Re: [APD] Rotala macrandra

[Neil Frank <aquarian_subjects at mindspring.com>]

Good question about R. macrandra. I would be interested to hear about hard 
water, high N conditions.

> > How long have you  grown *Macrandra* successfully?
>14 years.
>
> > Before you were successful, were you unsuccessful (and what
> > changed that)?
>Was always successful. :-) However, adding CO2 to the one sand/peat tank 
>improved success. Adding macros made it harder.
>
> > What are your tank conditions:
> > Lighting -
>
>1-2 w/gal. 2 wpg gets better reds, but 1wpg still OK.
>
> > Temp -
>have not noticed. range is 70-90 deg F.
>
> > pH -
>always grown pH<7. No experience with higher.
>
>
> > KH -
>Best luck with KH 1-3. Higher KH tank has higher N, P concentrations and i 
>have not attempted to figure out optimal compbo for Rm.
>
> > Ca (ppm)-
> > Mg (ppm)-
>Ca:Mg ratios in described tanks are ~3:1, typical of softer water. (dont 
>know my ratio in higer KH/GH Onyx tank)


> > Cl (ppm)-
>DK
>
> > Fe (ppm)-
>DK, but can be inferred from TMG use.


> > additives/frequency (PMDD, KNO3, CaCl, CaSO4, etc...)?
>Additives are TMG, 10ml/70 gal (1wpg tank); 15ml/70 gal (2wpg tank); both 
>1x/wk; Only occassional dry macros (N, P). Occcassional supplement of 
>powdered lime or CaCO3. Otherwise, most of all macros come thru 30-50% 
>water changes at 1-2x/month. In my experience, too much N made the plant 
>grow faster and turn greener.
>
> > Substrate/additives/cables...
>Sand plus peat (in 1wpg tank); sand plus soil or Flourite (in 2 wpg 
>tanks). Never tried cables.
>
>--Neil
>
>
>
>
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>------------------------------
>
>Message: 4
>Date: Sat, 2 Sep 2006 02:06:56 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Thomas Barr <tcbiii at yahoo_com>
>Subject: Re: [APD] BBA, O2 and CO2.
>To: aquatic-plants at actwin_com
>
>
> > Tom, thanks so much for responding, this has been very
> > enlightening!
>
>Heck I forget to take my own advice sometimes too:)
>
> > Yep, I still have a little BBA.   I hold it at bay with the
> > Excel (this stuff is awesome in my daughter's no tech/no CO2
> > tank).  I'll buy the CO2 argument though, my probe has been
> > drifting and I would be willing to bet it is low.  After the
> > debacle awhile back and losing several of my beloved discus,
> > zebra pleco and a bunch of cardinals, I got a bit skittish and
> > stingy with CO2.
>
>Understandable, but this time do not make the same mistake
>twice. Add O2 as well and get the tank some O2 through surface
>movement.
>
>So what if you lose a little CO2? You can add more.
>Zebra plecos?
>Cost more than the CO2 system, you can buy an O2 gas tank system
>for that.
>
>   I had been dosing heavy with Equilibrium/AB
> > and the CO2 was pouring in.  Unfortunately, the O2 was not.
> > Things went very badly.  The problem was the O2 but I held the
> > CO2 responsible...
>
>Many do.
>Very common issue and nmot immediately obvious.
>Make sure you tell others that have similar issues.
>
> > > Haven't checked in awhile but my KH and GH stay around 3-4
> > due
> > > to soft water.
>
>Always check those if somethign goes squirrley.
>
> > I use Flourish, I would have to look to see how much MgSo4 is
> > in it.  MgSO4.  Can I use epsom salt for this?
>
>Yep, makes things ........err move:)
>
>  I think that
> > is what it is.  I just received my stuff from Greg Watson and
> > didn't think to order it.
>
> > The new pH probe should arrive this week.  It never dawned on
> > me that the slow growers would be that affected by CO2.
>
>They are quite good at letting us know, they get outcompeted
>easily for CO2 compared to agressive weeds like Myriophyllums,
>Hygros etc, most of the blackening in Java ferns that many think
>is unexplained, low CO2.
>
>Many add more CO2 and think they have enough, but they claim
>they still have algae etc, generally that's not the case.
>At least not with the species that we have in our tanks.
>
>  I
> > always assumed it was from battling the "pig" plants for the
> > fertilizer.  Guess I missed the forest for the trees!
>
>That is one way to look at it.
>
