Discovering the beauty of madagascar lace

[bettaMagenta]

I'm nowhere near ready, but I'm viewing it as a goal to work towards... has anyone here achieved it and if so, what was the key to getting there???

[BadgersSong]

I think @Lumialon has figured out the key to mastering this plant, and to be honest, the rest of us are a bit intimidated by the challenge.

[Avalon]

To grow aponogetons successfully, I found that a good substrate, adequate water flow, and fluctuating lighting were essential. I also used CO2 and dry fertilizers, which seemed to make a big difference. However, these plants are extremely demanding - they need their requirements met, or they'll quickly go dormant or die.

I recall having a 75-gallon setup with Eco Complete substrate, a CO2 system with daily fertilizer dosing, and a variety of aponogetons that would flower and propagate. I used a Finnex 24-7 plant light on that tank, and it also housed other plants like anubias that would regularly bloom.

Although I've had success with aponogetons in the past, I'm hesitant to set up another CO2 system. I've had too many close calls with fish deaths due to overdose or timer failures. Plus, finding places to refill CO2 tanks has become increasingly difficult since the COVID lockdown.

[bettaMagenta]

Thanks for the info... I've been reading up on aponogetons and there's definitely some counterintuitive stuff to consider when growing them. Like with a lot of aquarium info, there are varying methods out there - I'm currently reading this article on Madagascar lace care.

It's from aquariumbreeder.com and it's got some useful tips on planting, growing, and propagating Aponogeton madagascariensis. I've got a big CO2 generator tank just waiting to be set up, but I'm tackling my water issues first.