Blyxa japonica

[kc]

Is Blyxa propagating by seeding? Currently I have a numbers of plantlets in my tank and I think its from Blyxa but I did see any flower.

[danny]

My send out side shoots from the main plant.It gets more and more bushy.

[David]

I will agree with Danny on this part....I have only seen side shoots when they are submersed.....I would not know if its the same when they are emersed........

[leafhorn]

About 5 or 6 stalks started growing in my tank out of nowhere, they just come out themselves, I had never planted them in before. I guess the seeds could had attached to the other plants and introduced into the tank when I planted those plants.

[InDeathsEmbrace]

does blyxa take long to get bushy?
all mine does is grow taller.
most are a nice lush green.however got a few stalks are somewhat turning copper coloured similar to e.tenellus.
anything wrong?

[tawauboy]

blyxa grows quite fast.
side shoots gives blyxa a bushier look and at the same time they are growing taller.
the leaves will have a brownish look when there is enough lights.
so nothing to worry.

[kadios]

Can someone help me out on my Blyxa as well?

I have 120W FL on my 3ft tank with height 2 ft and width 1.5 ft. My Blyxa bottom leaves grow yellow (or rot) pretty fast and its side shoots are often 1 - 1.5 cm away from the gravel surface. I noticed other tanks' Blyxa does not exhibit the same scenario as mine. Is it really a lighting problem?

If so, is it that FL depth of penetration is not enough for my 2 ft high tank? I should use PL instead for effective illumintation or I need to add more lights? Thanks in advance!

Cheers!

[Simon]

kadios, you are correct. FL for a 2ft height is abit too weak, thats the reason why the plant is shedding leaves from the bottom.

[kadios]

Then Simon, can I compensate it by adding more FLs? I have space to add another unit to make my total no. of tubes to 6, giving me a total of 180Watts.

Or am I left with the only alternative of adding PL or Metal Halide?

What do you guys usually do with tanks that are 2 ft deep? Thanks!

Cheers!

[David]

Hi Kadios

Compensating with more FL will help at the begining. but as the tube deteriates, your concern is more on the intensity rather than the wattage. a single 150watt MH bulb will give you more intensity than 180 watts worth of FL tubes.....

The down side to MH is that the light source is more focused which means that tall plants will cast hard shadow if it happens to be direct or some where just below the MH light source

[kadios]

So David, what options am I left with to ensure light reach the bottom of my tank for my foreground plants? PL for the front will suffice rite?

Actually, I'm very puzzled over illumintation? Can I compensate the lack of penetration by adding more lights? According to you, FL will pose a problem after some time. So can I say that replacing FL with PL will ensure good light penetration? Is intensity = penetration? What do you think? IMO, I guess not but it's too expensive for me to keep changing my lights to try out. Up till date, I had spent a bomb on lighting alone juz for a 3 ft tank. Really hope to get it rite. Fyi, juz bought the FL recently to try out. So now feel a a bit "heartpain" to hear that FL not suitable! =(

Btw, pendant type MH got uniformity problem unlike FL or PL rite?

Cheers!

[chua]

Actually, I am not too sure. But this kind of plant may produce seeds. I observe it in my tank one day. This type of plant will produce some buds. Pearling is always seen on the tip of these buds. When these buds matured, they will open and produce a slimy substance will many small black seeds within.
But i remove the slimy substance afterwhich cause i thought that it will pollute the water. Hence, i am not too sure about it.
Thks

[vinz]

Chua,

Interesting, but can I clarify something? How many times have you seen it happen? I'm asking because the slimy stuff with many seeds inside sounds just like snail eggs.

Some snails create a transparent jelly like bump on a leaf and within you would see many tiny black dots.

[chua]

Actually it is more like a white colour furry object. I observed this once. It will flow around the water.
I am not too sure, maybe i am wrong. Did antone else observe this?

[vinz]

Oh ok. Then that's not snails eggs.