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[IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - The End

Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - T8 lighting experiment

Cheers George, i followed your experience with LED units vs red plants. I did not had a chance yet to try it on a larger tank so this is a really valuable experience. Will test it also with the TMC unit shortly.

On Arcuata, somehow this is intensity related, but LED may just not have that specific range which is required to boost these high light red plants.

This could be something like we experience with ADA NA Green HQI bulbs from ADA. There the intensity is good, but as the whole light spectrum is green, those red colors just not work with it.

Probably the cold blueish LED does the same effect on some plants.

The current T8 shows that the light spectrum is much better as the plant started to move to orange color. So just a boost needed for it. We used this plant sometime in the past with good success, and using currently too (one of my fav plant), but as Mark mentioned this is not easy to make it good looking. Bit slow, less dense etc

but could go red if its ok. this is one of our past tank.

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Or you can mix it with Ludwigia Brevipes like the IAPLC 2009 Grand Prize winner did, to get that bushy effect.

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Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - T8 lighting experiment

Mark Evans said:
Looking nice George.

Hats off to ya for choosing arcuata. IME, it's not the easiest to get looking good, like rotala rotundifolia/green of even HM or umbrosum...i dont think it lends itself to the 'bush' effect like the others

I'm sure you'll pull it off though. wait a while longer before butchering it.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Mark. 😀

You're right. We don't often see L. arcuata used as a 'bush', which is a shame as it's a lovely plant with great texture. Less maintenance than most stems too (if you can get the appropriate lighting right, that is!)

It's used here quite nicely -

roydeki.jpg

Full interview with Roy here - http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/c ... p?sid=3350

Rotala rotundifolia was the obvious choice but previous experience shows that it's quite tough to get red too. Besides, you have the monopoly on Rotala! :lol:

Thanks for the tip about letting it grow more before pruning. :thumbup:

john starkey said:
Hi George,dont know if you remember my 150cm setup...
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I sure do mate! I remember meeting you for the first time in Hayling Island (Festival of Fishkeeping 2007), and you showed me the shots on your camera. 😀

Tom said:
George, are you making a note of the spectrum of each type of lighting you try as well as the type/intensity?
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Yes mate. 😀

The reason I went T8 was so I could get more red in the spectrum, as suggested by a few folk from overseas. :thumbup:

I'll try Arcadia Plant Pro T5 next, which has a fair amount of red too.

I'm finding the challenge and experimentation enjoyable; wouldn't life would be boring if all plants were really easy to grow and exactly how we wanted them to!
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - T8 lighting experiment

viktorlantos said:
The current T8 shows that the light spectrum is much better as the plant started to move to orange color. So just a boost needed for it. We used this plant sometime in the past with good success, and using currently too (one of my fav plant), but as Mark mentioned this is not easy to make it good looking. Bit slow, less dense etc
Click to expand...
Makes sense mate. Cheers, Viktor! :thumbup:
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - T8 lighting experiment

Now running a 9hr photoperiod with 4 x HO 24w T5 Arcadia Plant Pro (new). PAR is over 100 at the substrate and around 200 at the stem tips. We're at SPS coral lighting levels! :lol:

I've increased CO2 and nutrients to compensate and all livestock has been removed so the large CO2 qty won't do any harm.

If this doesn't give me red L. arcuata then I'm giving up! :lol:
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - uber lighting

Very interesting to read about arcuata. I am growing it myself at the moment in couple tanks.
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - uber lighting

I love the look of your tank :thumbup:

I'm not a light expert by far but as I understand it the white light produced by fluorescents is made up by combining different colours of the light spectrum whereby LED is a blue light and it is made white by adding coats of phosphor, the more phosphor added means a warmer colour temperature - so blue-to-white-to-orange.
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - uber lighting

Piece-of-fish said:
Very interesting to read about arcuata. I am growing it myself at the moment in couple tanks.
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Hi Ed,

What set-ups are you using it in? Lighting type and intensity? How long have you been growing it for?

