Red Ludwigia With Green Leaves

[catfishblues]

I recently got a red ludwigia and it has been growing but the leaves are green. will they eventually turn red or is this a problem?

 

[Caprichoso]

I think it probably needs to be supplemented with an iron rich fertilizer. I'm sure someone can recommend one to you. It would probably be helpful to tell us all about your tank- lighting, dimensions of tank, a picture of the plant, and if you have CO2 and are dosing any ferts.

 

[catfishblues]

i can get a picture later but it is a ten gallon tank, 15 watt full spectrum bulb, diy co2, and iron rich root tabs

 

[catfishblues]

and although i have the root tabs the only roots on it so far are just a few small ones growing from the sides

 

[Mikaila31]

Actually it has more to do with the amount of light. Its only going to grow red under medium or intense light.

 

[catfishblues]

Actually it has more to do with the amount of light. Its only going to grow red under medium or intense light.

is 15 watts enough for a ten gallon tank? it is full spectrum if that helps

 

[ian]

it's actually to do with light and distribution of C02 around the plant. Red plants don't need a high amount of light. Personally i have found with the right amount of C02 and good distribution around the plant, certain plants including Lud with maintain the red. There is some argument to whether a good K dosing aids red plants.

heres a pic of my lud, grown under a 9w lamp

heres a pic of courtesy of Tom Barr, this is under 1.8 wpg (not high light), look at the C02 dispersion.

 

[catfishblues]

:0.....wow....that is beautiful! and what do you mean by distribution? i have the co2 bell at the base of the filter intake and the plant is next to the co2 bell as well.

and is a k dosing just ferts? i have some liquid "plant food" but i stopped using it when i got the root tabs

 

[ian]

I'm going to ask what was asked above and what is the lighting, size of the tank and is the C02 pressurised?

I can tell you that having your diffuser below the intake may not give you the best diffusion. The diffuser needs to be near the flow of water in the tank. This gives the best distribution, whether that be under an 'outtake' or as i say in the flow. You need to see the little bubbles flow around the tank.

The fert dosing may not be enough for you tank either.

 

[catfishblues]

I'm going to ask what was asked above and what is the lighting, size of the tank and is the C02 pressurised?

I can tell you that having your diffuser below the intake may not give you the best diffusion. The diffuser needs to be near the flow of water in the tank. This gives the best distribution, whether that be under an 'outtake' or as i say in the flow. You need to see the little bubbles flow around the tank.

The fert dosing may not be enough for you tank either.

it is ten gallons with 15 watts and a diy co2. i also use root tabs

 

[ian]

That doesn't sound to bad to me, as above if you get the fert dosing right, you might be able to get the Lud to stay red. We would tend to recommend using a fert that contains some nitrate and phosphate though once C02 has been set up. The plants need a little more when using C02.

I would suggest using Tropica plant nutrition +

 

[catfishblues]

That doesn't sound to bad to me, as above if you get the fert dosing right, you might be able to get the Lud to stay red. We would tend to recommend using a fert that contains some nitrate and phosphate though once C02 has been set up. The plants need a little more when using C02.

I would suggest using Tropica plant nutrition +

Quick question about C02. i have the sugar and yeast go into a tube through an airstone which is in a bottle with a large pannel cut out of it and it is sitting underneath the intake. i dont have the bubbles flowing around the tank they just accumulate in the bottle. am i doing something wrong there?

 

[ian]

the bubbles need to be diffusing into the tank. If you're using a glass diffuser, you may find it takes a while to get up to pressure to push through the diffuser.

 

[catfishblues]

the bubbles need to be diffusing into the tank. If you're using a glass diffuser, you may find it takes a while to get up to pressure to push through the diffuser.

well they eventually bubble out of the bottle but just in one big bubble that goes right out of the water

 

[ian]

Thats not what you want, you need small bubbles like this



you'll see about halfway through, the bubbles at the back of his aquarium. This is what should be happening.