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fw:Re: Vallisneria & Aponogeton flowers

Here's some email from Steve Pushak for the list.

-Shaji

---forwarded message---->
Date: Sat, 24 Jun 95 13:01:27 PDT
From: Stephen.Pushak at hcsd_hac.com (Stephen Pushak)
Message-Id: <9506242001.AA23564@hcsd.hac.com>
To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: Re: Vallisneria & Aponogeton flowers

> From: "shaji (s.) bhaskar" <bhaskar at bnr_ca>
> >From: "David Huie" <David.Huie at Bentley_COM>
> >Subject: Valliseneria "strings"
 [snip]
> >     None of the buds have opened and I wondered if I needed to help them 
> >     break contact with the water in order to encourage them to flower.
> 
> I've never seen the buds open, either, though the tips do come up a
> few millimeters above the water.

My Aponogeton madagascariensis had flowered several weeks ago. When it
was long enough, I helped it get above the water by leaning the stalk
against the edge of the aquarium. I also had a 60 watt lightbulb
shining on it since it no longer received any light from the
fluorescents. I thought this might be important for the development of
the seeds. There was a covering over the bud and when it showed signs
of opening, I carefully removed this. The two flower buds were inside
and then started to unfold and grow. While I was away in LA my wife
was watching it, ready with brush to pollinate. The stalk developed a
brown spot on one side near the water level and eventually this spread
until the stalk died. :-( My wife felt that the lightbulb was too hot
on the flower and I can't discount that. I also wonder if the stalk
had suffered any mechanical abrasion since the fish liked to bunt it.
I would have prefered a taller aquarium tank where the flower could
have stayed inside away from any edges. The 75 gallon tank is 28" high
and should be more suitable.

I also think the lack of sufficient flow in my tank might contribute
to stagnation at one end and I wondered if that could have contributed
to some sort of bacterial rot. With all the growth in the tank, I
don't think the trickle filter can provide enough flow. I've moved my
Crypt wendtii to the foreground in front of the filter inlet to
receive the maximum flow. I also put the giant Val. in the corner
there since it too loves flow. Should I get a power head to enhance
the flow in the rest of the tank? I think the A. madagascariensis also
needs a strong current. Do you people using CO2 also have some sort of
under water flow device?  I don't want to introduce a second external
filter which would increase CO2 release by disrupting the water
surface.

 - Steve