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Re: flat crypts
>
>
> Date: Sat, 04 Oct 1997 03:13:30 -0700
> From: Pat Bowerman <bowerman at specent_com>
> Subject: Flat Cryptocorynes
>
> > Date: Thu, 02 Oct 1997 11:29:27 PDT
> > From: Roxanne Bittman <rbittman at kirk_dfg.ca.gov>
> > Subject: flat Cryptocorynes
> >
> > I have some Cryptocoryne lucens growing in a 20g tank under 4 20watt
> > Corallife Trichromatic fluor. bulbs. They are growing well, but very flat.
> > I would like to change their growth to be more upright.
>
> (Some Snipping)
>
> Roxanne, I don't know about the far red stuff, but I do know that 80w
> over a 20g is some pretty serious lighting. I have experimented with 4
> 36" bulbs over a 20 long. The plants look quite a bit different under
> lighting this intense. My normally upright and green, C. Wendti turned a
> bronze color, and grew very flatly across the bottom. When more upright
> plants were placed in the tank, they would do a classic melt-down then
> return with the flat, brown leaves again. So, perhaps it is not the
> spectrum so much as the intensity of the lighting that causes the flat
> growth. BTW, H. Zosterafolia does the same thing. It really makes a nice
> "carpet" effect under these conditions.
>
> Pat Bowerman
>
I have a 30 gallon tank with 4 30-watt Corallife Trichromatics on my tank. Two
bulbs are on for 8 hrs/day, 2 for 10 hrs. I've got a forest of Crypts in one
corner of the tank which are anything but flat, probably 10" tall, wonderful deep
green and bronze colors. It may be that the particular variety of crypt you have
is responding to all the light by reduced size; my dwarf Sag grow at different
heights in the tank depending on whether or not they are shaded by other plants.
Perhaps if you shade the crypts a bit, they will grow more upright. But I don't
think your lighting setup is too much. I did recently replace two of the
trichromatics with 2 Corallife 50/50's, just to cut some of the yellow tone of the
light, for my own viewing pleasure. Only effect I've noticed so far is that my
already huge Amazon Sword has added about 2" to its height, but could be due to
fertilization too. Cathy H. (never posted here before, but have learned much
in the 1.5 yrs I've been reading this list, and want to thank you all!)