rusticitas

This is my first aquarium, and it is a planted one. I have stuffed it with plants that I have found at LFS's that I find interesting and have read about in books or the web. Because most of the LFS's use common names, rather than "strict" Latin identifiers, I am unsure of some of the species of plants I have actually gotten. I have posted a labelled picture on my .MAC home page. If anyone has a few minutes and can help verify that I have what I think I have, or correct what is wrong, would be greatly appreciated. The tank is only about ~1 month old, and I am still trying to get my head around understanding water chemistry, nutrients, etc. BUT I AM EXCITED! Can't wait for this tank to mature, grow and fill in. The Rotala indica is floating because I uprooted it, trimmed it and want to replant it but have not had a chance yet (hopefully it will hang in there long enough for me to do so!).

http://homepage.mac.com/jpstanford/PhotoAlbum42.html

(A brief photographic "history," including some closer-ups of some specific plants:)
http://homepage.mac.com/jpstanford/PhotoAlbum41.html

Now, how do I prevent myself from running out and buying a 180gallon tank and stuffing that with plants? :-)

-Jason

[ Plants I think I own ]
Aponogeton ulvaceus (Compact Aponogeton)
Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae
Cryptocoryne wendtii "bronze"
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis (Micro Sword Grass) ???
Ludwigia repens
Mayaca fluviatilis ???
Microsorum pteropus (Java Fern)
Nymphaea lotus var. rubra (Red Tiger Lily) ???
Nymphoides aquatica (aka Banana Plant)
Ophiopogon japonicus (Mondo Grass) ???
Rotala indica

HeyPK

Your identifications seem fine. The only one I am not completely sure about is the Aponogeton ulvaceus. The leaves look a little narrow, but I can't tell until the plant grows out some more.

bobo

<<The Rotala indica is floating because I uprooted it, trimmed it and want to replant it but have not had a chance yet (hopefully it will hang in there long enough for me to do so!). >>

Don't be in any big hurry to plant the Rotala, it will hang in there just fine.

In fact, like most "stem" plants, floating it on the surface of a well lit, nutrient loaded aquarium is a good way to let stressed plants recover and even multiply in the most rapid manner possible.

Leave a stem plant like Rotala floating long enough and usually all the side shoots at each internode will began to elongate and grow toward the light -- which will soon provide you with an entire row of new plants connected by the one, original stem. Let those get a couple of inches tall and you can then plant the original stem whole as a row, i.e. "plant street" or you can cut the stem up into individual new plants and spread them around to other tanks, etc.

Since many rare, new plants are un-obtainable except by mail order and shipping is so hard on plants, especially stem plants that have no reserves stored in tubers or rhizomes -- this is the number one best technique for not only saving stressed out material, but propagating more as quickly and as successfully as possible.

All you plants look to be labeled right, but I should caution that the Ophiopogon j. is a terrestrial plant only which, while tough enough to survive underwater for awhile, will eventually die. I have some in my garden as a low ground cover and used there -- it is a lovely plant, dark green and very Japanese, very Zen.

I hate when aquatic plant nurseries and plant retailers foster this kind of stuff off on aquarists, miniture palms, dracenia, etc. There ought to be a law.

Keep up the good work!

Bobo

rusticitas

That's good to hear. They've been floating around for about a week without apparantly suffering any harm. I think I'll try your suggestion of letting the side shoots grow out and replant them to get a nice "bushy" area of Rotala going.

I just happened across a mention of the non-aquatic nature of the Ophiopogon j. shortly after posting my original message. I was thinking it did not really feel to fit in with what I have at the moment anyway. I think I'll look into "re-terrestrializing" it (or whatever that would be called).

Thanks for everyone's help! I'm sure I'll have a lot more research to do and questions to ask.

-Jason