Hygrophila polysperma alternative?

[mark4785]

I planted some Hygrophilla polysperma throughout my aquarium and I am finding that several translucent leaves are floating away from the plant and getting clogged up in powerheads etc. This is the only plant that is decaying like this so I'd like to ask if there is an alternative plant that resembles Polysperma, only the alternative will appreciate a low light aquarium, with injecting co2 and ample macro/micro fertiliser concentrations.

I highly suspect that the low light environment created by a dense carpet of Amazon Frogbit floating at the surface is the reason why the lower segment of Polysperma's leaves are detatching and losing their colour and the top half foilage is growing ultra small.

Any suggestions on a suitable, easy-to-grow replacement plant which resembles a Polysperma would be very much appreciated!

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

How long have you had the Hygro?

In my experience it is extremly hardy? I have found that when first introduced it will suffer alot of melt but when it has adjusted to your tanks conditions it grows like a weed!

I have also found that when I have carried out a major rescape, cut the plant hard, and replanted the stems it suffers bad! Like you say, the leaves will die off and fall from the plant, but when new growth emerges it`s as rampant as ever.

If you`ve not had it long I would give it a chance. The colour of healthy Polysperma is lovely!

 

[spyder]

Maybe Alternanthera Reineckii may fit in it's place although it's leaves are generally a little larger. I've had it growing fine in high/low tech tanks. Sessilis is also another variety that might work for you.

 

[mark4785]

How long have you had the Hygro?

In my experience it is extremly hardy? I have found that when first introduced it will suffer alot of melt but when it has adjusted to your tanks conditions it grows like a weed!

I have also found that when I have carried out a major rescape, cut the plant hard, and replanted the stems it suffers bad! Like you say, the leaves will die off and fall from the plant, but when new growth emerges it`s as rampant as ever.

If you`ve not had it long I would give it a chance. The colour of healthy Polysperma is lovely!

What is melt caused by and how would you describe melt?

Judging from the small upper leaf growth, I'd say the larger leaves at the bottom/mid-point are being shed because they can't be sustained, hence why they are dropping off and why they won't grow to that degree at the top.

Are there any similar plants that do not melt or go through this constant leaf-shedding process?

 

[mark4785]

Maybe Alternanthera Reineckii may fit in it's place although it's leaves are generally a little larger. I've had it growing fine in high/low tech tanks. Sessilis is also another variety that might work for you.

Thank you for those suggestions. What is the full name of this 'Sessilis' plant?

 

[spyder]

Same species, Alternanthera Sessilis

 

[mark4785]

Same species, Alternanthera Sessilis

I've had a look at the Alternanthera species of plant at Aquaessentials.co.uk and it states that they need a lot of light to grow. Thats what I don't have lol.

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

What is melt caused by and how would you describe melt?

I`m no Planted Guru, and neither will I pretend to be one but in my brief experience melt is exactly as it is described. The plant will quite literally melt away. Stems will wither, leaves will become pale, eventually become translucent, and they will seperate from the rotting plant. It will make a real mess. I have experienced this alot with Hygro. Hence my reply.

I think the main cause is poor Co2 distribution but as you mention (In a different thread) your Co2 distribution is adequate?

Is it the look of the Polysperma that you want to maintain? If you are open to alternatives I can recommend Ludwigia Inclinata. It is a really nice plant. Nothing like Polysperma, but It grows well in my tank so must be extremly hardy?
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/details.php?id=81

 

[mark4785]

What is melt caused by and how would you describe melt?

I`m no Planted Guru, and neither will I pretend to be one but in my brief experience melt is exactly as it is described. The plant will quite literally melt away. Stems will wither, leaves will become pale, eventually become translucent, and they will seperate from the rotting plant. It will make a real mess. I have experienced this alot with Hygro. Hence my reply.

I think the main cause is poor Co2 distribution but as you mention (In a different thread) your Co2 distribution is adequate?

Is it the look of the Polysperma that you want to maintain? If you are open to alternatives I can recommend Ludwigia Inclinata. It is a really nice plant. Nothing like Polysperma, but It grows well in my tank so must be extremly hardy?
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/details.php?id=81

It requires high light :silent:

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

It does just fine under 2 t5`s? It`s more about the CO2 and distribution. Which you have both in abundance?

 

[ceg4048]

...I highly suspect that the low light environment created by a dense carpet of Amazon Frogbit floating at the surface is the reason why the lower segment of Polysperma's leaves are detatching and losing their colour and the top half foilage is growing ultra small...

Sorry, this suspicion is highly incorrect. As mentioned above, H.polysperma is a hardy beginners plant and is bulletproof to all things except for poor CO2. You therefore need to check primarily your flow distribution, and quite possibly your CO2 injection rate in order to fix this problem, because it will usually get worse.

H.polysperma, as well as most all Hygrophilas, is a fast growing plant, however, they can only sustain the fast growth rate if there is adequate nutrients and CO2. They are in a way therefore considered "indicator" plants as they indicate where the boundaries of your nutrient and CO2 application techniques are.

So, thinking that you have good flow and CO2 is meaningless. It only ever matters what the H.polysperma thinks - and it thinks your CO2/flow/distribution is poor.

Cheers,

 

[mark4785]

...I highly suspect that the low light environment created by a dense carpet of Amazon Frogbit floating at the surface is the reason why the lower segment of Polysperma's leaves are detatching and losing their colour and the top half foilage is growing ultra small...

Sorry, this suspicion is highly incorrect. As mentioned above, H.polysperma is a hardy beginners plant and is bulletproof to all things except for poor CO2. You therefore need to check primarily your flow distribution, and quite possibly your CO2 injection rate in order to fix this problem, because it will usually get worse.

