Getting these plants growing ???????

[yossarian]

Hello I have been determined to create a biofilter in my cynops orientalis tank. I began by taking basic pond weed (not duckweed) from a pond. This worked well and began to grow but then failed. I have now bought the greener equivalent from the pet shop (It is several long shoots with short leaves runnning the stem from tip to toe). I also bought co2 tablets thinking this was the reason why the plant failed. The light is a plant grower and does work because there is a green moss growing all over the sphagnum moss in the land section.

OK so my question is, will co2 tablets harm my newts? will they work? and if there is any bonus advice you can give me on the facts I will be really grateful. martin

 

[eljorgo]

Hey Martin. I a Chemist and let me tell you that the CO2 will do nothing to the Lemna sp.. This happens because duckweed exacts its CO2 from atmosphere (were it leaves are contained at) It will extract minerals and water from its "roots" So dissolving CO2 into water will do nothing. About harming the newts.. If you do it like most aquarium hobby enthusiasts do it it will not harm but be careful with dosage. In a ecossistem everypart gets affected so even the newts dont, plants, microorganists, shrimps and snails... Everyone is partially affected. A good advise i can give you is to purchase a water plant liquid conditioner on-line for like 2 or 3euros. You have plenty for some months. Dissolve into water and also making a combination with weak, white light. duckweed might grow abundantly in these conditions:wacko: Also maintaining water temps a bit raised (22-25ºC) will be enough for it to flood your aquarium.

Hope I helped enough
Cheers,
Jorge

 

[carsona246]

if your looking for good plants to help with water quality, water wisteria and cabomba are among my favorites. Not floating, but grow in almost any condition, and look good while doing it. Not to mention they grow like a weed, and will help surprisingly well

 

[yossarian]

Hey thanks but it is egeria densa in my tank not duckweed. I have done some research on it most of which i have forgotten already but I have a fair idea. Ill continue to use the co2 unless you think that this weed also gets its co2 from the atmosphere. ok thanks

for anybody else looking after this plant..
How to care for your new Anacharis, Egeria species, with pictures

 

[eyrops]

I am a fan of Ceratopteris thalictroides because it grows quickly as either a floating or a rooted plant and it looks nice. It's a fern.

 

[eljorgo]

Hey thanks but it is egeria densa in my tank not duckweed. I have done some research on it most of which i have forgotten already but I have a fair idea. Ill continue to use the co2 unless you think that this weed also gets its co2 from the atmosphere. ok thanks

My bad then Martin. Egeria densa will extract CO2 from water yes... In that case you are helping it

I am a fan of Ceratopteris thalictroides because it grows quickly as either a floating or a rooted plant and it looks nice. It's a fern.

Truly amazing plant I must say. But it is NOT a fern. I can assure that.
Cheers,

 

[Azhael]

Wether that plant (looks great by the way) is Ceratopteris thalictroides i can´t assure, but what i can say is that the species is most definitely a fern.

 

[eljorgo]

I´m wrong. Yes. Its a Fern. I confused it with another similar plant.
I´m sorry.

 

[Yahilles]

I believe there's much mess among the species of Ceratopteris, i saw many times the depicted plant named as C. thalictroides, but it's probably another species - Ceratopteris siliquosa, with C. thalictroides having less feather-like leaves. I'm not 100% sure about taxonomy, but definetely Steve's plant is a fern from Ceratopteris genus

 

[eyrops]

It is a fern actually:

PLANTS Profile for Ceratopteris thalictroides (watersprite) | USDA PLANTS

-Steve Morse

 

[eljorgo]

@ Steve:

QUOTE]I´m wrong. Yes. Its a Fern. I confused it with another similar plant.
I´m sorry. [/QUOTE]

 

[eyrops]

I believe there's much mess among the species of Ceratopteris, i saw many times the depicted plant named as C. thalictroides, but it's probably another species - Ceratopteris siliquosa, with C. thalictroides having less feather-like leaves. I'm not 100% sure about taxonomy, but definetely Steve's plant is a fern from Ceratopteris genus

Good point. The picture I included above was identified as C. thalictroides on the internet. I'm attaching a photo of one of my own plants that was sold to me as C. thalictroides here. I am not familiar enough with the taxonomy of the genus to be able to say for sure that the species name is correct.

-Steve Morse