Hornwort care?

[Shadyr]

I love the look of hornwort, but either they get snapped up super fast or my LPS just rarely have them. At any rate, I was in Petco a week or so back and they had a very bedraggled looking one, so I bought it. It hasn't overtly croaked (yet) while in my quarantine bowl, but I'm wondering if there is anything beyond some leafzone and time that would spruce it up? I just let things float in QT, but I do have some spare sand that could be tossed in if anchoring it would make it happier, for instance...

Also, hey cool, they organized the forums a little better and added this one!

[Laki]

I didn't notice the section until you mentioned it!! cool :)
Last time I had hornwort it died. I hear it goes through cycles where it drops all its nettles and then grows them back but mine never did grow them back so I tossed it. I bought another one yesterday and added seachem flourish to it. Hopefully it will last long and hardy like they'r supposed to! I bet you can just drop in some aquatic plant fertilizer and it will be fine. They're listed among the most hardy beginner plants!

[Perseusmom]

I love Hornwort and so does Perseus he sleeps in it. I put mine in a QT bowl of conditioned water for a week and would sit it outside during the day where it could get some sunlight, not in direct sun though. Since I have put it in the tank a couple of weeks ago it has done great ! Good luck with yours !

[laoshun]

hornwort does well in slightly colder waters.

[thekoimaiden]

I love hornwort for its ammonia-sink properties, but I've found it to be a bit touchy sometimes. It doesn't like soft water at all. The only way I've ever flat out killed the stuff was putting it in a tank with a dGH of below 4. This stuff like cichlid hard water. As far as lights and ferts, it doesn't seem to be picky about. I had a sprig sprout in a bucket of water I left in a dark hallway. I did notice an increase in growth when I started using fert, but I expect this with any plant.

I would actually leave the stuff floating. It makes a great shade plant.