How do I get fuller growth on Egeria densa?

[Tony]

Hi,

I picked up some Egeria densa last week. I have had good luck with
this plant before and I found a sample for sale that looked very
healthy and dense. I know that this plant grows very quickly and that
seems to be the case in my tank. But, the new growth is not nearly as
full or dense as the existing plant growth. It appears more stringy
(more space between new leaves) than the thick dense older growth.

I have a 46 gallon tank.
I have plenty of light, 4 wpg @ 12hrs a day.
I am using DIY CO2, about 20ppm
Supplementing with Seachem Flourish every other day, 1mL every 48 hrs.
I can give more info tomorrow if needed, I will run my other test
tonight.

My thoughts are that it is not getting enough nutrients, but I would
have thought that my supplement would have helped. Could it be that
this plant would grow denser in a low light environment? It seems
like it is growing so fast that it doesn't give itself a chance to get
dense.

Thanks,
Tony

[SteveG]

And doesn't spectrum has something to with it as well? If the light is too
blue, the stem plant is taller, if it is too red it becomes smaller and
bushier (?)

"Tony" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi,
>
> I picked up some Egeria densa last week. I have had good luck with
> this plant before and I found a sample for sale that looked very
> healthy and dense. I know that this plant grows very quickly and that
> seems to be the case in my tank. But, the new growth is not nearly as
> full or dense as the existing plant growth. It appears more stringy
> (more space between new leaves) than the thick dense older growth.
>
> I have a 46 gallon tank.
> I have plenty of light, 4 wpg @ 12hrs a day.
> I am using DIY CO2, about 20ppm
> Supplementing with Seachem Flourish every other day, 1mL every 48 hrs.
> I can give more info tomorrow if needed, I will run my other test
> tonight.
>
> My thoughts are that it is not getting enough nutrients, but I would
> have thought that my supplement would have helped. Could it be that
> this plant would grow denser in a low light environment? It seems
> like it is growing so fast that it doesn't give itself a chance to get
> dense.
>
> Thanks,
> Tony

[LeighMo]

What's your tank temperature? Egeria is a cold water plant. It does best at
goldfish temps.

IME, at tropical temps, it will be small and spindly no matter what you do.




Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

[Craig Brye]

The water temperature is a concern, but in your case I think it's the
lighting. I have had this plant from time to time and always get the same
results. I have slightly over 4 watts per gallon. The plant grows about 3
inches or more a day and is "stringy". My temp. is in the mid to upper
70's. The plant does really well, but the length between leaves is great.
I'm guessing your Egeria is growing fast, right?

--
Craig Brye
University of Phoenix Online

"Tony" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi,
>
> I picked up some Egeria densa last week. I have had good luck with
> this plant before and I found a sample for sale that looked very
> healthy and dense. I know that this plant grows very quickly and that
> seems to be the case in my tank. But, the new growth is not nearly as
> full or dense as the existing plant growth. It appears more stringy
> (more space between new leaves) than the thick dense older growth.
>
> I have a 46 gallon tank.
> I have plenty of light, 4 wpg @ 12hrs a day.
> I am using DIY CO2, about 20ppm
> Supplementing with Seachem Flourish every other day, 1mL every 48 hrs.
> I can give more info tomorrow if needed, I will run my other test
> tonight.
>
> My thoughts are that it is not getting enough nutrients, but I would
> have thought that my supplement would have helped. Could it be that
> this plant would grow denser in a low light environment? It seems
> like it is growing so fast that it doesn't give itself a chance to get
> dense.
>
> Thanks,
> Tony

[linda mar]

mine has dense leave density, but the leaves itself are daintier, finer, and
the stalk is thinner.... there are a few with more distance between the
leaves, but not all are doing that... (one floating on the surface is
stringier than the one actually planted into the gravel)

it's a moderate lit tank (~1-1.5WPG)...

linda
"Craig Brye" > wrote in message
...
> The water temperature is a concern, but in your case I think it's the
> lighting. I have had this plant from time to time and always get the same
> results. I have slightly over 4 watts per gallon. The plant grows about
3
> inches or more a day and is "stringy". My temp. is in the mid to upper
> 70's. The plant does really well, but the length between leaves is great.
> I'm guessing your Egeria is growing fast, right?
>
> --
> Craig Brye
> University of Phoenix Online
>
> "Tony" > wrote in message
> om...
> > Hi,
> >
> > I picked up some Egeria densa last week. I have had good luck with
> > this plant before and I found a sample for sale that looked very
> > healthy and dense. I know that this plant grows very quickly and that
> > seems to be the case in my tank. But, the new growth is not nearly as
> > full or dense as the existing plant growth. It appears more stringy
> > (more space between new leaves) than the thick dense older growth.
> >
> > I have a 46 gallon tank.
> > I have plenty of light, 4 wpg @ 12hrs a day.
> > I am using DIY CO2, about 20ppm
> > Supplementing with Seachem Flourish every other day, 1mL every 48 hrs.
> > I can give more info tomorrow if needed, I will run my other test
> > tonight.
> >
> > My thoughts are that it is not getting enough nutrients, but I would
> > have thought that my supplement would have helped. Could it be that
> > this plant would grow denser in a low light environment? It seems
> > like it is growing so fast that it doesn't give itself a chance to get
> > dense.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Tony
>
>

[Tony]

(LeighMo) wrote in message
> What's your tank temperature? Egeria is a cold water plant. It does best at
> goldfish temps.

Leigh,

You caught me, I've been hiding the fact that I have goldfish, but I
do. The tank is currently at 72 degrees F.

[LeighMo]

>You caught me, I've been hiding the fact that I have goldfish, but I
>do.

And the goldfish haven't eaten the Egeria? They usually make very short work
of it.

>The tank is currently at 72 degrees F.

Even that might be too warm. I'm told Egeria does best at temps in the fifties
to mid-sixties.



Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

[Tony]

(LeighMo) wrote in message
> And the goldfish haven't eaten the Egeria? They usually make very short work
> of it.

Nope, they haven't touched it. I've had good luck with goldfish not
eating most of my plants. There are a few plants that they really
like, but Egeria doesn't appear to be on the top of their list. They
also seem to be territorial and they didn't like the corner of the
tank that I put it in anyway.

>
> >The tank is currently at 72 degrees F.
>
> Even that might be too warm. I'm told Egeria does best at temps in the fifties
> to mid-sixties.

Well, that is as cold as I can get it. My lights provide a lot of
heat and it is winter now. I'm concerned in the summer that my lights
will provide too much heat. I'm already thinking about a way to cool
things down in the summer.

Thanks,
Tony