Inspire91

Hey just wondering if anyone knows how to get polygonum sao paulo to stay purple all the way through the whole plant? I can get the purple to go through half the plant and then the rest of the stem just turns dead colored...

is it one of those keys where as with toninas, they pretty much absolutely need soft water to do well? or is it a fert need?

if anyone has any advice it would be much appreciated

AaronT

My experience with all Polygonums is that they shoot for the surface and grow emergent easily, leading me to believe that they don't like being submersed. Softer water probably would help things. What's the hardness of your water?

Inspire91

hey aaron thanks for the reply i have that same result for all of my polygonums, they all become emersed quite easily, but ive seen pictures of sao paulo where its completely bright purple all the way down the stem along with the leaves, and it just looks so awesome, that i was wondering how to get that same result? i will check my hardness but im leaning towards mid-hard...

AaronT

I keep the Polygonum sp. 'Kawagoenum' or however it's spelled and have the same struggle. It's easy to keep it a bronze color, but keeping it deep red is a different story. For me, letting the nitrates bottom out for a day or two seems to work pretty well. Of course, that is only temporary.

Ibn

Try limiting your macro dosing.

Aquadise

I have super red Polygonum san paolo and red tops kawagoeanum at 9 kh water. Softwater will help, but it doesnt matter much. For me, they turns different colors with the different spectrum I use. High lights is a plus.

ianiwane

Chase, you need very high light for that to happen. In moderate light Sao Paolo does do that.

coralife205

HOW do you get this plant. i cant find it in stores...

Coralite

UNder even the best of conditions like super high 500+ PAR, daily dosing, pegged Iron, abundant CO2, Polygonum SP will only show very purple leaves for the first 4-5 leaves with lower leaves eventually becoming greenish.

ashappard

lurk about in the sales forums in planted aquaria sites or post a WTB thread. merchants usually dont carry many of the recently introduced / less common or difficult plants. But from another hobbyist you can get every spp. eventually.