I just cant keep plants healthy!

[Aqua sobriquet]

 

[Aqua sobriquet]

After an aggressive trim.

 

[Aqua sobriquet]

 

[Bradders]

They look super! Thank you @Aqua sobriquet

 

[Aqua sobriquet]

Thank you. I use a lot of rainwater in them to help prevent calcium deposits on the glass and pipes etc as I’m in Dorset, and the tap water is quite hard. I don’t use a lot of fertiliser either, just a squirt of home made stuff from time to time. The moss grows rapidly and needs trimming back a lot. Both tanks have several sizes of Anubias in them, standard, mini and micro. The small 37L tank also has some plants with sword shaped leaves that grows easily. The 60L also has half a dozen Corydoras in it.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

just have two or three of the easy to grow ones from *Tropica, plus lots of Moss.

That is what I do as well, find plants that <"like me and grow them">. It doesn't sound <"very exciting">, but you can always try new plants and some of them will "stick".

The problem with a lot of the newer <"aquarium plants"> is that they aren't really plants that will live long term underwater. Companies like <"Dennerle Plants UK | Aquarium Plants & Maintenance CARE Products"> and <"The right aquarium plants - Tropica Aquarium Plants"> are interested in promoting plants that are <"easy to propagate and that they can produce emersed">.

cheers Darrel

 

[martinjcxn]

That is what I do as well, find plants that /www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/small-background-plants-for-nano-tank.74216/#post-749103']like me and grow them[/URL]"&gt;. It doesn't sound /www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/ideas-for-stems.72090/#post-723945']very exciting[/URL]"&gt;, but you can always try new plants and some of them will "stick".

I am entirely convinced, without any scientific basis, that certain plants take a liking or dislike to you and will die or thrive accordingly.

I personally cannot keep P Helferi alive under any circumstances yet Utricalaria Graminifolia grows like a weed in any water body around my house.


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[dw1305]

Hi all,

I am entirely convinced, without any scientific basis, that certain plants take a liking or dislike to you and will die or thrive accordingly.

Yes, it is just <"horses for courses">.

If I really like the look of a plant, and think it <"should be suitable for my tanks">, I usually work on the <"three strikes and your out"> principle.

Some plants are really <"difficult to kill"> and they are going to survive in <"nearly all circumstances">. However some of the others <"are a lot trickier">, for a <"variety of reasons">.

Utricalaria Graminifolia grows like a weed in any water body around my house.

Not something that most of us could say, although there are exceptions <"Something... Something... Shallow UG Tank!">

cheers Darrel

 

[Wookii]

That is what I do as well, find plants that <"like me and grow them">. It doesn't sound <"very exciting">, but you can always try new plants and some of them will "stick".

This is my approach these days too. I understand fully that some people want to grow the rarities, and the exotic and challenging plants and will jump through hoops to get it to grow.

For my aquarium keeping that's the tail wagging the dog. I'll try a plant, if it thrives in the more than adequate conditions I provide for it, then it gets to join the club, if it twists and stunts, and generally spits its dummy out, then it essentially signs its own death warrant!

 

[ElleDee]

That is what I do as well, find plants that <"like me and grow them">. It doesn't sound <"very exciting">, but you can always try new plants and some of them will "stick".

An underrated tip for a healthy looking tank is to evict anyone who's not happy.

The problem with a lot of the newer <"aquarium plants"> is that they aren't really plants that will live long term underwater. Companies like <"Dennerle Plants UK | Aquarium Plants & Maintenance CARE Products"> and <"The right aquarium plants - Tropica Aquarium Plants"> are interested in promoting plants that are <"easy to propagate and that they can produce emersed">.

Is there a running list of stuff being sold that aren't true aquatics? I'm aware of common stuff like ophiopogon and bamboo, but I couldn't get consistent information on whether mini bolbitus is or isn't, and I might not be able to clock newer species at all.

I was surprised to see a video of Tropica's greenhouses showing that (for at least some species) they actually grow their emersed stuff from seed. I'm sure there's a reason for that, but with how easy stuff reproduces vegetatively that seems like a lot of work for a less uniform crop.

I am entirely convinced, without any scientific basis, that certain plants take a liking or dislike to you and will die or thrive accordingly.

I have a theory that most gardeners have a plant that they should be able to grow with ease based on their location and skill level, but they can't for reasons no one knows. Not everyone will admit to such an embarrassing thing, but I've heard enough furtive confessions that I choose to believe it's a thing. I bet it's the same for planted aquariums.

If I really like the look of a plant, and think it <"should be suitable for my tanks">, I usually work on the <"three strikes and your out"> principle.

Plantsman Tony Avent reportedly had a email signature that read “I consider every plant hardy until I have killed it myself … at least three times.” I know I've resisted plants I've killed before with better luck, and usually the difference for me is having a mature tank. And maybe becoming a more seasoned aquarist?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Is there a running list of stuff being sold that aren't true aquatics?

There probably is somewhere (<"Guide to non-aquatic plants - INJAF">?), unfortunately it will be a long list and getting ever longer.

