Growing Eriocaulon sp.

[Martin]

A while ago I had 2 E. sp. Guang Zhou.

1 died slowly, but the other persisted for almost 1 year before withering away.

Here's the specs

85G ; 2x125W HQL Giesemann pendants
Co2 via 4Kg bottle ; Milwaukee SMS122 Co2 controller ; Co2 venturi
Flourite RED
_
1/2 tsp KNO3 3x week
¼ tsp KH2PO4 3x week
20ml CSM+B 3x week
50% W/c every sunday.

PH is 6
KH is 9

My CO2 should kill my fish, but no.. so I guess perhaps my KH reading might be off.

anyway, What's your experience with growning this species.

Can it be grown @ GH/KH of 10?

Alot of folks write about slightly acidic substrate, my flourite probably isn't very acidic, but it does contain a bit of peat.. which always ends up floating around the tank when I uproot/prune.

What's the secret.
I read Tom was growing them at an alarming rate, so does alot of folks of TPT.

Out with it! :gw

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: Growing Eriocaulon sp.

Low KH, say 2-3 range or so seems good.

Acid substrates???, blah..........I've grow it well in Flourite also..........so have others..........folks often seem to not know what they are talking about when they suggest things about growing plants.

This is one such exmaple.

They first said this about Tonia.

I do not think acidty has anything to do with it, but the low KH does. GH does not seem to be an issue as long as some's there.

Finding the real players in the growth of a plant, algae inducing, what causes what seems to be a real issue as folks often all get on the "bandwagon" so to speak and everyone seems to suddenly think it's axcid substrates for the key.

Folks have long had acid soil substrates and I just happen to be one having used peat for a many years.

So when folks started off on this, I knew right away that it was wrong.
But..........in order to show that, I needed to know what was the right answer.............

I'm not sure of the upper ranges of KH that you can still grow things like Tonia, Erios, R macrandra well etc, but a KH or 3-4 seems to be fine for many.

The ADA soils seems to grow plants better not due to the acid etc, but rather the texture and plant preferences for NH4.

We can and have added peat etc to flourite and other soils, so we can rule out that for being a significant issue.

Then what's left?
KH is low
Softer texture(But the plants grow well in flourite)
NH4 (as above, they grow well without it)

Those are the only differences.

So KH............

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Martin]

Re: Growing Eriocaulon sp.

hmm

I wont start adding RO water just to lower the KH.

is there other options?

a KH of 10 is too high? hmm..

I'll definately try the E. sp. out again. I really want to make them grow in my tank..

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: Growing Eriocaulon sp.

Lowering KH is your only real option.

Yes, 10 is too high.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Martin]

Re: Growing Eriocaulon sp.

Lowering KH is your only real option.

Yes, 10 is too high.

Regards,
Tom Barr

ok..darn..

any tips on lowering KH, apart from RO ?

 

[Wet]

Re: Growing Eriocaulon sp.

NH4 (as above, they grow well without it)

Tom: In light of this, have you changed your opinion about using Jobes Fern sticks provided they stay under the substrate? How do you recommend one add NH4 to the substrate if testing?

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: Growing Eriocaulon sp.

Tom: In light of this, have you changed your opinion about using Jobes Fern sticks provided they stay under the substrate? How do you recommend one add NH4 to the substrate if testing?

There was never any issue with jobes, as long as they stay put.

I use ADA aqua soil, it has a low level of NH4 and good teture.
You can also use good old soil if you are into the NH4 issue or are cheap and likie to try different things.

But.....Erios will not do well at high KH's, the best way to reduce the KH is to cut the tap with RO.

Or find another similar plant that is not as picky.



Regards,
Tom Barr