Aponogetons

[Ralph]

I must have been dazed.

I walked into our LFS to buy several Anubias for a new tank I'm setting up with no gravel and plants tied to driftwood. Somehow I left the store with two Aponogetons. The worst part, I didn't even realize my mistake until after I tied the plants to some driftwood (the bulbs should have been a clue).
I think it is the large number of tanks, the colorful fish, all the things I have to remember to buy, the stuff on sale (I did buy Hikari packets for $2.50 US each), Christmas decorations, or maybe the overall high prices. It just leaves me with my eyes glazed over, and it takes an hour or two to wear off.
My question: can the Aponogetons survive tied to the driftwood or do I need to go back to the store?

[ChloroPhil]

Take them back to the store. They might be able to survive tied to something, but the required nutrient levels in the water column would probably make your heart skip a beat. :)

[yellow sub]

I don't think that the aponogetons will due to well unplanted. If you want you can try to grow them in clay pots. I have done this in the past with some good results.

Stephen

[RAWesolowski]

Since you are bare bottom, I would keep the aponogetons in a couple of clay pots. I love the way that they look! Be sure not to bury the bulbs, it will kill them. Just place the bulb on the surface of the material in the pot. If the bulbs are rooted , you may bury the roots, but not the bulb.

[ChloroPhil]

RAW,

That's just what I did with my tank..I'll have pics on Christmas or the day after. Santa's bringing a digital camera and a Diatom filter! Woo Hoo!

[Ralph]

Is everybody getting a digital camera for Christmas? We are going to have a lot of new pictures on the board.

Thanks for the advice. I'm am going to put the Apons in a new natural tank I'm working on (no electricity). I'll start next week, I'm going to post it's progress from construction through operation. It is a ten gal (no discus) which is the most difficult size to work with. Updates to follow (with photos I hope).

[ChloroPhil]

Ralph, be ready to prune the heck out of your Aponogetons; otherwise they'll outgrow your for sure. I've had some get over 24" tall in a tank that was poorly taken care of.

[mas]

they're awesome plants though.. discus seem to really enjoy swimming through the leaves. would be worth it to somehow work them into your tank setup :))

[ChloroPhil]

They are great for that, but I'd use a sword or a crypt instead for that effect. I like aponogetons, and goodness knows that they're cheap as sin, I'm just not big on the way they look.

[LETHERBARR0W]

Biotypical,

You have made me envious, I have just paid £7 for 1 Apon Ulvaceus, are we all talking about the same plant ?. I must admit they do look great but my fish just love eating the leaves. Below is a picture (the elastic bands on the wood are to hold on the Java Moss).

Johnny Boy.

[ChloroPhil]

A. ulvaceus is too rich for my blood. :) I tend to stick with the 75 cent A. crispus. I've been tempted to get the A. madagascarensis for $11.00 at the LFS, but I really don't need it.

[Ralph]

Phil, you were sure right about the size, the first new leaf is about 10" (existing leaves 3"). I have an 18 gal that I can put it in, at least temporarily. They were definately the wrong plants.

[tjudy]

:)
Since we are on the topic.... can anyone help identify these..

This one has a wide, wavy, dark green leaf. Sold as A. longipumulosis, but I am not convinced... since the same store had the plant of the next post as that same species three weeks earlier. The bulb of this plant is cylindrical and naked (a crispus is hairy). The plant grows from th tip of the crown (not like ulvaceous which grows from the edge of the crown).

[tjudy]

:)
This is what I bought as A. longipumulosis three weeks ago. I think that it might actually be A. undulatus.

[tjudy]

:)
Here is my favorite though.. A. boivinianus....

[-Ignacio-]

hI:

Well , your aquarium photos are very nice , especially your aponogetum.

Many thanks and good luck

Ignacio
ACDA

[Ralph]

I've got three bulb type plants and one rooted plant in my tank and they are all doing great with no substrate at all. It's been three weeks now and it still may be stored energy from the bulbs. But I am starting to wonder if the gravel does anything beside anchor the plants. Maybe some roots are sensitive to light though these four don't show any signs of problems.
I don't understand, they should be at least slowing down their growth by now.

[tjudy]

:)
Hi Ralph,

A lot of the bulb grown aponogetons that grow fast. like ulvaceous, longipumulosis, and crispus are heavey stem adn leaf feeders. They also root feed. Most gravel does not have much nutrient, unless it is something like flourite, which basically just provides the iron. If you are using a liquid fertilizer, that would explain why they are still growing.

[beta]

tjudy, i think it could be Aponogeton echinatus