Hi! After a major re-scape (as in 80% of plants were uprooted and replanted, and relocation of hardscapes), how long should I wait before it's safe to re-arrange again? I'm looking at several factors like root stability and plant health. Thanks!

Aquatic plants are not very delicate, except for a few exceptions. So, anytime is a good time to rescape the tank. If anything, rooted plants are easier to relocate before they develop a massive new root system. And, stem plants are relocated by planting the cut off, rootless stems anyway.

Oh so it's better to replant the top part (assuming it was trimmed) than the root part. I used to think that the matured root part should be saved as the plants health depend on them. my wrong.

I often encounter the phrase "when the stem plants have established" and I relate it to root maturity. If I were to rescape and replant only the top parts, does it mean I'm back to square one? I hope my questions are making sense. Thanks!

3-5 weeks is good.
Some plants such as Crypts and swords will take longer, Stems such Hygro and Rotala, a few days.


Regards,

Tom Barr

Ok sir. Many thanks.

If "back to square one" refers to the cycling of the tank, then no, you aren't back to square one when you rescape the tank. When you prune stem plants and replant the cut off tops they continue to grow, using fertilizers just as they did before you pruned them. Stem plant roots seem primarily designed to hold the plant in position, not to feed the plant. In any case, the plants absorb nutrients from the leaves well enough to continue growing without roots. When I prune and move plants around I use whichever parts of the pruned stem plants look the most promising. Sometimes that is the bottom part if it looks like it has some good side shoots starting, but usually it is the top parts where the foliage is the best looking. A disadvantage of the bottom parts is that they almost always have lots of aerial roots, and I don't like to look at aerial roots.

Yeah, I so agree with you. Specially in the case of arcuata, they grow aerial roots like crazy, and it's hard to make them "behave". Their new shoots are everywhere, at least in my case. I envy those I've seen in others pics with their arcuatas standing proud and tall and so red. Thanks sir!