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Accelerated Growth With No Lights...Please explain?

Quetzalcoatl

Member
Joined
12 Jul 2011
Messages
324
Location
South Cheshire
After a couple of un-forseen, and un-planned scenarios over the last couple of months I have been forced to complete 2 48hr lights out periods.

On both occassions I have witnessed phenomenal growth from my plants, like as much as 2" from my Ludwigia Inclinata, and new growth from Pogostemon stellata that prior to this was almost on it`s way out? :thumbup:

What causes this accelerate growth?
 
Etiolation - It is characterized by long, weak stems; smaller, sparser leaves due to longer internodes; and a pale yellow color (chlorosis)
From my immediate introduction, and extemely brief research of Etiolation one would concur that my general plant health would suffer due to this nulification of light? Quite the opposite. If anything plant health improved during the period? Excuse my ignorance, I have been sipping the Corona! :lol:
 
It's not growth, it's simply taking in water and stretching...........much like those long balloons. the balloon itself have not grown in terms of mass, it's just filled with pressurized air.

Same thing with plants, they will stretch at night, but growth is defined as a net increase in carbon. You need light in order to add carbon to plants/algae etc.
 
Thanks for clearing that up, I've Noticed this in the past.
 
Thanks for that. Is it in any way damaging to the plants? Should I expect to see a reduction in size then? If as you say, its comparable to inflating balloons?
 
I remember seeing a time lapsed video posted here with HC or glosso and the growth happened at night.

I thought plants make and store energy during the photoperiod then used stored energy for new growth at night. As always, could be way off with my thoughts.
 
I haven't had light over my 180l for 3 weeks now, and my Anubias have never looked better with several new leaves each. I might pioneer light-less planted tanks....

Tell me about? After 48hrs my Stellata had produced new side shoots?

I had heard similar Spyder. It doesn`t sound too out of the ordinary? The human body grows, and builds new muscle whilst we rest.
 
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