mi5haha;58851 said:
Suitable water hardness actually can slow down the growth of some aquarium plants. so within limited water hardness range (in condition that the aquarium plants can grow normally in that water hardness), let's say under 12 GH for some species, it grows slower than that in GH6 water. so it is getting more light before it reaches the water surface to be trimmed.
420nm blue spectrum has something to do with stimulating the generating of anthocyanin. it will not require much blue spectrum, but it would be better with some in lighting.
Yes, but hardness in general is not the issue with "redder" plants.
It is a still a generalized growth issue and it actually does not slow most aquatic plants down, just a few, and if you add CO2...........then this is hardly an issues except for a few species.
In research, harder waters grow plants better, not worse, but often such systems lack added CO2, which would enahnce/add even more DIC in it's most preferred form.
There are MANY examples of this.
But.the topic is color variable red plants and what shifts there coloration.
Higher GH's seem to help some IME, but hard to say.
It might just be a function of bette roverall growth at higher GH's.
KH?
That's a function of DIC mostly.
So little as far as color variation.
Do you know the anthocyanin pathway?
Look it up.
Plants produce this in the newest tissue 1st.
So growth rates are a function of rednees in tip growth.
Slower growing plants have less red tip growth.
Chl has not been added yet.
At slower rates of growth, the chl is added and has a chance to be added sooner in terms of development.
This is not so much a direct function on light intensity, as it is a direction function of rates of growth. Growth and light intesity are related/closely proportional, but only when CO2/nutrients etc are non limiting as well.
As CO2/nutrients limit plant growth, the ight becomes a lesser influence.
Since anthocyanins are mostly reduced carbons...........and related to growth rates.......CO2 is the more typical critical nutrient for aquarist.
As far as blue light, plenty of foklks have added atinics with 420 and 460 nm wavelengths without much success.
That's testable.
The generally well balanced bulbs, seem to have the best effect IME/IMO.
But........you can mix and match with mutli bulb fixtures pretty easily, and many have.
I guess if the bulb lacked any Blue range...then sure, but those tend to ugly CRI's.
So few buy those anyway.
Still, this all gets back to the basics of growing plants in a managable way, rather than pushing everything towards the idea that redder plants is some super goal aquarist should embark on and tweak their N, raise the PAR/add more light etc.
I think seeing what you can do with less light is wiser, then, after you have mastered that and exhausted those options, then try a little more. Seems like a lot of work and headache for such little gain.
Adding to this are folks and their Photoshopping to intensify red colors in the pics.
Unless you see it in person, be suspicious or color.
Regards,
Tom Barr
Regards,
Tom Barr
