Buce growing techniques

Zenzu25

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Feb 20, 2015
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Hey all, not new, just haven't been on in a long while, site changed and I lost log in details... Anyway.


I'm starting this post to discuss growing techniques for Bucephalandra species. I've held my self back from buying them for years now and I finally took the plunge, to my surprise there is very minimal care info online as far is optimal conditions and planting/propagation techniques go.


I do know that in the wild they are found in fast moving streams attached to rocks or wood with emergent growth until flood season hits. Would that mean the fastest way to get growth from Bucephalandra would be to grow them emersed?


I have several sp in a tank, currently have them tied to lava rock, modified EI dosing, pressurized co2 med/high light.


With a plant that grows 1 new leaf every 1-2 weeks it seems like I will be waiting a very long time before I would be able to use any of the sp for an aquascape. Any who let me know what information or techniques you guys use.


-Zenzu
 

jerrybforl

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I too have just taking the plunge. I think for scaping purposes it's best to buy a big group to use. For farming, I would grow emersed. I've been reading that Skeleton King aka Achilles needs to be semi aquatic. This is easy enough in a scape as it can be tied to a protruding branch..half in half out of the water.


I bought a few rhizomes a couple of months ago, and I've had some nice growth on them. High CO2, EI, and very good lighting. I just bought a big nice batch of several variety's to use for scaping. This tank project will be Dr. Barr inspired.
 

Tom Barr

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They are easy to grow, but they just take a bit more patience to scape with and allow them to fully fill in. Same as Anubias basically.
 

Zenzu25

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Feb 20, 2015
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Tom Barr said:
They are easy to grow, but they just take a bit more patience to scape with and allow them to fully fill in. Same as Anubias basically.

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. I suppose I will just set up the tank and let i run its course. If I can stay busy enough with work maybe I won't notice how slowly things are growing.
 

oliverpool

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Zenzu25 said:
Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. I suppose I will just set up the tank and let i run its course. If I can stay busy enough with work maybe I won't notice how slowly things are growing.


I suggest you do not see what tom manage to landscape with in this tank of his..... opps... you just did...

Tom Barr said:
Started with this, but I sold about 100+ plants before the pic above was shown including all of the White Anubias and I kept just the stumps.
 

Zenzu25

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Feb 20, 2015
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Mother of god....


Tom is one crazy son of a gun thats a lot of buce, i can only imagine the glory that would have been to witness filled in before he sold off plants.
 

oliverpool

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this is............ speechless. thats what I hope to achieve sometime in my life! Are they all buces?


Assuming this is what I aim to do, could you share a little on your ferts/co2 and light? I will assume low EI once a week will do? This is low light as well in the 20-30 par levels? co2 levels still at 30ppm or 1ph drop roughly?
 

Tom Barr

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There's some Riccardia in there, I've tried to remove it all a few times. Otherwise, 100% Buce. I dose 2x a week, about 25-30 ppm (2x a week) of KNO3. PO4 about 3-4 ppm, Traces, a fair amount also. CO2 runs about 45 ppm in this tank, temp is about 72-74F.
 

Zenzu25

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Feb 20, 2015
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I'm totally doing the opposite, I'm in collectoris mode gathering all the species I can. I'm getting decent growth though. New leaves and shoots sprouting I'm excited at the growth thus far.
 

Bloomer

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How about light? I have a few different types of Buce, nothing special, some are in direct light and some mostly shaded like my anubias typically is situated. All of it is tied to something, again like anubias, some plants with longer roots have them semi-buried, others have their roots in the open. The tanks are all low tech, no CO2, light levels all about 2 w/gal flourescents. Most of the really nice online pics seem to be in low light, almost dark in some cases, maybe to make nicer images.


There really isn't much info available and Buce is getting more reasonably priced so I'd like more, but mine isn't doing much. I don't have any problems with other plants, maybe Buce is just really slow?
 

jumpsmasher

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Mar 17, 2015
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I just got started with Buce as well; I have them mostly in my nano and shrimp tanks. The nano tanks get decent lighting while the shrimps tanks are all fairly low light. They seems to be fine in both but would adding CO2 help speed up their growth?
 

Zenzu25

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Feb 20, 2015
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I'm noticing very rapid growth on a high tech tank. I had to dial my light back a bit to avoid green spot algae. I run an 8 hour cycle with co2 and I dose pps-pro