pariahrob
New Member
This is a great journal! Beautiful results but also a great read. Thanks for sharing the insights.
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Something... Something... Shallow UG Tank!
- Thread starter Geoffrey Rea
- Start date
3 months:
UG has just managed to carpet everywhere now, so twelve weeks isn’t too bad to budget for a full carpet.
Now considering turning the light down to 25% to see if it goes deeper green. It’s all relative with lights and 25% on an ONF Nano is still a decent amount. It’s very light green in colour at the moment but seems pretty healthy:
The UG in the hard tap water AS600 melted wholesale this week. Every single portion went bye bye all at once. Intrigued how it had lasted this long frankly and not really sure what tilted it towards melting all at once.
In the 45F though the emersed UG is colonising the main lava stone. Water level has just been topped up so it will have to work harder if it wants to keep its head above water:
Having a switch around with all the tanks soon and could poach some Blyxa for the background of this tank to make it a little less sterile. It would however mean altering the dosing or using root tabs under the Blyxa. Could upset the relative stability the UG is growing under with its measly K and micros.
UG has just managed to carpet everywhere now, so twelve weeks isn’t too bad to budget for a full carpet.
Now considering turning the light down to 25% to see if it goes deeper green. It’s all relative with lights and 25% on an ONF Nano is still a decent amount. It’s very light green in colour at the moment but seems pretty healthy:
The UG in the hard tap water AS600 melted wholesale this week. Every single portion went bye bye all at once. Intrigued how it had lasted this long frankly and not really sure what tilted it towards melting all at once.
In the 45F though the emersed UG is colonising the main lava stone. Water level has just been topped up so it will have to work harder if it wants to keep its head above water:
Having a switch around with all the tanks soon and could poach some Blyxa for the background of this tank to make it a little less sterile. It would however mean altering the dosing or using root tabs under the Blyxa. Could upset the relative stability the UG is growing under with its measly K and micros.
Really making me want to utilise my UG properly Geoffrey! Yours looks so beautiful.
Not sure it’s anything groundbreaking really @CooKieS , it’s a mono species tank as well so not had to contend with anything other than the UG.
I think of it as managing the conditions needed for the food source rather than the UG. If you don’t, then the problem trickles up the food web. The videos of submersed UG in the wild place it on its own, in pretty barren conditions, hanging on to some rock in fast flow. Those bladders, with immense power to suck food in by using a vacuum suddenly make a whole lot of sense in fast flow. Those are videos of UG underwater though, emersed may be a different matter.
I think of it as managing the conditions needed for the food source rather than the UG. If you don’t, then the problem trickles up the food web. The videos of submersed UG in the wild place it on its own, in pretty barren conditions, hanging on to some rock in fast flow. Those bladders, with immense power to suck food in by using a vacuum suddenly make a whole lot of sense in fast flow. Those are videos of UG underwater though, emersed may be a different matter.
G
Guest
Guest
It's proving very popular on the UKAPS Instagram page 😉
Cool, hopefully enough to go on in this journal for other folks to start a UG setup with some confidence.
Need to get it to at least a year before we can really say anything of merit though.
Need to get it to at least a year before we can really say anything of merit though.
zozo
Member
Lovely little setup!... 😘
It's feeding habits under the microscope.
And another one.
A remarkable plant isn't it? And having this happening in the tank without seeing is a pity.
It's feeding habits under the microscope.
And another one.
A remarkable plant isn't it? And having this happening in the tank without seeing is a pity.
Hi all,
It is lack of food items that has caused the plants to "bust".
cheers Darrel
This has been really interesting, it definitely could account for the <"boom and bust"> many of us have experienced with various Utricularia spp.
It is lack of food items that has caused the plants to "bust".
cheers Darrel
That’s really interesting, I didn’t realise they physically sucked prey in like that. How dependent is the plant on prey like that, versus typical N, P, K nutrients?
I know you have been actively promoting the micro-fauna @Geoffrey Rea so I wonder if many high tech tanks struggle to support it due to a lack of that micro prey?
EDIT: Damn, Darrel beat me to the punch 😝
I know you have been actively promoting the micro-fauna @Geoffrey Rea so I wonder if many high tech tanks struggle to support it due to a lack of that micro prey?
EDIT: Damn, Darrel beat me to the punch 😝
Hi all,
Utricularia gibba "catches" a lot of dissolved organic matter in its bladders, which may be why it does better than the other species in the aquarium.
cheers Darrel
That is only because I've killed a greater variety of Utricularia sp. than you have.
I've just read a paper that suggests the situation is <"more complicated that you might imagine">.
