Re: question about hyrophilia

To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: Re: question about hyrophilia
From: krombhol at felix_TECLink.Net (Paul Krombholz)
Date: Sun, 13 Oct 1996 19:33:51 -0500


>From: pevad at kudosnet_com (Paul Evad)
>Date: Sun, 13 Oct 1996 11:36:27 -0800

>I have a small (2.5 gallon) tank in my office with some baby java fern's
>(two types) and some hygrophillia of some form. One of the stalks of
>hygrophillia is comming out of the water and I noticed that the leaves
>above the water are a bit more fleshy than the submerged leaves. They also
>seem to close at night. I don't have a lid on the tank, I suspend my lights
>from the ceiling so that I can grown house plants in the filter (sort of a
>cheap hydroponics settup).
>
>My question is, should I cut it back? or if I let it grow out of the water
>will it flower?
>
There is one variety of H. polysperma that I read somewhere is not known to
flower, but the other Hyrogphilas often flower when emersed if they get
decent light.  Roughly two years ago I remember seeing an article in FAMA
(Freshwater and Marine Aquarium) claiming that emersed plants in an
aquarium had greater powers of nutrient extraction than submersed plants,
and, with a good growth of well-lit emersed plants, you wouldn't have any
algae problems.  There might be something to that claim, because emersed
plants have access to the atmosphere for CO2, and this can give them a
growth advantage over submersed plants.

Since I gave you all this priceless information, how about a good deal on
an upgrade to Filemaler Pro!  :-)

Paul Krombholz                  Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, MS  39174
In cool, dry Mississippi