L. Aromatica
- Thread starter abcemorse
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B
Brian20
Guest
Yes I get very nice red tops and purple undersides with PAR values of 150 and up.
MH 3x150 6500k.
B
Brian20
Guest
I think, it also can be the light spectrum? if you have a good sourse of blue the plants gets red more fast and more pronounced
I'm currently running 192W of 6700K PC and recently added 48W T5 HO (24W 10000K and 24W "freshwater pink", I think it's 6700K) on a 92G corner bow, good CO2 (no algae at least!) and lighter EI dosing. The PC's are about due for replacement (pushing 1 1/2 yr), maybe I'll make em all 10000K. Growth is good, just want to bring out color.
this plant turns a bronzish/green color if the light is too high or nitrates are too low.
gets red at about 2 wpg and below 1.5 or so for optimal color, keep everything else the same, co2 ferts etc...
gets red at about 2 wpg and below 1.5 or so for optimal color, keep everything else the same, co2 ferts etc...
Hi,
IMO it is not a good thing to CREATE a deficiency simply to enhance color as I would have a concern that the plant may suffer in some other way. Wouldn't that violate Leibigs(?) min law and cause some issue?
I would like to mention that I am a topper/replanter with my aromatica and other stems so the same top is 'reused' for quite some time over several months. I have noticed that the color is more intense as the plant is older, bigger, and thicker as opposed to the first or second topping.
Since the same top is replanted several times, perhaps the maturity/size plays a role in color?
I have just replanted all NEW shoots and are almost ready for their FIRST topping so I will capture some pics now and at each cutting to see.
Later,
IMO it is not a good thing to CREATE a deficiency simply to enhance color as I would have a concern that the plant may suffer in some other way. Wouldn't that violate Leibigs(?) min law and cause some issue?
I would like to mention that I am a topper/replanter with my aromatica and other stems so the same top is 'reused' for quite some time over several months. I have noticed that the color is more intense as the plant is older, bigger, and thicker as opposed to the first or second topping.
Since the same top is replanted several times, perhaps the maturity/size plays a role in color?
I have just replanted all NEW shoots and are almost ready for their FIRST topping so I will capture some pics now and at each cutting to see.
Later,
Breakthru;40096 said:
My plants did not read the poster who first stated that!
my plants don't go by the forums so they don't follow a lot of the rules that some people claim!
Low Nitrates (zero)= deficiency= declining plant health= declining color pigmentation
nothing IN MY EXPERIENCE shows or proves that low nitrates or high Fe leads to higher reds. The only Factor from my experience that noticeably changes color pigmentation was light and Co2.
Ive kept "red" plants in both high and low nitrate and Fe situations without much of a noticeable change in color pigmentation.
Now i don't read much of the forums these days, usually just early in the morning before i go out . So I don't know what people are claiming.
All i know is my plants don't lie, if somethings up my plants or fish will tell me before a test kit or forum will!
so before you attack me telling me that this fertilizer causes this color change or whatever. My claims are the results from my experiences keeping aquatic plants you might have a different opinion and i respect that!
however from my experiences: as long as Light and Co2 were consistent the Color would be consistent too.
I originally say when nitrates are too low because it your at the rate of a deficiency color WILL be affected
Gerryd;40098 said:
I think you might be on to something here, I definitely notice a change in growth pattern for my mature echinodorus plants vs. juvis however i have not put much consideration to such a factor Maybe post some pics when you replant and elaborate on your thesis?
jazzlvr123;40100 said:
Wow, that's quite the response!!
I don't think s/he was attacking you...quite the contrary! You don't have to agree with someone else's suggestions.
Stable Carbon supply to the plant is part of the issue also.
Non CO2 planted tanks seem to manage to get very nice reds as well, once established.
Light will certainly drive the rates of growth faster, this means less time for Chl a to be formed in the new tips, also, as the tip growth gets closer to the lights, it has more intensity/higher PAR, the plant used the red color to protect from herbivores, UV light(not an issue for us however) and are among the first pigments in new tissue.
With slow rates of growth, we still have good color however.
It's hard to say why really.
Stable conditions, healthy general growth has always seemed best.
Good CO2 if you use it, good light etc.
I have some really deep coloration for this plant at 1.8w/gal, good CO2, ADA AS, EI dosing etc.
I've spent a lot of time fiddling with trying to keep and maintain a very low NO3 residual. Some found this a good way to induce it for a show, etc, but few seem to keep doing it say for "years",. most forget about it after a few bottoming out of the NO3 events.
They learn and stop.
Another way is using soil or ADA AS etc, and not add much light and not add much water column ferts. Plants still have plenty of N however. Over time, the reds will pop out as the N levels go down, but this is also when BGA appears also.
There's always a trade off.
There are many species of nice red plants to pick and chose from so I just focus on that and good general growth for all plants, not just red ones.
More Red seems to be a stress, not something that suggest healthier plants.
Regards,
Tom Barr
Non CO2 planted tanks seem to manage to get very nice reds as well, once established.
Light will certainly drive the rates of growth faster, this means less time for Chl a to be formed in the new tips, also, as the tip growth gets closer to the lights, it has more intensity/higher PAR, the plant used the red color to protect from herbivores, UV light(not an issue for us however) and are among the first pigments in new tissue.
With slow rates of growth, we still have good color however.
It's hard to say why really.
Stable conditions, healthy general growth has always seemed best.
Good CO2 if you use it, good light etc.
I have some really deep coloration for this plant at 1.8w/gal, good CO2, ADA AS, EI dosing etc.
I've spent a lot of time fiddling with trying to keep and maintain a very low NO3 residual. Some found this a good way to induce it for a show, etc, but few seem to keep doing it say for "years",. most forget about it after a few bottoming out of the NO3 events.
They learn and stop.
Another way is using soil or ADA AS etc, and not add much light and not add much water column ferts. Plants still have plenty of N however. Over time, the reds will pop out as the N levels go down, but this is also when BGA appears also.
There's always a trade off.
There are many species of nice red plants to pick and chose from so I just focus on that and good general growth for all plants, not just red ones.
More Red seems to be a stress, not something that suggest healthier plants.
Regards,
Tom Barr