges of the tank at the top of the water, and scooping free floating pieces out with a net. The stuff looks like it's doing well in the tank; very green and plush looking, but I'm still finding needles all over the place, and it's driving me crazy trying to keep up with it and keeping it cleaned up!

Can anyone recommend a good floating plant that I can use to replace this horwort with? I read that Anacharis does well as a floating plant?



Thanks!


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## majerah1

My nesters love duckweed.The roots grow to a few cm and can cover the top quite quickly.


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## automatic-hydromatic

duckweed seems like it would be messy too


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## Martini2108

I've noticed hornwort will be a bit messy for a little bit but eventually stops, at least it did in my tank.


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## knownothingfishowner

Possibly a result due to excellent filtration? Pretty sure I read that with just a little bit of nitrates, hornwort will grow full, fast and healthy. 

Last week I put ammonia chips in my canister to take down ammonia and nitrates. Yeah, I was getting virtually 0ppm on both within a day or so, but also the hornwort did start dropping needles like crazy as well. Color even got a smidge "dim" on it. 

Took the chips bag out on Wednesday - today, hornwort is full, super green and on the go. Stuff grows like wildfire. No needles either.


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## susankat

Frogbit makes a good floater also, easy to control as its quite a bit bigger than duckweed.


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## majerah1

Ive wanted to try frogbit,never found it though.I dont think duckweeds that messy,it stays afloat for me.Plus the roots look neat if you have enough.


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## susankat

I have duckweed in just about all my tanks. Great nutrient hog.


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## mfgann

Anacharis is supposed to grow floating very well, though I've tried to keep mine anchored. It will quickly reach the top, though, and continue to grow with the top floating. I usually snip this part and use it to start new plants, but you should be able to keep it up there.

I have a bit of hornwort, but had read it can be messy. So far mine has grown fine and not created a mess. Maybe because I only have a little sponge filter in there (beaslbob build for a red cherry shrimp tank). Perhaps your water movement shakes the needles loose?

Duckweed so far has been fine.. I have it in all my tanks, and it sure hasn't taken over.. but none of mine are high-tech with high lights. Perhaps those are the tanks it really goes crazy in? Not crazy about it, but its not too obnoxious so far.

I'd say anacharis and wisteria would be your best additions.. both are hard to kill and very fast growing. wisteria would be more your traditional rooted thing, and the anacharis is more a floater you can force to look more like a planted plant if you want.

Good luck.


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## automatic-hydromatic

yeah I think I'm going to pick up some anacharis; two bunches and plant some down in the substrate at each back corner of the tank and let it grow up and spread

I'll keep the hornwort in the tank until the anacharis can reach the top, then I'll toss all that mess, vacuum the tank, and hopefully be more happy  I haven't noticed much of it collecting on the bottom, since most of it floats and either just gets caught up again in the hornwort bunches that are floating, or get sucked onto the HOB intake


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## James0816

Welcome to the Hornwort club! )

It can get really messy as you have found out. That's why I pulled it all out. Even though it is a nutrient sponge...just like you...didn't like the all the shedding. What's your temp and lighting like?

Other good floating options for you bubble nesters would be oak leaf water sprite and red root floaters. Lesser Duckweed is another good option.


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## mfgann

automatic-hydromatic said:


> I'll keep the hornwort in the tank until the anacharis can reach the top, then I'll toss all that mess, vacuum the tank, and hopefully be more happy


So you'll get rid of the hornwort in a few days then? *r2
That stuff grows FAST. Before I left for thanksgiving (wed) one strand was about 6 inches, I think it is about 10-12 inches today. Not the prettiest plant, but effective.


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## automatic-hydromatic

well I've got to pick up the anacharis first, lol

I think I'll have time to swing by the LFS today and pick some up, then go through the process of getting all the hornwort out


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## beaslbob

gee ever think of turning the filter off?

.02


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## James0816

beaslbob said:


> gee ever think of turning the filter off?


That's not going to stop the Hornworn from shedding though. ;o)


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## beaslbob

James0816 said:


> That's not going to stop the Hornworn from shedding though. ;o)


perhaps not

at least the filter won't plug up though. *old dude


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## automatic-hydromatic

this is true, lol

the hornwort is still growing great and spreading. it started off as one clump in one a back corner, got pretty large so I split it into two clumps, one on either side of the tank. now their spreading across the tank and are probably one or two days away from coming in contact with each other!

the stuff definitely loves to each up ammonia though. I introduced a Chinese Algae Eater into the tank last Thursday, and the levels haven't budged a bit  it'll be nice if the anacharis has the same equalizing effect too. I like the way anacharis looks better than the hornwort too, but that's just my opinion


I have noticed my Dwarf Gourmis taring at it though... that's probably half the reason I'm finding so many loose needles... they love to swim in it, but they also like to rip pieces off and put them in their bubble nests *#3


When I get my 55 gallon, I'll set it up and let it cycle. During that time while the 55 gallon is cycling, I'll remove the filter from this tank and see how it goes. Until then, I'll leave the filter running


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## automatic-hydromatic

well, I got all that hornwort mess out, and put in the anacharis 

the fish really seem to like it, and I like it too!























I tucked a few small pieces into the substrate too, just to see how they'll do. if they take off, I'll move them to the back so they're not all in the way


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## beaslbob

Just outta curiosity I looked up hornworth and found it was a type of bryophytes which is a non vascular plant. also seems it is or relies on cyano bacteria.

If that is the case would keeping nitrates/phosphates balanced tend to favor the vascular plants over hornwort?

Is this a FW equilivant to the much dreaded saltwater Bryopsis ?

just curious

but all i can pay is


.02


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## automatic-hydromatic

very good question

since the tank water is fairly balanced out due to the other plants, it may have not had enough nutrients to efficiently support the hornwort to it's full potential, thus why so many needles were falling off



they might have flourished uncontrollably in the same tank during my last setup, lol


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