[Prev][Next][Index]
Crypt Rot, Nymphaea
David Webb Writes:
> I have found that my crypts stopped melting regularly after I
> began CO2 injection and increased my lighting. I found that they
> would melt if I broke the leaves or bent them over too much while
> cleaning algae off. Before I added CO2 and more light, I had to
> remove red algae on a weekly basis. I no longer need to do this,
> and my crypts still have the leaves that they had when I made
> the change (along with a few newer, longer, more colorful leaves).
This is more or less the same effect I've seen. I used to have meltdowns
every time I did a water change, before I injected CO2. After CO2
injection it all stopped. Now I get the occasional melted leaf (except
for this last occasion). I like the theory that the city ran something
through the water. One thing I didn't say in my first message was that
I'm not worried about the long term effects because, as Peter Konshak
pointed out, the rhizomes are probably OK & will throw out new algae-free
leaves in time.
Interestingly, you talk about cleaning algae off the leaves. I used to do
this in one tank, but never with Crypts because they're so delicate. Now I
just pinch off the offending leaves a la Dorothy Reimer (see her article in
FAMA 5 or so years back).
> BTW, I was reading in your setup description about your Nymphaea.
> Have you had any more success with them? I purchased two african
> water lillies (red) a few weeks ago and they haven't done a lot
> yet. My aponogeton crispus, on the other hand, are flowering.
Nope. Nymphaea is one I've had a big total of ONE happy plant and
nothing but failures since. The stems either get nibbled off by the
fish, or the leaves die on their own.
Peter Konshak writes:
> I'd be interested to know how your C. pontederifolia is doing.
This one will take a few months, because I got them as bare root rhizome
end-cuttings. All leaves melted after 2 weeks, but I'm looking over at
the tank right now and there are two new leaves at each node now. This
is a new species for me; I'll certainly update my progress with it.
- Erik