Red plant?

tinkerman

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Dec 8, 2007
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Can anyone recomend a site or link on how to keep red plants red. I read that limiting nitrates and phosphates are what does this. Not really asking about a specific species but a link to have on hand for reference.
Thanks
Lyle
 

Tom Barr

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I think limiting NO3 does, but not one person has ever shown that with PO4 limitations.

Red color intensity, not red plant is more the question, some species are plenty red without limiting either nutrient:

Redhillside.jpg


Regards,
Tom Barr
 

tinkerman

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Dec 8, 2007
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Moorhead,MN
So are you saying having bulbs with a higher spectrom in the red is what does this. As I'm still alittle confused on what makes them red. I've read that light intencity, limiting nitrate, phosphate, and now a redder colored bulb. I have rotulla wallichii, ludwigia repens and narrow leaf rosy hygro(which is hyghrophillia polysperma I think), and I noticed some hygrophillia polysperma sunset at the lfs the other day. Just wanting to know how evryone gets their red plants nice and red like the 350 gal pics you have posted and the other pic you posted here, as I'm getting the growing part down and want to start on aquascaping alittle more. Very nice pic by the way Tom. Love the site too wel worth the $13 a yr I've been lurking around for about a mo reading posts and back issues of the Barr Reports so if the info I'm looking for is here then just point me in the right dirrection, as I spend 2-3 hrs a day reading posts and anything else I can find on planted tanks.
 

tinkerman

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Dec 8, 2007
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Thanks Tom and Detlef for your responces I like knowing the why part as to only knowing the how part. Which is probaly why I read so much and you get to find out little odd facts. Thanks again Tom and Detlef, I'll have to do a search latter and see what else I can find.
 

Tom Barr

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Personally, I do not try to make my plants "Red".
I just grow the heck out of them and they turn weird red colors sometimes and make notes and repeat it.

Generally:

High light can do it for some, harms others though
Good CO2.
High trace dosing
High GH
High PO4

Low NO3 is not part of the methods I use. I tried it, and felt it was never worth it. I'd rather have faster growth.

I can drop the NO3 down anytime I want, say for a photo opt. That pic above was just that, the plants tend to be maroon more than brighter red at high NO3.

No one that's ever seen my plants in person would ever characterize them as "pale".

They are pretty red.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 

Tom Barr

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This is from 20 ft deep growing on limestone gravel, the plants near the shore (and more light) are green though. Same species and genetic stock.

DSC01531.jpg


Here's that same plant without the low NO3 and with 1/2 the light:
DSCN0195.jpg


Now here's another plant, several species: high light, EI dosing, ADA AS:

resizedsideview20.jpg


Redsized20galmred.jpg


When you take pics, make sure the high light does not wash the color out also.
High light can do that also, so you do not get photos that show the red color.

Amano tends to deal with that by blasting the light for a little while,. buit lower light most of the day.

Not a bad trade off and slows the intense growth rates down also without depleting the CO2 too much/too long.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 

pelmato

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Feb 2, 2007
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if you want red colors to APPEAR red you must provide some red spikes in the spectrum
+1 :D

7.jpg (image)
9.jpg (image)

205gallons
320watts, T8 reef-sun +floral-sun
KH 55ppm
GH 80ppm
NO3 20-30ppm (KNO3)
CO2 20-30ppm
PO4 undetectable
soil: flourite

no fertilizer... like Fe or trace etc... nothing...

my 2cents :D
 

detlef

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Jan 24, 2005
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I actually believe there is more to growing reds than just nutrients and the amount of light:

The spectrum of irradiance should also influence which shape and color plants might take. I speculate more blue light grows better reds - and red colors can be seen pronounced of course under a bulb with red peaks.

In pelmato's case I suppose the t8 reef sun combo of 50/50 6500K with actinic light intensifies the turning into reds very well whereas the flora sun with high levels of orange and red wave lengths helps in viewing the striking red coloring. Thanks pelmato for the shots!

I hope in a not too far distant future I might test that hypothesis myself while taking some pictures for proof.


Found this a moment ago which explains the viewing part of the topic quite nicely James' Planted Tank - T5 Lighting On The Cheap





Best regards,
Detlef
 

Tom Barr

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detlef;22831 said:
I actually believe there is more to growing reds than just nutrients and the amount of light:

The spectrum of irradiance should also influence which shape and color plants might take. I speculate more blue light grows better reds - and red colors can be seen pronounced of course under a bulb with red peaks.

In pelmato's case I suppose the t8 reef sun combo of 50/50 6500K with actinic light intensifies the turning into reds very well whereas the flora sun with high levels of orange and red wave lengths helps in viewing the striking red coloring. Thanks pelmato for the shots!

I hope in a not too far distant future I might test that hypothesis myself while taking some pictures for proof.


Found this a moment ago which explains the viewing part of the topic quite nicely James' Planted Tank - T5 Lighting On The Cheap

This sounds reasonable to me. I'd buy that hypothesis.
We need a spectral curve rather than color temps, but we can use the brands of the bulbs also.

But yes, some blue+ a good red bulb will = a good color for the plants, we showed this in the 1990's with mixing bulb types.

Regards,
Tom Barr