Echinodorus Demands

[valice]

I would like to know what's the demands of Echinodorus species... Especially E. 'Oriental'... My current tank is 2ft with 55W, pressurised CO2, but no base fert... So intend to use root monster to work round the problem...

Also, anyone has any ideas where I might get that plant? I want to find a background plant which would reach only to a height of 30 cm and able to cover my powerhead + internal reactor... Currently using Limnophila sessiliflora (foc from Justikanz)to do that. But it is growing too fast in the tank!

Hope someone can help... Thanks!

[GaspingGurami]

Vincent,

You need high lights, high co2 and high ferts in the water column. You also need a BIG tank, otherwise the monster will give you problem. (Seen loupgarou's 5ft tank picture under aquascaping? Echinodoruses can grow to that kind of sizes)

For a narrow-leaved echinodorus, mine has grown leaves 4+ inches wide and 1 foot plus in height. The leaves probably can grow bigger, but in the end it grew out of the water and dried up. I have 13watts per gallon of brand-new 8000K PL lights and yet my plants below are not getting enough lights. (In fairness, I have a 20L tank, 1ft deep from top of substrate. The plant fills the whole tank. In a larger tank, you'll possibly need lesser light)

It is not temperature sensitive, my temps have gone as high as 32degrees, but normally around 27-28 deg. CO2 and ferts are a must for that amount of lights. my pH is 5.7, kH 3 when lights are on. Tank water after aeration is pH 7.4, so I guess give and take the buffering, I have 30ppm of CO2. Daily, I put in 5ppm of NO3, 2ppm PO4. Traces on alternate days. 50% water change weekly.

In a small tank, be cautioned that using Ferka Rosetta capsules will cause your Echinodorus oriental to become a monster. It grows HUGE fast, sending out flowers weekly. This stuff is IMO many times more potent than Root Monster. Use with care.

I love my oriental. It is a good tell-tale plant on the state of my tank. Too little NO3 and the new leaves grow out red in colour. Insufficient CO2 or PO4? GSA grow on the top of the older leaves. And that pretty much covers your macro nutrients for Singapore waters. Above all, nothing beats the sight of those delicate, hot-pink new leaves and translucent veins.

Azmi at Ecoculture should have some plants.

[valice]

Yah... I saw loupgarou's tank... It seems so big!
I only get a couple of plantlets from someone to see how it fare in my tank... But shouldn't E. 'Oriental' be slow growing? According to tropica.dk that is... I liked its leave shape and colours too... Think my pleco will like the leaves too... Nice resting place...

Thanks Lawrence...

[Simon]

Echinodorus do good in most conditions, I'm growing them without co2, alot of substrate fert. Do consider the position u gonna plant it, it requires a large area of spread, so IMO, need at least a diameter of 20 - 30cm of space

[valice]

Do consider the position u gonna plant it, it requires a large area of spread, so IMO, need at least a diameter of 20 - 30cm of space

OMG! Wouldn't that be like half my tank?!
Then I must consider hard whether to get it...

[GaspingGurami]

I only get a couple of plantlets from someone to see how it fare in my tank...

ONE plantlet will enough.

Consider placement carefully. Take into consideration its full grown size. Its footprint is like what Simon says, 1 ft. In addition, there is the branches of flowers it puts out (Whatever they're called) that will turn into plantlets You'll need space too for them to go back into the water to become plantlets.

Don't think you can move them once they're grown. The roots cover most of the bottom so uprooting is not a viable option without a mojor rescape. Cutting the roots will cause the remnant roots to rot in the substrate, causing new problems.

The oriental can GROW fast if given correct conditions, despite tropica's careful statement. So don't fear. It's soooooo much cheaper to own an oriental now-a-days. Enjoy.

[Justikanz]

I got a normal Echi, the one you would normally find in LFSs, and it grew to 2ft diameter... and more than 2ft tall! Took up 50% of tank space... Had to remove it... Pity though... It was very pretty...

[valice]

From a single plantlet?!
If there are small pieces of driftwood around the echi, would it still expand beyond the DWs?

[Justikanz]

Yes, from 1 plant. It sent out runners too!

Driftwood does not stop it... The leaves grow from the crown and the crown isn't very big in size... The leave spread out to 2ft diameter and shade everything under the plant... It will speard like a 'V' shape...

[valice]

So it is the spreading of the leaves that created the 2ft diameter? So around the plant I probably could put plants like Anubias and Crypts then... I must consider the placement of the E. Oriental very carefully already...

Btw, how long did it take for your Echi to grow till that size?

[Justikanz]

Yes, you probably can... But that would mean you will have a hard time trimming the older Echi leaves, if you ever want to, esp to make the plant smaller...

This is my Echi, Echinodorus bleheri



See it in the tank? That was like 60% of the final size when I gave it away...

[juggler]

E.Oriental may grow to different sizes in different tanks/conditions. _Generally_ it is smaller and won't grow too big. Give it root nutrients and if placed near the CO2 output and it will grow bigger.

Teo Farm may have them. Can call to ask.

To hide your internal reactor/powerhead, can place them lower or use driftwood to block the view?

[reebok4190]

Teo's Aquatic have it, my friend got some from there...

[valice]

I found that under shaded conditions... The E. Oriental can be quite a slow growing plant... Inserted 1 root monster around it and have some java fern shading it, it has yet to grow... Only the saw the single new leave grow bigger... No new leaves so far or flowers so far...