H.polysperma, as well as most all Hygrophilas, is a fast growing plant, however, they can only sustain the fast growth rate if there is adequate nutrients and CO2. They are in a way therefore considered "indicator" plants as they indicate where the boundaries of your nutrient and CO2 application techniques are.

So, thinking that you have good flow and CO2 is meaningless. It only ever matters what the H.polysperma thinks - and it thinks your CO2/flow/distribution is poor.

Cheers,

You are entitled to your own opinion but I stick by my initial statement. The co2 distribution and flow is excellent right across the tank. The drop checker has been relocated many times and it always shows a lime green colour indicating a good level of co2. As for my nitrates and phosphates, these are 60ppm and 3+ppm at all times.

The only thing that is not excellent is the light penetration to the bottom half of the Polysperma. The same goes for all the other plants, however they are thriving. If it was a co2/nutrient distribution problem, we all know that kills everything and algae feeds of the decay which is not something that is happening here.

 

[ceg4048]

OK, you convinced me. Add more light by removing the frogbit. That will most definitely solve the problem.

Cheers,

 

[mark4785]

OK, you convinced me. Add more light by removing the frogbit. That will most definitely solve the problem.

Cheers,

Haha, that brings back the algae problem due to insufficient co2/nutrient distribution. Under high light conditions, the demand on nutrients/co2 is much higher and finding exactly how much of these two things is needed to keep plants thriving and algae at bay is a hell of a task.

I've fine tuned plant growth and absolutely no algae growth under the current light conditions thanks to the introduction of Frogbit which a UKAPS member suggested I introduce about a year ago.

Where plants don't grow under the current light conditions, I remove and replace them in the current planted tank. I'm in the process of setting up a high light open-top aquarium where I will, rather reluctantly, try and grow things like Polysperma and more problematic plants under really high T5 lights without frogbit.

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

What tubes are you currently using? How old are they? I remember having issues with Hygrophila corymbosa Siamensis when I was running 2 T8`s over 180ltrs? I just put the failings down to my lack of knowledge, it was back in the early days. I was unaware that Hygro required much light, maybe it does?
What else does well in your current set up?

 

[mark4785]

What tubes are you currently using? How old are they? I remember having issues with Hygrophila corymbosa Siamensis when I was running 2 T8`s over 180ltrs? I just put the failings down to my lack of knowledge, it was back in the early days. I was unaware that Hygro required much light, maybe it does?
What else does well in your current set up?

-Vesicularia dubyana Moss
-Marsilea Crenata
-Cryptocoryne Walkeri
-Eleocharis acicularis
-Echindorus tenellus
-Microsorium minor (thin leaves)
-Cryptocoryne brown/green leaves

There are one or two other plants growing well but I'm not sure of their names.

 

[mark4785]

What tubes are you currently using? How old are they? I remember having issues with Hygrophila corymbosa Siamensis when I was running 2 T8`s over 180ltrs? I just put the failings down to my lack of knowledge, it was back in the early days. I was unaware that Hygro required much light, maybe it does?
What else does well in your current set up?

2 x 24w T5 HO Power-glo tubes, around 45cm in length I think. One is 1 year old, the other, about 8 months old. When should I consider replacing them?

 

[spyder]

Same species, Alternanthera Sessilis

I've had a look at the Alternanthera species of plant at Aquaessentials.co.uk and it states that they need a lot of light to grow. Thats what I don't have lol.

Would you consider 11 watts CFL over 28l in an Aquastart 320 tank high light? Well I grew it fine in there with lean Ei dosing and easycarbo. It wasn't fast by any means but it grew and stayed healthy.

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

2 x 24w T5 HO Power-glo tubes, around 45cm in length I think. One is 1 year old, the other, about 8 months old. When should I consider replacing them?

I am unsure of the technical spec of the Hagen Power Glo tubes in regards to spectrum, Kelvin etc, but I use standard Osram 865Triphosphor Daylight HO T5 39watt. With great results. I only pay £2.50 a tube so replace every 6months. The jury is out on longetivity of flourescents but I believe 12months is a good time to renew. Some argue that T5 HO are good for years but when you can purchase them as cheap as I do, it doesn`t really seem worth the risk?

You have a nice variation of Flora in your tank. How does the Marsilea Crenata do for you? Do you use it as a foreground carpet?

 

[mark4785]

2 x 24w T5 HO Power-glo tubes, around 45cm in length I think. One is 1 year old, the other, about 8 months old. When should I consider replacing them?

I am unsure of the technical spec of the Hagen Power Glo tubes in regards to spectrum, Kelvin etc, but I use standard Osram 865Triphosphor Daylight HO T5 39watt. With great results. I only pay £2.50 a tube so replace every 6months. The jury is out on longetivity of flourescents but I believe 12months is a good time to renew. Some argue that T5 HO are good for years but when you can purchase them as cheap as I do, it doesn`t really seem worth the risk?

You have a nice variation of Flora in your tank. How does the Marsilea Crenata do for you? Do you use it as a foreground carpet?

The Hagen Power Glo tubes are around £20 each, so while paying £2.50 a tube is a much better option, from experience the cheaper tubes are less powerful and used for more domestic purposes (i.e. used as a kitchen light). In addition, what I 've achieved so far in my tank is dependent on the current light set-up; I'm not technical minded enough to go about browsing for an equivalent, but cheaper, light .

The Marsilea Crenata spreads really well however, any new shoots that grow in my tank are distinctively more dark green and small compared to how they turn up when I unwrap them out of their parcel; they usually are a light green and very tall. Again, I think this difference is caused by the Amazon frogbit blocking out most of the light.


Mark.