Utricularia gibba "catches" a lot of dissolved organic matter in its bladders, which may be why it does better than the other species in the aquarium.
cheers Darrel
That’s definitely the case, as I’ve never plucked up the courage to try it. I’m the guy that clicks on the ‘Easy’ filter when picking plants on the Tropica website! 😆
Not convinced a closed system like this aquarium can continually harbour enough life to maintain UG currently. Suspect it will require feeding from a paramecium culture periodically to keep it trucking. Longer term my bet remains on aquarium clay based soil substrate, for the through flow and life it can contain.
There’s also no loading in this tank, just shrimp with their inert droppings to siphon out of the carpet. No ammonia to contend with for the most part, so if it is very sensitive to ammonia then it isn’t being challenged.
Exception is the few times I’ve fed a smidgeon of JBL Novo Fect algae tabs for the shrimp. They create a cloud of fine particles that get about the tank. Thereafter there’s a noticeable greening up of the UG in the following days. Could be evidence that:
Either that or the algae tab dissolves, feeding the paramecium, which then feeds the UG.
“In the circle... The circle of life...”
😂 😂 😂
zozo
Member
Here is an article about nursing aquatic Bladderworts from carnivorousplantnursery.com 🙂
All tho U. graminifolia is not considered truly aquatic but when kept so it might require similar conditions. Since the true aquatics can also grow partially emerged as long as they are in soaked slurry soil. I recon the conditions described in this article are the conditions it is generally found in its ideal natural habitats. Conditions we mainly try to avoid in most aquariums. Dark Peaty water, rich in decaying leaf litter. Anything different is not ideal but as shown by Geoffrey, not a necessity.
I remember a few years back some articles from the Institute Of Botani CAS - Trebon Chez republic. Culturing aquatic carnivores and they even had a shop to require specimens they experimented with. But I guess these sites are taken down or replaced I can't seem to find them back. The articles still might be listed on the above website. I remember them recommending dried sedge as one of the best-accelerating mediums for cultivation and speed up the growth of microorganisms they feed on.
If kept terrestrial additional foil feeding is recommended with Maxsea Plant Food. It seems Ammonia is the Utricularia spp. main enemy burning it to death.
All tho U. graminifolia is not considered truly aquatic but when kept so it might require similar conditions. Since the true aquatics can also grow partially emerged as long as they are in soaked slurry soil. I recon the conditions described in this article are the conditions it is generally found in its ideal natural habitats. Conditions we mainly try to avoid in most aquariums. Dark Peaty water, rich in decaying leaf litter. Anything different is not ideal but as shown by Geoffrey, not a necessity.
I remember a few years back some articles from the Institute Of Botani CAS - Trebon Chez republic. Culturing aquatic carnivores and they even had a shop to require specimens they experimented with. But I guess these sites are taken down or replaced I can't seem to find them back. The articles still might be listed on the above website. I remember them recommending dried sedge as one of the best-accelerating mediums for cultivation and speed up the growth of microorganisms they feed on.
If kept terrestrial additional foil feeding is recommended with Maxsea Plant Food. It seems Ammonia is the Utricularia spp. main enemy burning it to death.
George Farmer
Founder
- Joined
- 21 Jun 2007
- Messages
- 6,741
Great job Geoff. Can I come over and film it please?!
zozo
Member
@Geoffrey Rea since you are so successful with it you also might like the Utricularia Volubillis. 🙂
Also a very beautiful but rather rare affixed aquatic Utricularia spp. would be a nice addition if you wish some plants with different texture in your current setup. It would require similar conditions and not harming each other.
I've tried this plant some years back but failed. The last time I tried are seeds from this seller.
Back then also life specimen were available from the Institute Of Botani CAS - Trebon Chez republic. But this i can't yet find back.
Anyway, it would be more than awesome to see somebody succeed with this. I guess you are the next best candidate around if interested.
Also a very beautiful but rather rare affixed aquatic Utricularia spp. would be a nice addition if you wish some plants with different texture in your current setup. It would require similar conditions and not harming each other.
I've tried this plant some years back but failed. The last time I tried are seeds from this seller.
Utricularia Volubilis * Twining bladderwort * Aquatic Carnivorous Rare 10 Seeds | eBay
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Utricularia Volubilis * Twining bladderwort * Aquatic Carnivorous Rare 10 Seeds at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
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Back then also life specimen were available from the Institute Of Botani CAS - Trebon Chez republic. But this i can't yet find back.
Anyway, it would be more than awesome to see somebody succeed with this. I guess you are the next best candidate around if interested.
Hi all,
cheers Darrel
You need to try Utricularia gibba first, before you move onto the hard stuff. I may have <"some available"> 😉.
cheers Darrel
Hey @George Farmer it’s in the bedroom... I love you mate but seeing you at the foot of our bed with a camera is surely going to cause irreversible mental damage 😂
Will think about moving the setup and get in touch.
Now this will be worth a punt! Will look into Volubillis, thanks @zozo
Jayefc1
Member
That is a lovely lil tank mate your green fingers have worked a lil mirical with the UG well done aquatic Titmarsh
First flower:
