Plant Bulbs

[K_Hedin]

Hello all,

Thank you to anyone that reads this as I am a new member to the forums and a new tank owner. I have a well established 55 gal. tank that has been going for a while. I keep 1 Columbian Shark, 3 Sunset Platties, 5 Green Sailfin Mollies, 3 Black Skirt Tetras, 3 High Fin Black Skirt Tetras, 1 Guppy (The fry didn't find a hiding spot ). I wanted to get into doing a planted tank. I didn't have a lot of money at the time and I saw that Petco offered a pack of bulbs for the price of one plant. So I bought that which contained bulbs for Aponogeton, Onion, and Waterlilies. I believe there was two bulbs of each. I have planted them and it has been over a week and I have some roots grow out but no sprouts from any of the bulbs. I don't know if the fish I am keeping are eating anything that does sprout as I have seen them go after the bulbs. I don't know if my tanks levels are messing with the bulbs ability to grow or not. I don't keep any kits around but could go back to Petco and get a reading as they do free water tests. I really want to get into having a planted tank though as the look is so much better and it completes the self contained eco system which is just better all around. Any help would be much appreciated.

A follow up post would be nice or an email to Isk8ufsusd@gmail.com would work as well. If anyone is in or near Mesa, AZ and could donate a clipping from an established plant that would work well in my tank that would be awesome. I appreciate any help once again as I am trying to really get into this hobby now and learn as much as I can because my tank means a lot to me now instead of just something in the background.

Kyle

 

[Katty]

You're lucky they grew roots... I tried the bulbs before and nothing happened after a few weeks so I tossed them.

If the bulbs still don't work, you can try java fern or anubias. Java fern is probably the most economical though because it can produce little daughter plants that you can spread around the tank. Anubias isn't so easy to split but it can grow sideways and cover quite a bit of ground if it wants. Hopefully someone in your area could donate you some. They are very undemanding plants.

 

[K_Hedin]

Thanks for the suggestions. Hopefully they sprout. Went on the chat forum for this site and nosoup4you gave me some advice as well.

 

[KittyKat]

Did you bury the bulbs under gravel?

Aponogeton spend part of the year dormant, during this time, they will not grow. You should not have any problems with the onions as long as about 50%+ of the bulb is exposed. Lotuses have very delicate new leaves and mollies are known to pick on any plants they can, you might want to grow the first leaves outside of the tank (in another container).

 

[K_Hedin]

All the bulbs are only 3/4 of the way buried as recommended. I have a healing tank setup right now that I was thinking of moving the bulbs to. There is only one molly in there as he got super picked on and has almost no tail fin left. So maybe I will move all the bulbs into there and only 50% cover them and see what happens. The light might be better in a 10 gal. tank too. I have been leaving my light on light 12 hours a day and still nothing has happened. So I either have bad bulbs, a bad tank for plants, or really hungry fish. I don't really know.

 

[KittyKat]

It is actually best for most of the bulb to be exposed, in my experience with lotuses and Thai onions.

Having the light on for longer won't help: it will only give you algae; you may as well leave it at 8-10 hours.

Good luck, and I recommend you read in detail about getting Aponogetons to come out of their sleep cycle.