> > I need to clarify,  are you saying use 1 tsp total or subtract
> > 1 tsp from what I add now?
>
>One from now on, you do not need that much, although adding more
>of the Gh will not hurt.
>
> > "Add at least this much 3x a week "
> >
> > Sorry, I am rather dense today, are you saying add 30 mL of
> > Flourish 3x a week or just break it up into three 10mL doses?
>
>Nope, these same dosages, 3x a week.
>You are not adding enough from the looks of it.
>
> > Same question on the Potassium, Iron, Nitrogen.  Multiply my
> > amounts by 3 or break it up and stay at the same total?  With
> > the dry chemicals you recommeded 45 mL Flourish.  Would it be
> > a different amount using the liquids versus the dry chemicals?
>
>Well dry ferts are much cheaper.
>But yes to adding these 3x a week, no wonder the plants and CO2
>are not driving the growth fast and you get low O2.
>
>When plants don't grow well, they rot(which takes up a lot of
>O2) or sit and take up O2.
>
> > I received a big box from Greg day before yesterday containing
> > KNO3 and KH2PO4.  I also got  a cool measuring beaker with mL
> > increments that should come in handy.
>
>Well, Greg is a crafty feller.
>Good deal and this should last a very long time.
>Did you get the GH booster?
>It's the same thing as the SeaChem EQ, but different %%%'s, more
>Mg I think, Greg took some info data I gave him amnd went off
>and made some GH booster, so I'm not that certain, but you can
>ask Greg also.
>
> > I have the dry chemicals to try but I also have a fresh batch
> > of liquids that I bought several weeks ago so I am up to my
> > ears in both liquid and dry chemicals right now.
>
>
>Well you can play and see.
>
> > I thank you and my slow growing plants thank you!
> > Daphne
>
>Yep, they do get neglected too:)
>
>Regards,
>Tom Barr
>
>www.BarrReport.com
>*Barr Report Forums are going public mid Sept, 2006, new skin
>and plant gurus. The monthly Report and other features will
>still remain subscriber only.*
>
>
>
>
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>------------------------------
>
>Message: 5
>Date: Sat, 2 Sep 2006 06:06:22 -0700 (PDT)
>From: "S. Hieber" <shieber at yahoo_com>
>Subject: Re: [APD] Quickie phosphate source
>To: aquatic plants digest <aquatic-plants at actwin_com>
>
>You want the Fleet product called phospho soda that contains no oil. It's 
>a solution of sodium phospahte. It's just more expensive than buying 
>potassium phosphate from Gregwatson.
>
>sh
>
>* * * * * * * * *
>The Aquatic Gardeners Association Convention is OPEN for REGISTRATION!
>at http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/convention.html
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>
>----- Original Message ----
>From: Vaughn Hopkins <hoppycalif at yahoo_com>
>To: hhatch at sprynet_com; aquatic plants digest <aquatic-plants at actwin_com>
>Sent: Friday, September 1, 2006 10:47:38 PM
>Subject: Re: [APD] Quickie phosphate source
>
>
>Just use Fleet Enema - the non-mineral oil type.  Check the
>ingredients to be sure it is the phosphate type.
>Vaughn H.
>
>On Sep 1, 2006, at 7:08 PM, "" <hhatch at sprynet_com> wrote:
>
> > I just set up a new plant tank. Plants showed signs of  needing
> > nourishment within days of planting . My Lamotte test indicates
> > plants used all measurable phosphates ( .4 ppm )  in less than 48
> > hours. I ran out of kh2po4 and don't expect my order to arrive for
> > another 10 days. For now other nutritional parameters seem ok  As
> > an emergency measure I have been using water from my fish only tank
> > to replenish, but nitrates are starting to get high. Is there
> > something I can use for P that is readily available until my new
> > ferts arrive ? I considered shutting off co2 temporaily, but
> > thought this might just cause other problems.
>
>
>------------------------------
>
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>End of Aquatic-Plants Digest, Vol 37, Issue 2
>*********************************************

Neil Frank / Aquarian Subjects (interesting old books and magazines)
http://www.mindspring.com/~aquaristics/aquarian.subjects/

   

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