I'm aware of common stuff like ophiopogon and bamboo,

The plants I have in mind aren't really the <"Fittonia, Dracaena spp. and Ophiopogon spp.,"> that can never be grown under water successfully, but more emergent plants that can survive long periods of immersion. Realistically these are plants that companies (like Tropica) are looking for, a plant that grows in a monsoon region or similar, where it survives underwater during the wet period and then grows emersed and flowers <"when the "tide" is out">.

I was surprised to see a video of Tropica's greenhouses showing that (for at least some species) they actually grow their emersed stuff from seed.

I think the reason for this relates to the above, basically a lot of these plants are "annual" (really <"monocarpic or hexapanthic">) and once flowering is triggered death is inevitable. I tried to grow <"Commelina communis"> <"Commelina communis - Wikipedia"> <"https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/cabicompendium.14979"> for a while, it has this growth pattern (it is a" short day plant" <"What are short-day and long-day plants?">) and, whatever you did, all the cuttings would flower at the same time as the parent plant, so the only way to propagate it was to grow it continually from seed. I'd be very surprised if it was any different for a lot of the Eriocaulon spp., Murdannia keisak, Cuphea, <"Floscopa"> etc

but I couldn't get consistent information on whether mini bolbitus is or isn't, and I might not be able to clock newer species at all.

"No" I'm going to say. Former UKAPs member @Mick.Dk worked for Tropica (he never sort to disguise that fact on the forum) and he was a very useful source for what <"would and wouldn't grow">, mainly because he had <"trialed a lot of them"> with an eye to commercial production.

I know I've resisted plants I've killed before with better luck, and usually the difference for me is having a mature tank. And maybe becoming a more seasoned aquarist?

Probably both would be my guess. I always recommend that people let their <"tank grow in and establish"> before they plant Aroids (Anubias, Bucephalandra, Schismatoglottis etc) and ferns.

cheers Darrel

 

[ElleDee]

I think the reason for this relates to the above, basically a lot of these plants are "annual" (really <"monocarpic or hexapanthic">) and once flowering is triggered death is inevitable.

Ah. Yeah, makes sense. I knew there would be a reason! And I knew most Ludwigia were monocarpic, but I didn't connect the dots. 😩

I tried to grow <"Commelina (communis) diffusa"> <"https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/cabicompendium.14979"> for a while, it has this growth pattern (it is a" short day plant" <"What are short-day and long-day plants?">) and, whatever you did, all the cuttings would flower at the same time as the parent plant, so the only way to propagate it was to grow it continually from seed. I'd be very surprised if it was any different for a lot of the Eriocaulon spp., Murdannia keisak, Cuphea, <"Floscopa"> etc

Have you experimented with supplemental red or far red light to trick them? I can't remember which one inhibits flowering in short day plants... It's been a while... Something something about Pr and Pfr phytochrome ratios... I feel like there's a good chance you know what I'm talking about about, but if not I can look it up.

"No" I'm going to say. Former UKAPs member @Mick.Dk worked for Tropica (he never sort to disguise that fact on the forum) and he was a very useful source for what <"would and wouldn't grow">, mainly because he had <"trialed a lot of them"> with an eye to commercial production.

I love a good industry plant! I know people tend to be suspicious of people who have stuff to sell, but in my experience professional plant people love to talk shop. I don't know that I'd get much useful information from the sales or marketing team, but the people actually trialing the plants? Absolutely.

The link you posted wasn't the plant I was thinking of, but @Mick.Dk gives his opinion of Bolbitis heteroclita 'difformis' (which is sold under a variety of names, unfortunately) here. Thank you, it's very helpful to know he really knows his stuff.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Have you experimented with supplemental red or far red light to trick them? I can't remember which one inhibits flowering in short day plants... It's been a while... Something something about Pr and Pfr phytochrome ratios... I feel like there's a good chance you know what I'm talking about about, but if not I can look it up.

No, I just got fed up with them in the end, and the seed became <"commercially unavailable in the UK">, meaning that it is no longer a practical (stomatal peel <"Stomatal Opening Is Induced in Epidermal Peels of Commelina communis L. by GTP Analogs or Pertussis Toxin.">) that schools do.

I still grow <"Commelina benghalensis">, it isn't as good, but it is perennial etc.

Several years on there are still "volunteer" plants of C. communis coming up (from seed) in the glasshouse, they appear about May and are all in seed by now.

I was thinking of, but @Mick.Dk gives his opinion of Bolbitis heteroclita 'difformis' (which is sold under a variety of names, unfortunately) here.

I thought it was probably that one <"Bolbitis mini">.

cheers Darrel

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I love a good industry plant! I know people tend to be suspicious of people who have stuff to sell, but in my experience professional plant people love to talk shop. I don't know that I'd get much useful information from the sales or marketing team, but the people actually trialing the plants? Absolutely.

He is a <"considerable loss to the forum">.

He never officially said good-bye, but I assume he retired from Tropica and no longer felt the need to visit. I assume that <"he is still keeping fish"> in planted tanks.

cheers Darrel

 

[MichaelJ]

Hi all,

He is a <"considerable loss to the forum">.

He never officially said good-bye, but I assume he retired from Tropica and no longer felt the need to visit. I assume that <"he is still keeping fish"> in planted tanks.

cheers Darrel

I agree. I wish Tropica - a well respected aquatic plant nursery out of Denmark - would engage more on this forum. If I am not mistaken, I believe they are still sponsors.

Cheers,
Michael