Lets all pitch in and create an updated plant guide!

[Fat Homer]

i was just sitting here thinking wouldnt it be great to have a basic plant care guide for aquatic plants on MFK after i realized Wyldfya had made one a long time ago (which hasn’t been updated in a while)...

So with quite a few members getting into plants and some of you having some pretty sweet setups, it’d be nice to get everyone to pitch in and help so we can create an updated guide based on all the knowledge collected here...

We could have info such as:

Plant name: scientific and common
Light Levels:
Co2 requirement:
Special Care Requirement:
Propogation:
Growth Rate:
Tank placement: foreground / middle / background

Extra info / notes: (i.e plant known to melt after moving before bouncing back)

With that all said and done, if any of you guys and gals have any pics / info you want to contribute to this project, then please add it to this thread

Once we get a good range of photos and info i’ll create a sticky at the top of this section...

***All credit will goto the individual person for their contribution and photos when it goes up in the sticky

 

[kno4te]

Plant name: java fern (microsorum pteropus)

Variants: narrow lead, needle leave, trident and windelov.

Size: varies from 6-13in

Level of care: easy

Nutrients: absorbs via the water column

Light: low to moderate

Co2 requirement: Not required

Special care requirement: none

Planting: can be tied to stone/wood or can be floating in the water.

Propagation: 1)cut the rhizome and replant
2)leaves that sprout from the
sporangia (dark spots) can be
planted and begin growing

Growth rate: slow

Tank placement: middle and background


Extra info/problems: 1)Does not need to be planted in substrate. Planting will eventually kill the plant. 2) Often felt to be not thriving due its slow growth. 3) Adding fertilizers and Co2 will help with growth but not needed. 4) Dark spots (sporangia) is often confused with diseased plants. It’s not just how it reproduces. 5) Melts with high intensity light. 6) Commonly seen is nitrogen deficieny with large brown spots.

 

[Lilyann]

An excellent idea.

 

[fisheatfish]

Plant Finder Link:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/all.php

 

[Fat Homer]

After sleeping on the idea for a night, i was thinking maybe we can setup a kind of standard format for taking photos to try and make life easier for all...

The idea is we try and take close up photos of only the plants we are talking about (similar to what i stole from google below as a reference)...






This way, im hoping it would make it easy enough for anyone to use the guide & see exactly which plant we are talking about with minimal confusion

P.S i will try and add some of my own pics after water change on Sunday hopefully...

 

[Fat Homer]

Plant Finder Link:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/all.php

Kind of cheating if you steal their photos and place them here

 

[fisheatfish]

Kind of cheating if you steal their photos and place them here

Lol...I get it now. The term in the title “plant guide” threw me off...my bad

 

[Fat Homer]

Lol...I get it now. The term in the title “plant guide” threw me off...my bad

If you look at the start of the puffer guide in the puffer section of these forums you’ll get an idea of what im hoping to ultimately achieve with the help of members here...

Coz i can honestly say i dont know all that many plants or how to properly care for them except for whats already in my tank (or has been in my tanks before), which is the main reason why i want to get the help of the MFK community to help out...

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Ok I'll start: red mangrove.
Difficulty level: hard.
temps: likes 70f or above, hates frost or below freezing.
Lighting:needs moderately high to very high amounts of light.

Additional info: this is a plant that needs to have its roots planted in some sort of substrate, most of the plant should be above water, periodic but temporary flooding of the root and stem is fine but not required, do not let water level over the leaves.
Leaves need periodic and regular misting.
A heavy feeder, fish safe feet tabs, worm castings or other safe frets are needed.

Water: does fine in salt, fresh,or brackish waters.

Random note: burrowing fiddler crabs help mangrove survival rate by providing nutrients and aeration.

Not recommended for beginners.

 

[Copper2]

Plant Name: Water Wheel Plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa)
Difficultly: Hard
Water Temp: 80 to 40 degrees
Lightning: Lightning strikes may be harmful
Lighting: Medium light
Water: Prefers slightly acidic water
Additional info: Grows best in 30 gallon tubs or aquariums with 3 inches of 3 parts peat to 1 part clay as a substrate with a layer of gravel to hold the substrate down. Needs a bit of carbon dioxide which it gets from the peat breaking down and other plants.

Other: Requires to be fed with tiny water creatures like mosquito larvae.