@Geoffrey Rea has been <"
feeding his Paramecium"> to great effect.
Yes, the UG once adapted to submersed life did appear ‘fed’ after each addition of paramecium culture. For a while this worked, 2 months roundabouts. Then the UG got thin on the leaves, produced more bladders and wasn’t unhealthy but didn’t look happy either.
It reminds me of Herwick sheep in the Lake District. You try to winter them in shelter they die. Caring is cruelty and it’s built for a reasonable level of inconsistency.
Moved some of the predominantly bladder type submersed UG into an emersed setup with fresh Amazonia Powder - lots of ammonia but access to atmosphere. It reacted, produced more leaves, seems to convert quickly and be thriving emersed:
Fresh pot of UG from the nursery put in at the same time right next to it:
Personally on the fence regarding whether it could have got the nutrients to adapt solely from existing tissue or whether it is capable of selectiveness in each state. There’s certainly no abundance of critters in the assemblage of the substrate as it’s new and it’s loaded with nutrients. It’s fresh Aquarium soil and I suppose we’re down to acquisition of nutrients through eating algae or from more traditional means.
I think there’s a characteristic that’s directional present, evolutionarily it would be sensible when dealing with varying water levels with seasonal rain. A fringe species.
As for the 45P I dumped just over a centimetre of fresh powder over the bladder rich submersed UG. It is coming back with thick leaves and appears similar to other folks tanks with a lush, leafy carpet now it’s properly buried:
So the ammonia burn thing… seems to affect fresh pots of UG. Established, not much bothered and burying it further in nutrient rich soil with an established biome made it adapt. Creates thicker leaves, less range of stolons and less bladders. It can’t be attributed solely to the established system being able to deal with ammonia as no water changes were performed.
It really is an amazingly adaptable plant and every one of the ‘rules’ people have put forward about it fails the tests it’s being put through in this house.
So a plant that loves nutrients, but is selective depending on its current state.