davemonkey

...especially those who've received Marsilea from me.

Last November I received some Marsilea that was marked as M. minuta. It certainly had tiny leaves as I've seen on minuta. I put it in my tank and it grew, although some of the new leaves were just a hair larger than the originals. I attributed this to lower light, lower fert dosing and DIY CO2. As time has gone by, this plant has changed ALOT and I'm not sure WHAT I've got. Any body have ideas?

Here's a pic from back then with a few new leaves. The tiny leaves and medium leaves are all on the same runners.



Some time has gone by and I've upgraded to pressurized CO2, EI dosing dry ferts, and also have added ferts from 1/4" of topsoil under my substrate that has finally 'woken up' (actually provides ALL my micros). This same Marsilea now has very large leaves compared to what I know as being "minuta". I put some in my daughters El Natural tank and am seeing the tiny leaves come back. Here are some pics of what is growing in my tank, ALL OF THIS IS FROM THE ORIGINAL TINY LEAVED MARSILEA....taller stuff in bottom pic was in heavy shaded area:





So, has anyone had similar experience with Marsilea? For those that I've sent Marsilea to, how is it growing (small or large leaves, long or short petioles) ? Could it perhaps be that my 1/4" soil underlayer is providing an ample nitrogen source as well as micros and my N is so high that the Marsilea is just going nuts? I know that if I reduce potassium phosphate in the slightest, I get GSA quickly and my plants show potassium defficiency. If I dose ANY amount of micro or iron I get algae blooms. I also know that high nitrates leads to larger, yet softer leaf tissue in terrestrial plants. (I do not test my water column, so don't bother asking what ppm I'm at unless you want to send me a test kit. )

Thoughts, opinions, experience... ?

-Dave