Tonina experiences?

**RobertH** · 1st Feb 2004, 15:26

I would very much like to hear peoples experience with Tonina sp belem. This plant has only just started to become available to hobbyists in the USA, but from what I understand has been hugely popular in Asia, particularly Japan. There are dozens of Japanese WEB sites about this plant, but unfortunetly I do not read Japanese! Would people here share their experience growing this plant? What have been your growing conditions?

Robert Hudson
www.aquabotanic.com

**Sleepy_lancs** · 1st Feb 2004, 15:46

Acidic soil required. People in the forum here usually use ADA soil to ensure success.

**Kingfisher** · 1st Feb 2004, 15:51

My Toninas got burned becuase I level up the KH, now I let it maintain at arund 2KH only.

**RobertH** · 1st Feb 2004, 16:05

So a peat mix substrate would work? How critical is the light level?

**agitato** · 1st Feb 2004, 19:35

i find my tonina sp variegated grow better under slightly shaded light. Those under direct light melted...
could have been my water temp at a high side as well...

**PohSan** · 1st Feb 2004, 21:13

Besides using great stuff likes Seachem Flourite, I don't really bother about the water parameter and the plant is growing very well. This week, I even noticed a small flower bud come out from the top of the tonina head.

My light usage is 1 x 36W PL lighting and 1 x 18W arcadia light tube, pressurized C02 supply. Both supplies switched on for about 12 hours. I turns on the fan cooler 24 hours to keep the water temperature at around 27 to 29 Degree C.

Also, don't introduce Yamato shrimp into the tank, they likes to damage the tip of the tonina leave and cause them to turn brown. But I don't really care.

Regards,
Ong Poh San

**xxdivinityxx** · 2nd Feb 2004, 03:51

[quote:f370aa8101="PohSan"]Besides using great stuff likes Seachem Flourite, I don't really bother about the water parameter and the plant is growing very well. This week, I even noticed a small flower bud come out from the top of the tonina head. [/quote:f370aa8101]

I think its a new crown rather than a flower bro. Watch it for the next few days and watch it emerge to be a nice new crown! Shows that your plants are growing!

My experience with this is that it grows well when planted closely, cool water and not too strong direct light on it

**PohSan** · 2nd Feb 2004, 10:47

Yes, maybe it is just a new crown. Excuse my ignorance. I attached the photo for your reference.

Regards,
Ong Poh San

**xxdivinityxx** · 2nd Feb 2004, 11:03

[quote:e747af863a="PohSan"]Yes, maybe it is just a new crown. Excuse my ignorance. I attached the photo for your reference.

Regards,
Ong Poh San[/quote:e747af863a]

Oh man, i stand corrected bro, my deepest apologies, it does indeed look like a flower! Amazing! I've never seen it flower out of the water before! I stand majorly corrected! Please update us on the flower!

**PohSan** · 2nd Feb 2004, 21:09

I am not to sure if that is a flower or not. Look like a flower to me. Do anyone seem this before.

**gchoo** · 2nd Feb 2004, 22:46

Yes it is. It's quite common for it to flower... Similar to an eracaulon sp...

**anaconda** · 7th Feb 2004, 23:08

Pohsan: what is the red plant next to the tonina?.

**PohSan** · 7th Feb 2004, 23:27

The guy who sold it to me said it is called Ludwigia sp. And some of the Taiwan and Japan's site use the same name also. However, I saw some other site used the same name on the plant which looked different from what I have. Do anyone has the correct name?

Regards,
Ong Poh San