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Flowering Lotus
APD'ers,
Niel wrote:
<snip>
This may explain why certain plants in neglected tanks take off and
flourish for a while but I would suggest that it will not be sustained.
<snip>
Interesting. I seem to be experencing something like this with a lotus that
has just begun flowering in a tank that has suffered several months of
general neglect - a thousand lashes with a wet vallisneria leave!
When this plant started producing floating leaves the submersed leaves began
to deterioate. I was quite disappointed. As Gitte can attest, the huge, deep
burgundy submersed leaves are stunningly beautiful.
At first the floating leaves were rather small - about 2 inches in diameter.
After a shamefuly neglecting this tank for another couple months, the lotus
started sending up large floating leaves. Six to eight inches in diameter.
A week ago the first flower bud appeared. It's stem grew well above the
water level so I propped open the cover and let it out. Sadly, the bud
appearently wilted just before it bloomed. The second flower bud pierced the
water line today. I'll leave it inside the aquarium in the hope that this
one will bloom.
Following James' excellent advice I gave the lotus a little substrate
fertilization. I found the plain gravel substrate in the vicinity of this
plant to be thickly matted with fine roots, probably from the lotus. I also
restarted the DIY CO2 fertilization and trimmed back some of the older
floating leaves. The other plants were heavily shaded and suffering.
BTW, this tank receives no natural light. It has 3 X 30W flourescent
lighting.
Mark Stahlke
Colorado's Premier Grower of Fine Algeas (and coarse ones, too)
PS: I've been mostly lurking on this list for two or three years. A recent
unpleasant thread has had the positive effect of encouraging me to
participate a little more.