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Languishing plants



Re: plants in an unheated substrate, Bruce wrote:

>They are just sitting there looking at me after a month. I noticed the plants 
>in the water like java fern, riccia, and java moss and especially algae, show 
>good growth. Rooted plants are declining or stagnant. Some swords are sending 
>plantlets into the water. Plants  on the bottom like baby tears and glosso 
>rotted away but some pieces torn loose by the fish are alive and well 
>floating at the surface.

There are so many other reasons for this to happen that it is probably a
mistake to assume that cold substrate is the cause. I am particularly
unimpressed by the evidence of the Glosso and "baby tears" (Hemianthus
maybe?) disitegrating.  Both of these plants are rampant growers under just
the right conditions, and can be the dickens to keep growing if there is
something not to their liking. OTOH...

>My tanks are in a cool (unheated) basement. I'm going to insulate the tanks 
>and add glass tops. Evaporation is 1/2 inch a day. 

Both of these are easy to do, inexpensive, can't hurt, and might help.  I
still think there are probably other factors involved in your lack of success.

Karen