which one is easier to grow?

[Bhavik]

im looking at getting either crinum natans or aponogeton boivinianus as i like the way the leaves look i just wanted to ask before i get it which one is the easier to grow?
Atm i am dosing liquid carbon and ferts daily. But would either live if i were to stop dosing the carbon?

also anyone had experience growing littorella uniflora in an aquarium?

thanks

 

[Mick.Dk]

They are both very easy plants to grow. Be aware, that the A. boivianus grow VERY large (=leaves can become 1 m. + ..............). They both grow perfectly without added CO2. If you choose A. boivianus, make sure you get a bulb with a few leaves showing, to indicate it is alive.
The Littorella uniflora is really not difficult to grow either. It actually tolerate quite low light and grow well without added CO2. Be aware, that the leaves of this plant is VERY fragile, breaking if not handled carefully. This can make it a bit difficult to "work around" the plant in a tank.

 

[Bhavik]

do both of them require root tabs or would i be fine just dosing liquid ferts as my substrate is sand which is planted with other plants as well.
if you were to go for one which one would you go for? not sure which one to go for dont mind either just want it to stay alive in my tank and grow!

can the Littorella uniflora kept in a discus tank? atm its at 26-27C

 

[Mick.Dk]

They can grow without root tabs, allrigjt - but adding one right under, will improve growth considerably for both.
I really can't tell you, which I personally prefere, since it is basically a matter of "taste", and which one YOU prefere.......... They are both nice plants and equally easy to grow. Just enjoy which-ever you choose.
Littorella uniflora is naturally growing in temperate climates, but it can tolerate your 26 - 27 C. fine. It will grow a bit "skinnier" and a bit taller, though. Whether your discus will appreciate the "thorny" leaves of Litorella might be something to consider........

 

[zozo]

Atm i am dosing liquid carbon and ferts daily. But would either live if i were to stop dosing the carbon?

Dosing glut on true aquatics is always a risky gamble. Glut kills organic cell walls, that's why it is an algicide, thus it can also kill cells from fragile soft plants beyond repair.. Typicaly the true aquatics, because they have as @Mick.Dk already points out, fragile soft leaves.

To find out what is a true aqautic and what not look here
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/index.php
Bottom right there is a selection box for "Can be grown emersed:" It says NO by default, click GO and you get a list of true aqautics.

 

[roadmaster]

Have grown Crinum in low tech /hard water lot's of times, for it was one of but a few plant's that the cichlids I was caring for at the time did not seem to like the taste of.
Plecos did not seem to like it much either.
I have not tried this plant with Glut .

 

[Bhavik]

So you say I shouldn’t use liquid carbon with this plant but it looks like I have low levels of co2 in my tank so I would I balanced that then?
But I don’t think this will survive in my tank even though it says low co2

 

[zozo]

See it in a way it realy is.. A true aqautic plant evolved in nature submersed in water.. So it evolved to coop with the low natural equilibrium of available CO² in it. Thus this plant is used to grow in lower CO² invironments.. It definitively will benefit from extra co2 and grow faster, but if you can coop with it growing slower it doesn't realy need a that high CO². So for the question does the plant need it? Not realy.. Do you need it? To satisfy your expectation is a question you should answer.

Understanding liquid carbon sources, all are based on and contain the chemical Glutaraldehyde.. Which is originaly a desinfectant it kills organic cells by disolving the cell wall or something like that. The first intent to use this in an aquarium was probably this killing propperty, it kills algae.. Comming with it accidently it was discovered that the majority of aquatic (bog) plants show accelerated grow when this is added to the water. It seems to do something simmular as CO² but it absolutely isn't. But to keep it easy for a trade they called it liquid carbon.

Bog plants are evolved to grow emersed and most of them developed a more complex and stronger cell structure to withstand lower humidity invironment etc. It's strong enough to coop with the glutaraldehyde damaging propperties. Algae is evolved submersed it has a rather fragile cell structure and is therefor damaged beyond repair. Same goes for softer and more fragile plants, these also can suffer damage from glutaraldehyde. True aquatic plants are all evolved submersed and never realy needed that complex hard cell structure to coop with drouth. These plants are obviously in the highest risk to be negatively affected with the use of glutaraldehyde.

So as said, not saying you shouldn't. It's trail and error.. But than you should be aware of understanding the risk why glut can have negative effects on true aquatic plants. So you do not end up chasing a wild goose asking your self what the hell is wrong and end up adding this and that to impprove things, while you simply are killing them with adding glut.

 

[Bhavik]

hi there thanks for the reply i understand it a bit better
The only reason im actually adding liquid carbon is because i do get problems with BBA. Also the plants leaves begin to turn brownish or so and im not sure what the cause of that is.

thanks

 

[Bhavik]

Hi there any help please?

 

[zozo]

It's a tough question to answer which one is easier.. it depends on a few things which can differ from tank to tank.. Both plants are labeled as easy, all tho Aponogeton is a rather bit more demanding true aquatic. I have no personal experiense with Crinium, but i have a Aponogeton spp. in low energy tank i just canot get to go. It doesn't die and it stays rather very small.. It makes a leaf and before it has any significan't body it melts away again and a new tiny leaf appears. If i take out the bulb i do see healthy root growth, but i can't get it to take off. The day i got it, it was a beatiful large healty plant. @ months later all i had left was a liliputter with barely 3 tiny leaves over the substrate.
´
It completely beats me why that is.. Could be i have rather soft water and maybe this Aponogeton likes it hard, my temperature is 23°C maybe this plant likes it warmer, or it could be it recieves not enough light.. Substrate i doubt, because in it's natural habitat it grows on soil as well on rocks. I have what i have, i use what i get from the tap and sufficiently fertilize the water and put tabs in the substrate.. About everything grows well except a few among it this Aponogeton, now after over a year it is still alive and i'm still waiting for it hoping it will finaly addapt one day and take off. I'm not planning to change anything just because one plant gives me the run arounds. And where ever i look for information it says it should be an easy plant.. But hence, obviously not for me.

My advice, buy them both give it a go and keep the one that suits you te best. Or enjoy them both...