Creating a high-tech aquarium without co2.

[starlord]

He's nailed it. The rapid growth is a bonus, every single leaf is flawless.

[starzone]

The guy's nailed it. Fast growth, perfect leaves every time. Thanks for sharing the video!

[kingrise]

I'm a bit envious to be honest, wish I had the budget for those beautiful plants.

[starlord]

Water lotus prices have been on the rise the past couple of years, and it's not cheap. High-quality blood red leafed ones are especially hard to come by these days. Alternanthera, on the other hand, seems relatively affordable - I guess growers are producing a lot of it. However, I've noticed some LFS's selling the non-aquatic version as the real deal. I made that mistake a few years ago and ended up with a plant that slowly rotted away. That one's usually just sold as a generic bunch plant.

I've never seen red Cabomba for sale in person, only online, and Tropica warns it "MUST have Co2". But then you see videos like this one, which makes you wonder. If you check out Biotopia's videos, you'll see the Red Cabomba thriving in the Rio Scuri - crystal clear water, dense growth, and clumps near the surface. It clearly loves light.

[willie32]

Interesting video, he nailed it. The real challenge is replicating a high-tech tank setup in a low-tech environment, whereas he's chosen from a more limited selection of plants.

What really caught my attention, though, was the bubble wrap trick during water changes at the surface - it's a total game changer.

[starlord]

He did a follow-up, an all-red plant aquarium - the ultimate goal for those on a tighter budget. I, on the other hand, wasn't planning on growing plants initially, so I started with pool sand. Then, the plant bug bit me and I added gravel. Now, my plants are thriving in a mix of 1" sand and gravel. Iron has been a lifesaver for me, but I appreciate how he demonstrates that plants can still color up nicely without Co2.

[aquagone]

I'm a bit envious to be honest, wish I had the budget for those beautiful plants.

I had similar thoughts, then I discovered an aquatic plant farm just 20km from home - it's a game changer. Everything's dirt cheap, I'm talking 50 cents a pop, including velisneria, rotala and cryptocoryne - can you believe it?

[starlord]

In the SF bay area, I've only come across a couple of aquatic plants that could work in aquariums - you know, Horned Pondweed and Muskgrass-Charra. Thing is, when you Google aquatic plants in California, nearly all the photos aren't even from here. It's pretty surprising, since you'd think we'd have some representation, but I guess not many people are showcasing our local plants.

[coltin]

In my area, I've found that we've got a plethora of non-native aquatic plants that could do well in a tank. Now I'm not saying you should go out and collect them, but if you did, you might just find some interesting additions to your aquarium. Just be sure to keep it on the down low, since many of these plants are considered invasive and the authorities tend to frown on keeping them. Let's just say, what they don't know won't hurt them.

[starlord]

I think you might find some Rotala and Ludwigia in the Sacramento river area, especially with the hot summers there. But in the bay area, where I am, it's a different story. Moderate summer temps and no rain means ponds dry up quickly. I just don't see it happening here. Muskgrass is about the only thing that can handle it, but honestly, it's not the prettiest thing to look at.