Question on watersprite ..
 

Just picked up a couple of potted water sprite that I plan to float. I gently as I could removed the sponge like cloth around it and rinsed as much dirt off of the roots. My question is since I'm floating them do I remove the stems from the roots or just leave everything attached to the roots? Also I have a question on lighting ,I running this over a 55g and was wondering if a combination of a t8 6500k and a t8 5000k is efficient enough as I tried two 6500k bulbs before and encountered hair/brush algae and didn't want to use 2 6500k bulbs.

I meant do I remove stalks from roots and let them float that way or keep everything attached.

First, what species? Ceratopteris cornuta floats better, and C. thalictroides is better planted. You can check our profile which describes the differences in frond (leaf) shape.

It might be best to plant it in the substrate if that is how it has been grown (the pot suggests this). As it establishes, new plants will form on the alternating fronds (leaves) and these can be removed and left floating.

On the lighting, a 6500K and a 5000K will be fine, a bit warmer light, but that's not a problem for plants. However, bear in mind that this will impact little if at all on algae; brush algae increases if the light intensity is greater than what is balanced by nutrients for use by the plants. The Kelvin is just the measurement of light tempoerature (the colour as we perceive it), not intensity. Though, having warmer light might benefit the plants more, if nutrients are present to balance.

Byron.

Just to put in my two cents', I think the roots that came with your plants is proof that they are meant to be planted. I have planted Water Sprite planted in my tank and they do very well. I think they get most of its fertilizer through the leaves too. Mine have highly pinnate (pointy??) leaves as opposed to the Water Sprite with non-pointy leaves and is seen on the water surface of your tank.

I hope you are using a small dose reflecting the volume of your tank and the growth of your plants. I can personally vouch for Seachem Flourish Complete, which are just trace elements and not NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphoros, and Potassium)

The light bulb story is a little out of my league, but right now, after a battle with algae, I have screen material (not metal) to step down the light. I think Water Sprite (floating) would do the same thing. Good luck.

Note: if you have round-shaped leaves on your Water Sprite, by all means ignore this, don't plant them, and float them

I went ahead and planted them in the substrate. No round leaves on them,and I'm dosing twice a week with seachem flourish comp.

Hey, great! I just thougtht of another way of distinguishing floaters and planters - height. Floaters (floated) float on the surface, and planters are sold in a bunch about 8" high and commence growing.

Btw, when it comes time to trim, pick a (long) frond - the old ones - the base of the frond is bigger around - and cut close to the substrate. I made the mistake of pruning them by cutting them down like a bush, and most of them went brown.

This is a good filter if water is flowing through it (lightly) and especially if tank conditions are right and it gets light it will grow fast. Obviously this is a plant that uses space to get optimal light. Shouldn't be planted in a bunch, but by the roots and split up to individual plants.

I wanted to correct an impression readers may have got. Seachem Flourish Comp has everything you need in a low light tank except for NPK, which is available from the water. So dosing NPK is not necessary.

I wanted to correct an impression readers may have got. Seachem Flourish Comp has everything you need in a low light tank except for NPK, which is available from the water. So dosing NPK is not necessary.