# Bucephalandra in high light.



## ADGScapes (23 Dec 2018)

I have watched a few videos with people saying that bucephalandra does not like to be in a high light area. 
So I decided to test for myself, I placed some 'mini needle leaf' near the surface. The light I use is a twinstar 300c which I know isn't massively high light but I'd say it's high lighting for a my easy plants in a nano cube. 
I think the buce looks healthy.
What do you think? 
Cheers.


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## Nuno Gomes (23 Dec 2018)

How long ago were they put on that spot?


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## ADGScapes (23 Dec 2018)

About a month however they smaller then. They have grown since.


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## Nuno Gomes (23 Dec 2018)

Low light plants do just as well under high light, assuming the nutrient uptake requirements are met, but it's usually hard to keep them algae free, because they don't grow fast enough to outcompete algae in most setups. A friend of mine has some Wavy green bucephalandra near the surface, hoping it will eventually show some emergent growth, I'll let you know how that goes.


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## ADGScapes (23 Dec 2018)

Yes let me know. That would be interesting.
I'm growing some emerged in a glass jar at the moment, growing at a similar pace to submerged so far.


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## Tim Harrison (23 Dec 2018)

Plants like Buces and Anubias usually get GSA in high light.


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## ADGScapes (23 Dec 2018)

True. 
However I haven't had any GSA for a while in this aquarium.


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## rebel (24 Dec 2018)

In a GSA prone setup, it's tricky but some tanks don't seem to get GSA.


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## Zeus. (24 Dec 2018)

Tim Harrison said:


> Plants like Buces and Anubias usually get GSA in high light.



Mine got GSA and BBA, got it better controlled by adding Ramshorns snails


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## zozo (24 Dec 2018)

The cause is debatable, but the high light doesn't work in favor once it caught algae.


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## oscarlloydjohn (24 Dec 2018)

It's definitely possible, just requires more care. Take a look at Dennis Wong's tanks. He grows Bucephalandra and mosses under very high light, right near the surface. https://www.advancedplantedtank.com/bucephalandra.html


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## Andrew Butler (24 Dec 2018)

Tim Harrison said:


> Plants like Buces and Anubias usually get GSA in high light.


This could quite well scupper my plans for planting my tree out with buces then; might have to look for some other suggestions.


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## Konsa (24 Dec 2018)

Andrew Butler said:


> This could quite well scupper my plans for planting my tree out with buces then; might have to look for some other suggestions.



Hi why dont U try 
ludwigia sp. mini super red 
Rotala H'ra.
With good CO2 and light its doable.
To start them float them for a while and they will sprout shoots from every node then attach them(or wrap) to the branches,trimm heavy to get them bushy 
Regards Konsa


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## Daveslaney (24 Dec 2018)

Buces can be grown well in high light situations,high in the water column. The colors will be more prominent too.Just need to pay more attention to co2 levels and run co2 levels high at all times through the photoperiod.


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## Tim Harrison (24 Dec 2018)

You could also perhaps reduce the likelihood of GSA by keeping on top of tank husbandry, and slightly increasing the phosphate dose. The former is probably even more important in your tank because of the relatively low plant biomass and therefore potentially low biological stability. And a deficiency of the latter is often stated as the cause of GSA.
In addition, if CO2 flow and distribution is optimised, which is very achievable in your tank due to lack of obstacles, you could perhaps get away with less light. I've grown a very lush HC carpet with medium light.


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## Andrew Butler (25 Dec 2018)

Tim Harrison said:


> You could also perhaps reduce the likelihood of GSA by keeping on top of tank husbandry, and slightly increasing the phosphate dose. The former is probably even more important in your tank because of the relatively low plant biomass and therefore potentially low biological stability. And a deficiency of the latter is often stated as the cause of GSA.
> In addition, if CO2 flow and distribution is optimised, which is very achievable in your tank due to lack of obstacles, you could perhaps get away with less light. I've grown a very lush HC carpet with medium light.


This was one of my worries with my 'one chop' carpet; that there were no stem pants in there to help keep things more stable. Hopefully by keeping on top of things with regular trimmings and water changes they should both help. CO2 is something I plan to 'tune in' when it has grown in for now it's just being flooded with it. Light is running at 50% on my Twinstar at the moment so it's not beaming out but it's strong enough I think. Flow I'm hoping should work well with 2 filters in opposing corners circling around the tree in the centre.
@Daveslaney the reason I had the wood the way it was is so I could get the Buces higher in the tank and take benefit from the light which I read was a good thing so this thread surprised me a little.
A quick photo for those of you that don't know what we're on about.


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## TBRO (25 Dec 2018)

I’ve got some wavy green and mini needle leaf, they are a cm or two underwater. They are doing well under high light. 

Importantly they get the full blast of filter outlet. Thus get good amount of CO2 and nutrients. Flow seems vital, buce and Anubis in more sluggish areas in my tank get GSA. 

T


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## TBRO (25 Dec 2018)

Wondering if Twinstar electrode thing would help my other Buces or is it all hype? 

Don’t think I can realistically add more power heads!


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## Tim Harrison (25 Dec 2018)

TBRO said:


> Importantly they get the full blast of filter outlet.


Buces are facultative rheophytes and won't mind inhabiting the faster flowing areas of the tank.


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