Growing Eriocaulon sp.

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

 

Re: Growing Eriocaulon sp.

Lowering KH is your only real option.

Yes, 10 is too high.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

Re: Growing Eriocaulon sp.

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