Introduction Aquatic stem plants offer a huge variety of colors and leaf shapes, however, hobbyists often shy away from growing them. A common experience for newer hobbyists is that the stem plants grows well for a time period, then after a couple of trimming cycles, the bottom stems deteriorate and the aquarist is at a […]
Above: a System Shock from an unexpected drop in CO2 triggered plant melt (above- bottom right) and BBA to spawn on the Alternanthera reineckii. In the picture below, we see the leaves of Samolus parviflorus red– and other plants- suddenly carpeted by fine hair algae- the classic symptom of what we call a ‘system shock’. This happens […]
Above: brown algae (Diatoms) and plant melt is common in new tanks. When starting a a new tank, it is common for users to have seemingly ‘perfect’ water parameters and still face significant plant melt and algae. This is because the microbial (“beneficial bacteria”) community isn’t established yet. It is hugely important, but cannot be […]
Above: During transition, healthy plants in perfect parameters will easily look terrible for 2 to 3 weeks- with algae, deteriorating leaves and lacklustre colours. But it is a natural, temporary phase of adaptation. Plants typically undergo transition for 2 to 3 weeks in new tanks, when they are moved / replanted, and when tank parameters […]
Growing stem plants in thickets in the background of the aquarium provides a defined composition to the layout. The bushes of stem plants are not only beautiful but at the same time, they play the role of purifying water by way of vigorous nutrient absorption and increasing the dissolved oxygen level through active photosynthesis. These […]
Just as with other types of aquatic plants. the growth of stem plants varies depending on the type of substrate. Although there are some exceptions for certain species of plants, stem plants generally grow faster in a substrate system that uses Aqua Soil compared to using gravel substrate, such as River Sand, or other types […]
Basically, when the light for a planted aquarium is made brighter, the CO2 supply amount needs to be increased accordingly. Sufficient amounts of CO2 is particularly essential for the healthy growth of sun-loving stem plants that vigorously perform photosynthesis and grow large over a short period of time. If CO2 is insufficient in an aquarium […]
The common image people have about stem plants is that these plants grow upward by extending their stems towards the water line. But how stem plants grow varies depending on the environment. The biggest environmental factor is light. Stem plants have a fundamental trait to grow upward towards the water line to seek a brighter […]