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Substrates and root hairs (fwd)




---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 4 Jan 1998 13:21:57 EST
From: IDMiamiBob <IDMiamiBob at aol_com>
To: Aquatic-Plants-Owner at actwin_com
Subject: Substrates and root hairs

I have two quick questions concerning substrates and root hairs.

1) Potted plants are usually sold grown in something the stores call "Rock
wool", which looks a lot like compresses filterfloss.  Would this stuff, or
even filterfloss serve as a stable, neutral substrate under gravel/sand ?  I
now it contains nothing nutritive, but after a while, it seems, the "real"
substrates such as laterite don't either, and nutrient supplementation into
the substrate is a challenge you must solve (hence heating cables, plenums,
and RUGFs attempts to solve this challenge).  Would this stuff bind the iron,
and other goodies we are looking for?  Would Jobe's Spikes or the various
tablets work?

2)  I have two plants in a ten gallon tank that my level of knowledge only
allows me to identify as Echinodorus "Petsmarti".  They are at opposite ends
of the tank, just stuck into gravel over a standard UGF for about 5 months
now.  One has done nothing, the other has added about 18-20 leaves, and has
roots spread all over, including under the filter plate.  I haven't begun to
guess at the differences, I just assume one is a species with a little bit
more specific requirements.  The growing plant has no root hairs.  My question
is this- Does it really matter?  Could it be that clays and soils promote root
hair growth because they bind up the nutrients and force the plant to "go
looking for it" (not implying a conscious effort on the plant here, guys, just
idiomizing the plants actions), whereas plants getting nutrients from the
water flowing through the gravel don't "Need" root hairs and so don't bother?
I'm assuming here that someone has some valid studies at hand to handle this
one.

Bob Dixon