Roots in the Water Column

[Nemo]

All right, at first it was fun to watch. Now it is becoming an unsightly
mess. All of the stem plants are growing roots in the water column outside
the substrate. Is this something I have to learn to admire, or is there
something that needs to be done I'm not doing?



The ludwigia repens is doing so well, the leaves are a gorgeous mahogany
brown. But the roots it has grown outside the substrate are so thick; they
are ruining its look >:(

[RedForeman ©®]

> All right, at first it was fun to watch. Now it is becoming an
> unsightly mess. All of the stem plants are growing roots in the water
> column outside the substrate. Is this something I have to learn to
> admire, or is there something that needs to be done I'm not doing?
>
>
>
> The ludwigia repens is doing so well, the leaves are a gorgeous
> mahogany brown. But the roots it has grown outside the substrate are
> so thick; they are ruining its look >:(

Pruning helps... and even thinning out the patch can help... Usually it
means that your substrate it too thin and light is penetrating the top 1" or
so, and when the roots see sun, they grow toward it... That's what I've
heard, and it might be true, but I think it's just normal for roots to
shoot 'out' and in your case, up... you can continue to pour gravel back
over it, use your finger to stick the roots back down, or trim them.

I usually thin the patch a bit or add gravel to cover...

btw, how deep is your substrate?

--
RedForeman ©® future fabricator and creator of a ratbike
streetfighter!!!

==========================
2003 TRX450ES
1992 TRX-350 XX (For Sale)
1987 TRX250R (sold)
1987 CBR600 Hurricane (sold)
1987 VFR700 Interceptor (sold)
1995 TRX300ex (sold)
2000 CBR600F4 silver/red (sold) *sniff*sniff*
'98 Tacoma Ext Cab 4X4 Lifted....
==========================
ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤° `°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø
"By US Code Title 47, Sec.227(a)(2)(B), a computer/modem/printer
meets the definition of a telephone fax machine. By Sec.227(b)(1)(C),
it is unlawful to send any unsolicited advertisement to such equipment.
By Sec.227(b)(3)(C), a violation of the aforementioned Section is
punishable by action to recover actual monetary loss, or $500,
whichever is greater, for each violation."

If you do send me unsolicited e-mail I will proof-read it at a rate
of $100 per hour (4 hour minimum).

[Nemo]

"RedForeman ©®" > wrote in message
...
> Usually it means that your substrate it too thin and light is penetrating
the top 1" or
> so, and when the roots see sun, they grow toward it... That's what I've
> heard, and it might be true, but I think it's just normal for roots to
> shoot 'out' and in your case, up... you can continue to pour gravel back
> over it, use your finger to stick the roots back down, or trim them.
>
> I usually thin the patch a bit or add gravel to cover...
>
> btw, how deep is your substrate?

No, the problem I'm having is with roots way up in the water column. The
roots are growing where the leave nodes are, and are forming a
system/network in the water. Some of the roots actually head down towards
the substrate but it is a long way down! Others just branch out in the water
itself the way roots usually do in the ground - like the roots of the water
lettuce.

My substrate is 2.5 inches 100% Fluorite. The light does penetrate the upper
inch or so I'd say, but that's only because my dwarf hairgrass ground cover
has not spread yet.

[RedForeman ©®]

> No, the problem I'm having is with roots way up in the water column.
> The roots are growing where the leave nodes are, and are forming a
> system/network in the water. Some of the roots actually head down
> towards the substrate but it is a long way down! Others just branch
> out in the water itself the way roots usually do in the ground - like
> the roots of the water lettuce.
>
> My substrate is 2.5 inches 100% Fluorite. The light does penetrate
> the upper inch or so I'd say, but that's only because my dwarf
> hairgrass ground cover has not spread yet.

Then it could just be that the plant just shoots them out, looking for
nutrients... typical of hygro, and anachris....

Might just need some extra attention....

take a picture, you've got me interested now..

--
RedForeman ©® future fabricator and creator of a ratbike
streetfighter!!!

==========================
2003 TRX450ES
1992 TRX-350 XX (For Sale)
1987 TRX250R (sold)
1987 CBR600 Hurricane (sold)
1987 VFR700 Interceptor (sold)
1995 TRX300ex (sold)
2000 CBR600F4 silver/red (sold) *sniff*sniff*
'98 Tacoma Ext Cab 4X4 Lifted....
==========================
ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤° `°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø
"By US Code Title 47, Sec.227(a)(2)(B), a computer/modem/printer
meets the definition of a telephone fax machine. By Sec.227(b)(1)(C),
it is unlawful to send any unsolicited advertisement to such equipment.
By Sec.227(b)(3)(C), a violation of the aforementioned Section is
punishable by action to recover actual monetary loss, or $500,
whichever is greater, for each violation."

If you do send me unsolicited e-mail I will proof-read it at a rate
of $100 per hour (4 hour minimum).

[Nemo]

Params:
gH = 4; kH= 4; pH = 6.6; light 3.7 watts/gallon
Fertilization: DIY CO2 to 20-30 ppm; KNO3 to 8 mg/L; KCl to 12 mg/L; SC
Flourish
Substrate: 2.5" 100% Fluorite

[CS]

Many Aquatic plants grow roots at "nodes" on their stems--it means they are
happy!!!!

Lowcoaster

"Nemo" > wrote in message
.. .
> All right, at first it was fun to watch. Now it is becoming an unsightly
> mess. All of the stem plants are growing roots in the water column outside
> the substrate. Is this something I have to learn to admire, or is there
> something that needs to be done I'm not doing?
>
>
>
> The ludwigia repens is doing so well, the leaves are a gorgeous mahogany
> brown. But the roots it has grown outside the substrate are so thick; they
> are ruining its look >:(
>
>
>
>

[NetMax]

"Nemo" > wrote in message
...
> "RedForeman ©®" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Usually it means that your substrate it too thin and light is
penetrating
> the top 1" or
> > so, and when the roots see sun, they grow toward it... That's what
I've
> > heard, and it might be true, but I think it's just normal for roots
to
> > shoot 'out' and in your case, up... you can continue to pour gravel
back
> > over it, use your finger to stick the roots back down, or trim them.
> >
> > I usually thin the patch a bit or add gravel to cover...
> >
> > btw, how deep is your substrate?
>
> No, the problem I'm having is with roots way up in the water column.
The
> roots are growing where the leave nodes are, and are forming a
> system/network in the water. Some of the roots actually head down
towards
> the substrate but it is a long way down! Others just branch out in the
water
> itself the way roots usually do in the ground - like the roots of the
water
> lettuce.
>
> My substrate is 2.5 inches 100% Fluorite. The light does penetrate the
upper
> inch or so I'd say, but that's only because my dwarf hairgrass ground
cover
> has not spread yet.

Nemo, I can't help you get rid of the roots, but if you keep pushing the
plant into the substrate, it will creep along the bottom like a
foreground plant. We have a single rosefolia covering about 3 square
feet of a 60g tank. We are going to try it with Pennywort in another
tank next. It looks really interesting. The tetras stay above it and
all the bottom-feeders (shrimps, Otos, Corys & SAEs) live under their
private jungle canopy. I could never catch anything under there, but
it's really a Neon tetra tank anyways.

NetMax