Growing and caring for echinodorus bleheri bulbs

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boomer
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Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:48 pm

Re: Growing and caring for echinodorus bleheri bulbs

Post by boomer »

The Red Tiger Lotus is indeed a stunning plant, and its growth habits can vary depending on the light intensity and nutrients it receives. I've found that red leaf plants, like this one, appear red because they reflect red wavelength light, but this also means they require more of it to thrive. While green light can improve plant growth, red and blue light are essential for photosynthesis. To keep my Red Tiger Lotus happy, I made sure to encourage the floating leaves, which not only allowed them to absorb CO2 from the air but also gave them an aerial advantage under the light. This approach worked beautifully, even with my moderate light setup, and I was able to keep the plant alive for several years. The result was a tank with a stunning display of large, burgundy leaves covering the surface.

In terms of nutrition, I've found that substrate tabs like Flourish Tabs work wonders, especially when used every 3-4 months. A comprehensive liquid fertilizer can also be beneficial, but I would advise against using iron alone, as this can be detrimental to the leaves. I learned this the hard way, unfortunately. By the way, I think the Aponogeton would also greatly benefit from a Flourish Tab.
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Clack
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Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 2:42 pm

Re: Growing and caring for echinodorus bleheri bulbs

Post by Clack »

Clack wrote: Mon Aug 26, 2024 8:25 pm I picked up an echinodorus bleheri bulb about a month ago online and it's gone mental, giving great coverage at the top of my tank. Now I want to get one or two more, but I'm having zero luck finding them - and to make matters worse, I've got no idea where I bought the first one from. I'm in the UK and all the usual online stores seem to only have the plants, not bulbs. I'm keen to avoid any unwanted snails, so does anyone know of any online sellers that do bulbs or have a good reputation for pest-free plants?
I've got a pretty gentle tank as far as plant eating goes - just some pygmy cories and mystery snails that occasionally graze on my plants. So far, they haven't caused any damage, and this one seems to be thriving despite their attention. It's been growing quickly and giving me some great surface cover, but I'm not sure how it would hold up to a pleco - I don't have any experience with those guys yet.
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boomer
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Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:48 pm

Re: Growing and caring for echinodorus bleheri bulbs

Post by boomer »

Clack wrote: Mon Aug 26, 2024 8:25 pm I picked up an echinodorus bleheri bulb about a month ago online and it's gone mental, giving great coverage at the top of my tank. Now I want to get one or two more, but I'm having zero luck finding them - and to make matters worse, I've got no idea where I bought the first one from. I'm in the UK and all the usual online stores seem to only have the plants, not bulbs. I'm keen to avoid any unwanted snails, so does anyone know of any online sellers that do bulbs or have a good reputation for pest-free plants?
I was responding to Lexat's query regarding the aponogeton's suitability for ancistrus, and got sidetracked. To clarify, my experience is that cories are harmless to aponogeton. As for mystery snails, I must admit I don't have any knowledge of their impact.
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