Red Plants!

[sjdriscoll]

Hi all,

the only red plant i seem able to grow well is Red Ludwigia. I do have some encouraging new red shoots on my Red Ambulia but every other red plant I have tried has 'browned off', lost its foliage or the stems have turned to mush. Has anyone had any real success with a red plant in a community tank, kH3, 3WpG. pH 6.8 with C02?

Any ideas or help much appreciated.

 

[RadaR]

Alternanthera reineckii 'Pink' (roseafolia)
Hygrophila polysperma 'Rosanervig'
Ludwigia arcuata
Proserpinaca palustris ''Cuba''

They are all easy.

Btw, what ferts are you dosing?

 

[sjdriscoll]

Thanks for that list - I'll try to source some of them online.

I dose with Easycarbo and Leaf Zone at the moment. I have eco-complete substrate. Would I need to add any iron?

 

[RadaR]

To be honest, LeafZone is only good for iron. It's quite rich in the stuff.
Tropica Nutrition would be a much better, all round fert.

 

[sjdriscoll]

OK - Cheers Radar.

I'll get some when this stuff runs out.

The Easycarbo and Leaf Zone are all I add - am I forgetting anything?

 

[RadaR]

NPK. Which is Nitrate, Phosphate and Potassium.
Can be added as a powder (sold on aquaessentials) or in products like Tropica Nutrition+, Seachem Flourish Nitrogen, Seachem Flourish Phosphorus and Seachem Flourish Potassium.

 

[dasmall1]

Generally, red plants require and are rather picky about their N, P, K. You have the lighting, CO2, and substrate for good red plants, depending, of course, on what size the tank is.

A few red plants that aren't too difficult, IME:
-Rotala rotundifolia
-Rotala wallichii

Good luck!