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Crypyts and Buce High Tech

NotoriousENG

Member
Joined
17 Jul 2021
Messages
144
Location
Eastern USA
Hi everyone,

I'm planning to focus on rooted plants and epiphyte such as crypts, buce, anubias, etc. Looking for some more inspiration so I was hoping people could share their favorite varieties of these plants.

I also love reading journals so if anyone can recommend a journal for a high tech tank with few or no stems I would appreciate it! I've tried to do some searching but have been having a hard time finding any.

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I love Buces but I have a lot of difficulty with them. I've read they prefer water 26 degrees C or lower so perhaps one of the reasons is that my tank water temp may be on the high side at 26.5-27.0.

I would definitely like to learn more about how to care for them, whether some species are ok with warmer water, whether they are ok with lean water column dosing (i.e. nitrates <10mg/l), etc.

I also have a couple of large Buces which I bought which I have not yet identified.... (the shop had no idea what they were either, they were in a consignment together with the more common Brownie Ghost and Kedagang Red). Any ID help greatly appreciated.


AI0Q8588 02 jul 21 new buce web.jpg
 
I love Buces but I have a lot of difficulty with them. I've read they prefer water 26 degrees C or lower so perhaps one of the reasons is that my tank water temp may be on the high side at 26.5-27.0.

I would definitely like to learn more about how to care for them, whether some species are ok with warmer water, whether they are ok with lean water column dosing (i.e. nitrates <10mg/l), etc.

I also have a couple of large Buces which I bought which I have not yet identified.... (the shop had no idea what they were either, they were in a consignment together with the more common Brownie Ghost and Kedagang Red). Any ID help greatly appreciated.


View attachment 172128
Interesting about the temperature, that might actually work to my advantage as I am considering running the tank unheated for white clouds and neo shrimp.

Those Buce are gorgeous! I wish I could help with care advice or an ID but buce are pretty new to me as well so I'll have to learn as I go. I had a single buce in my last tank before I had to stop keeping a tank due to school. Since buce were just starting to become available through other hobbyists at the time (circa mid 2010s) I thought it was pretty grand. It did okay for me but wasn't amazing so I'm hoping to do better this time around!

I had much better luck with crypts so hopefully, that trend continues to this new tank. Sadly my favorite of the ones I used to keep, C. balansae, will get way too tall for this tank. I've been eyeing C. retrospiralis as it sounds like it should stay shorter than C. balansae. Likely still too tall sadly.

Edit: balansae spelling
 
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Interesting about the temperature, that might actually work to my advantage as I am considering running the tank unheated for white clouds and neo shrimp.

Those Buce are gorgeous! I wish I could help with care advice or an ID but buce are pretty new to me as well so I'll have to learn as I go. I had a single buce in my last tank before I had to stop keeping a tank due to school. Since buce were just starting to become available through other hobbyists at the time (circa mid 2010s) I thought it was pretty grand. It did okay for me but wasn't amazing so I'm hoping to do better this time around!

I had much better luck with crypts so hopefully, that trend continues to this new tank. Sadly my favorite of the ones I used to keep, C. balanese, will get way too tall for this tank. I've been eyeing C. retrospiralis as it sounds like it should stay shorter than C. balanese. Likely still too tall sadly.

C. Retrospiralis is ok for my 40cm tall tank. Occasionally some leaves may grow too long but those can be cut. They have even sent out runners which popped out 10cm away from the 'mother' plant. You can also try the more uncommon (and more expensive) C. Spiralis "Tiger".

Just a note about in vitro crypts, I have had no luck with them. Potted/grown plants are much better for me. For some reason, I could not grow the Tropica in vitro C.Balansae, it simply wouldn't grow compared to the Retrospiralis which I got in a pot. and planted around the same time. When I transplanted the Balansae to an emersed pot, it also wouldn't grow. The plant is not dead but there is no growth either.

I recently acquired one of my favourite plants which seems to have fallen out of fashion in aquascaping, Echinodorus Hadi Red Pearl, because the red leaves are really stunning, and the price is more modest compared to the rarer Red crypts like C. Albida 'Red'.
 
DSC00475.JPG

A tank that only has slow growing plants would be pretty challenging. Always good to have some fast growers to soak up the nutirents and to provide "fast feedback" on how the tank is doing.

I had an Echinodorus Hadi Red Pearl in my tank 10 years ago but it died due to me neglecting the tank. I decided to acquire another recently and 3 days after planting, I see the first red leaf. For Buces you might see the first new leaf weeks after you plant it.
 
View attachment 172139
A tank that only has slow growing plants would be pretty challenging. Always good to have some fast growers to soak up the nutirents and to provide "fast feedback" on how the tank is doing.

I had an Echinodorus Hadi Red Pearl in my tank 10 years ago but it died due to me neglecting the tank. I decided to acquire another recently and 3 days after planting, I see the first red leaf. For Buces you might see the first new leaf weeks after you plant it.
Thanks for the reminder on the fast growers. I was planning to start with a bunch of fast growing stems and floaters to soak up nutrients while the tank gets established. As things get going I'll ween the number of faster growers down. Does that sound like a reasonable plan?

Gorgeous sword plant! How tall does it get your experience? The tank I'm working on is a 20 gallon long so it's only 12 inches (30 cm) before substrate.

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Thanks for the reminder on the fast growers. I was planning to start with a bunch of fast growing stems and floaters to soak up nutrients while the tank gets established. As things get going I'll ween the number of faster growers down. Does that sound like a reasonable plan?

Gorgeous sword plant! How tall does it get your experience? The tank I'm working on is a 20 gallon long so it's only 12 inches (30 cm) before substrate.

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It grew to about 20cm in my tank but it can put out a lot of leaves which you will have to trim. I think its not popular as many want to grow carpeting plants and Echinodorus throw plenty of shade that will affect the carpet.
 
C. Retrospiralis is ok for my 40cm tall tank. Occasionally some leaves may grow too long but those can be cut. They have even sent out runners which popped out 10cm away from the 'mother' plant. You can also try the more uncommon (and more expensive) C. Spiralis "Tiger".
C spiralis "Tiger" is a bit of a beast in my experience,it will easily grow 60cms plus so not really suited to a shallowish tank :)
 
C spiralis "Tiger" is a bit of a beast in my experience,it will easily grow 60cms plus so not really suited to a shallowish tank :)
That's unfortunate that it also gets as tall.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a shorter background crypt?
 
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