High Flow Plants
#1
Posted 25 February 2007 - 08:23 PM
Are there any plants that will do better in high flow tanks? Any that we can find at the LFS?
#2 Guest_ashtonmj_*
Posted 25 February 2007 - 09:35 PM
#3 Guest_killier_*
Posted 25 February 2007 - 09:40 PM
I use alage but I have a small amount of java moss that does greatI find two species on very fast shoals throughout rivers in the Tennessee River drainage. I've tried riverweed (Podastomum ceratophyllum) covered rocks before in my tank. The fish absolutely love it because its full of inverts. It never grows well and dies off in a week or two. Whenever I find it in the wild it is in direct intense sunlight and I'm guessing that is why it is such a poor aquarium plant. Another thing I find alot is water starcress. It grows in LONG flowing beds alotlike a Val. species and really locks into sand substrates. I had some decent success with this by just pulling a chunk out from the river substrate and all.
andis growing well
#4 Guest_ashtonmj_*
Posted 26 February 2007 - 09:04 AM
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#5 Guest_nativeplanter_*
Posted 26 February 2007 - 12:33 PM
This is an example of the water stargrass (Heteranthera dubia) growing in dense stands in the French Broad River outside of Knoxville. Flow here is about 0.75 m/second but ranged from 0.25-1+ where itwas found.
Hmmm... sorry... that's not Heteranthera dubia, which is a stem plant. From the photo, it looks more like Sagittaria graminea to me (it it isn't Vallisneria), which can look a lot like Vallisneria in submerged, gently flowing water. The two can grow together in dense stands in rivers, though.
The only plant I can think of at the moment for really high flow water is Podastomum, like Matt said. But I've never been able to grow it in captivity either. It does need very very high light, but also very very cold water. but otherwise for gentle flow (can look pretty fierce in aquaria) I would try Vallisneria, the Sagittaria graminea (never seen it for sale), the Heteranthera, and probably some others I can't think of on a Monday morning. Bacopa caroliniana usually grows in swampy areas, but I've found it does well in flowing aquaria as its stem is a bit stouter than some others. Echinodorus tenellus will also do very well, but it is a shorter plant (about 3 to 8 inches in captivity). There are also some other shorter Sagittarias that would do very well such as (S. stagnorum) since they won't get tossed around as much. What you might like to try is finding a river or creek that is crossed by a powerline easement. Here there is good light, and the water flow is pretty good. Access is usually easy, too.
#6 Guest_ashtonmj_*
Posted 26 February 2007 - 01:13 PM
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#7 Guest_fundulus_*
Posted 26 February 2007 - 01:28 PM
#8 Guest_ashtonmj_*
Posted 26 February 2007 - 02:20 PM
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#9 Guest_nativeplanter_*
Posted 26 February 2007 - 02:28 PM
#10 Guest_ashtonmj_*
Posted 26 February 2007 - 03:07 PM
#11 Guest_nativeplanter_*
Posted 26 February 2007 - 03:18 PM
Do you know what the temerature was in the water?
I think I've seen it nearby here, and have been thinking of going back to see what it is. Since I'm re-setting up tanks, it would be cool to get some going. If I cant find it and you have any, care to share a sprout?
#12 Guest_ashtonmj_*
Posted 26 February 2007 - 06:23 PM
#13 Guest_nativeplanter_*
Posted 27 February 2007 - 09:30 AM
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