Red centrepiece plant?

[njparton]

Can anyone recommend a red or semi-red midground plant (max 10-12 cms) to act as a centre piece in my otherwise very green planted tropical tank?

My tank is quite well lit, and is kept at 26C with quite soft acidic water (pH 6-6.5). I use Seachem Equilibrium and Flourish Excel in RO water for water changes.

It can't be a very slow growing plant as it will get covered in hair algea in no time at all.

Thanks in advance

 

[The-Wolf]

try getting Alternanthera reineckii ''roseafolia'' ('Pink')
I have four of these and they are very easy to grow.

 

[njparton]

try getting Alternanthera reineckii ''roseafolia'' ('Pink')
I have four of these and they are very easy to grow.

I've tried them in the past and not been that sucessfull, thanks anyway.

I'm looking for something with broader or unusual shaped leaves really so that it looks really different...

 

[guppygirl]

You could try Tiger lotus. They come in green (red dots) or Red. They're very pretty and exotic.

 

[njparton]

You could try Tiger lotus. They come in green (red dots) or Red. They're very pretty and exotic.

Hmmm, can't find them on Tropica's web site - are they known by any other names?

 

[guppygirl]

Hmmm... Hold on, I'll get my aquarium plants book (it's almost a doorstop!)....

Ok, Scientific name is : Nymphaea lotus. Do a google search, you should definitely find something.

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> as it will get covered in hair algea in no time at all.

If that is the case, then your tank is out of balance. Red plants generally require high lighting.

 

[kenneth_kpe]

lateral line. will most of the red plants simply turn green with inadequate lighting ? or will most of them melt away ??

njparton try to look at er.. rotala walachichi i think thats the name. sorry i cant do a google search now if thats correct bec this computers kinda weird.... anyways its good for your tank since you have cold water ( mine melted away because of the heat! ) and i think because its kinda packed with small leaves.. it will get covered with hair algae .. somebody correct me if im wrong

 

[njparton]

Hmmm... Hold on, I'll get my aquarium plants book (it's almost a doorstop!)....

Ok, Scientific name is : Nymphaea lotus. Do a google search, you should definitely find something.

Mmm, looks quite nice but gets way too high for most aquariums?:

http/www.tropica.com/frameset_productcard.asp?id=019

 

[njparton]

lateral line. will most of the red plants simply turn green with inadequate lighting ? or will most of them melt away ??

njparton try to look at er.. rotala walachichi i think thats the name. sorry i cant do a google search now if thats correct bec this computers kinda weird.... anyways its good for your tank since you have cold water ( mine melted away because of the heat! ) and i think because its kinda packed with small leaves.. it will get covered with hair algae .. somebody correct me if im wrong

Hair algea is a pain. On my amazon sword that grow very quickly indeed I just remove the leaves.

On the slower growing plants it's more of an issue though....

 

[George Farmer]

I'd strongly recommend Nymphaea japonicus. It's available from Greenline Aquatics where I bought mine.

http/www.microrepairs.glowinternet.net/4...2/4144-4146.htm

Here's a photo of mine when I only had 1.8 wpg. I have to prune it back like mad still after 4 months!!

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> will most of the red plants simply turn green with inadequate lighting

Yes. Most plants contain many pigments, the most well known is the green chlorophyll of course. It is the principle catalyst for metabolising light and simple compounds into sugars etc. The plant must have enough chlorophyll to survive.

When there is plenty of light, the plant needs less chlorophyll to live. This "lack of green" is what makes plants red/pink, not excess quantities of red and pink pigments, (alkyloids, flavinoids and carotinoids mostly).

If the light level falls, the plant produces more chlorophyll to make up the difference, and the green pigment swamps the more delicate pigments.

As usual, man has had a hand in some cultivars. There are certain cultivars that have been bred to specifically have low chlorophyll. These are pink/red all the time. However, these will only grow when there is enough light and will die otherwise.

Short answer is most red plants will turn green in low light.

 

[njparton]

I'd strongly recommend Nymphaea japonicus. It's available from Greenline Aquatics where I bought mine.

http/www.microrepairs.glowinternet.net/4...2/4144-4146.htm

Here's a photo of mine when I only had 1.8 wpg. I have to prune it back like mad still after 4 months!!

Looks like an excellent suggestion!