It will be interesting to see how you get on! I'm not sure if I've seen any proper red L.arcuata in the UK yet...

Iliveinazoo said:
I love the look of your tank :thumbup:

I'm not a light expert by far but as I understand it the white light produced by fluorescents is made up by combining different colours of the light spectrum whereby LED is a blue light and it is made white by adding coats of phosphor, the more phosphor added means a warmer colour temperature - so blue-to-white-to-orange.
Click to expand...
Thanks! 🙂

That's what I have read before too.

What I'm interested in is that it seems spectrum makes a difference to pigmentation, where as before I didn't think it did.
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - uber lighting

Was growing it in my office tank. The lighting there is 2x39w cheap T5 6500K plus 2x150w cheap 6500K metal halides for 3 hours in the middle of the day. Arcuata was quite red but very dark shade of red on the top. It got swallowed by micraithemoides and after replanting all backround stems i decided not to plant it anymore (and there wasnt much left to replant). Earlier before replanting i took few stems to plant into NA Style Baby which only has 2xT5 6500 over 180l tank atm and it is early days to say something about it. Last tank is vivarium nano. It is 15L tank and is run by 2x11w arcadia arcpods with again cheap PC 6500K. First lights were very close from the water surface. I'd say about 3cm. Arcuata showed nice bright red here. I have upped the lights to about 10cm now as was struggling with gda and done a trim at the same time. Will see how arcuata will respond soon.
All tanks are fertilized by EI
Difficult but nice plant 🙄
Hope it grows for you well in the end.
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - uber lighting

I've seen yet another tank (350l) with bright red rotalas and ludwigia arcuata, lights osram 830 + 840 t8 maybe 1w/l since I haven't count, just micro fertilization, lots of fish and plenty of CO2 (water here in our city doesn't contain N or P). I'm starting to believe that lean macro dosing is the key for having nice red plants.

Cheers,
Mike
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - uber lighting

Plants look very healthy George, interesting to see the scape evolve. I prefer more plants than less most of time especially in scapes with a wilderness edge to them. In this one though I not sure yet. I think the sparse rock-grass-sand scape was somthing interesting, not seen that often and perhaps with the clean look and good photography.

I also have tmc leds in one 364 litre cube and there is a red anapogeton in it...but its not red. PAR though is only 30 at substrate.
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - uber lighting

I think the green > red change needs a bit more technical thought, as it seems people are forgetting that if something looks green it is because the red and blue wavelengths have been absorbed and the green reflected. It gets quite complicated mixing light colours as the primary colours are red, green and blue.

I am definitely not an expert in plant biochemistry but using this theory I would imagine the plant changes from absorbing red to reflecting it, making the plant look yellow-orange. The green light needs to be absorbed for the plant to look really red. What is the trigger for a plant to change the absorbance of light for photosynthesis - dunno!
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - uber lighting

Hi all,

I will do doing a 'final' photo shoot on this aquascape tomorrow.

I know it's short notice but if any UKAPS members are in the Stamford area in the morning (Wednesday, 13th April) then they're welcome to pop in for a cuppa. PM me and I will give you more details.

Here's what it looked like last week (I gave up on the red arcuata!)

5605724816_e9b71c3aa2_b.jpg
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - uber lighting

Excellent stuff mate, I wasn't sure about the sterns in the back when you planted them but it looks smashing like Fred said.

How's the lily? I was planning to buy one of those but I'm not sure about the distribution.

Cheers,
Mike
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - uber lighting

Amazing. I'd love to have it in my home 😀 . Pity we wont find out about Arcuata now 🙂
Looking forward to your new creation...
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - uber lighting

Brillaint George, really like it 🙂
 
Re: [IWAGUMI] Scree Evolution - uber lighting

Thanks guys! 🙂

It's my favourite too, Tom. Shame you live so far away - I know how expensive fuel is these days...

Just done the shoot. Tried a black background too which was interesting. I will post some previews later. :thumbup:

IAPLC doesn't close until May 31st so I may keep it going in an attempt to improve the stems further.
 
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