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Plant Attachments, Algae and Sunlight



Subject: Plant Attachments
>   Does anyone now if there is some trace element that must be pr
> plants like Java moss, Java fern and Bolbitis to attach themselv
> driftwood?  I have had several small aquariums were the plants w
> variety of surfaces from petrified wood to coconut shells and th
> the surface just as planned yet for some reason they refuse to d
> big show tank.  I keep retying tufts of Java moss to my driftwoo
> cotton thread, yet as soon as the thread rots the moss floats aw
> help but think that this tank is somehow lacking a key ingredien

Are the plants growing well otherwise?  If so, I wouldn't worry 
about them.  Tie them down with monofilament fishing line instead. 
 It can't be seen under water, and will not rot and let the plants 
float free.

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Subject: Re: Algae & sunlight

> I'm not sure that we should categorically say, however, that sun
> causes algae. We have a small tank in our office growing plants 
> sunlight. There isn't an algae problem; the snails cope with wha
> the glass. I think sunlight can be tricky but can give you good 
> I wish I had more sunlight but unfortunately I live in an apartm
> can't experiment as freely as I'd like.
> 
> I'd be interested to hear how many folks have successfuly or uns
> experimented with using sunlight for aquatic plants. I suspect i
> than we might have thought.

I grow a variety of aquatic plants (submerged) in containers on 
the windowsill.  There are no fish in these containers because of 
their small size.  The plants get their nutrients from the soil in 
the bottom of the containers.  The windows face south, and in the 
winter get direct sun for most of the day.  I have no problem with 
algae in any of these containers.  It doesn't matter how much 
light you apply, (either in intensity or duration) if the 
nutrients are not available, algae can't grow.  Algae is just 
another plant, albeit one we'd rather avoid.<g>

Karen Randall
Aquatic Gardeners Assoc.
Boston, MA