Plant die-back in cold tanks...

This question may be best answered by those who keep planted tanks that get cold in the winter (Todd?).

I had a lush jungle of Vallisineria in my 180 this summer/fall but once my tank started getting under 60F I noticed they were no longer growing. The tank now stays around 53-56 and about a month ago my Vals all melted. The Moss, Elodea and Hornwort have all been fine, but they are right under the lights which put out a decent amount of heat. So... did the Vals just die back for the winter and will grow back in the spring?

p.s. One way or the other I guess I will find out once spring and warm water comes.

Andy

Vallisneria americana is native to areas that freeze. Here is a link to its range: http://www.sagebud.c...eria-americana/
In the winter, the Vallisneria plant tissues die off and it goes into its winter bud form. Then it comes back in the spring, growing using the nutrients stored during the growing season.
Here is a paper on the conditions needed to maximize the survival of your Vallisneria: http://www.umesc.usg...gen_a_1997.html Basically in order to have a nice healthy high mass winterbud, you have to give your Vallisneria enough light during its growing season. And if you do, they'll spring up good as new when the temperatures raise.

Edited by EricaWieser, 24 December 2010 - 12:06 PM.

I guess I didn’t word this correctly. I know these plants are cold tolerant. I collected them locally and have seen them in a number of locations here in NE Ohio. I am looking more into other’s experiences with these plants in a tank. A bit over 50F isn’t really too cold (compared to the waterways now) and I thought/was hoping with lighting remaining more or less the same the plants would continue growing all year long in the tank. The other plants I mentioned go into winter mode in the wild but keep on growing like it was July in my tank.

So do other people who keep their tanks cool/cold in winter experience plant die-backs?

It is a little annoying.

My tanks have relatively stable temps, but I've had some wild-collected plants go into dormancy in the fall anyhow. I assume it's some sort of internal clock, as they get only artificial light and I don't mess with the photoperiod. But these same plants (a water-plantain and some lizardtail and arrowheads) haven't melted so far this year, possibly because the intervening year of monotonous temperature and photoperiod has knocked their clocks out. Maybe your val colony will do the same next year.

I guess I didn’t word this correctly. I know these plants are cold tolerant.

I think your wording was fine. It's just that some folks have a more...shall I say..."academic" perspective.

I think your wording was fine. It's just that some folks have a more...shall I say..."academic" perspective.

*shrugs* My plants never change in the winter, so it didn't occur to me to think of that.

How do you get your tank all the way down to 53 F? That's a lot colder than the room it's in, right? This isn't a tank in the garage or a partially heated room, is it?

Edited by EricaWieser, 25 December 2010 - 01:43 AM.

Thank Newt. I am considering lessening the light because now that the tank, which was 1/3 full of Vals is now a barren desert the algae has skyrocketed. But of course that could keep those plant's internal clocks set for next year.

Irate - You trying to call me unedumacated? If so I will curse your fish to live, live, live!

Erica - It is pretty easy to get a tank that cold.
Step 1 - Make sure there are no females in the house.
Step 2 - Keep the tank in the basement where there is only 1 air vent, which is in another room from the tank and kept closed anyways.
Step 3 -(This is where the no female part comes into play) - set the heat at the house to 60F (maybe up to 63F when you are feeling frisky) and turn it down to 50F when you leave for work.

Follwing these 3 simple steps will easily get you tank safely (I am guessing you were worried about the garage/unheated room due to freezing potentials) down to a native fish love-inducing 53F. It will also keep your basement at 50-55F, which is pretty darn cold, but as of right now I haven't finished it enough to do anything down there but watch the fish tank.

With that temperature regime you really don't have to feed the fish very much, either.