Tonina

[Plantbrain]

Has anyone successfully grown tonina without using ADA substrate? They slowly melted away in my DIY substrate (laterite, vermiculite and a little peat with gravel top). I've added more peat to substrate before I planted them. Dosing EI. Also Tom, i remember you mentioned a while ago that tonina could be grown emersed? How did you do it? I seem to have more luck with emerse growing fussy stem plants than submersed.

I grew it at about 3" a week in flourite(Nothing else in the substrate).
The KH was still low, the GH was high, about 5-7. It grew as healthy as anything I've seen in any photo.

In the ADA soil, it'll grow faster, about 4" a week.
Note, this is under very high light.

It's a weed and I really have not liked the plant over time.
The T belem is okay and less weedy. I've grown all 3 species/groups of the plant. I've not tried it emergent.


You can grow it in high light in a shallow tray and let the pruned lower stem portions bud out new stems, I assume you could grow them emergent from there and transfer them to soil etc.

The stems will sprout new buds rapidly, this tells me that the plant certainly likes: rich nutrients and low KH.

1.pH is not important

2.Substrate nutrients are not that important(you'll get a little faster growth and the dosing routine will be more forgiving) tio the plant's health at all, but the rate of growth can be increased some but using the ADA AS etc.

3. KH is important(0 to 4-5 range, not sure about the upper range, but 4 certainly works) GH is not and should be higher than 3 in any planted tank.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[primavera]

Thanks heaps for the tips Tom! Will try the tray method.

[troyz]

To grow tonina good and real fast, just use lapis sand, high light (or low tank height), high co2 and lots of K.

hi Roland, by the way what is K...

[aquarius]

K = Potassium

[troyz]

K = Potassium

Thanks aquarius

[Kingfisher]

Last time mine used to melt away but the current batch is growing well. Same growing condition except this batch is in my aircon room. So I guess temperature play a part too.

[christopher.wtc]

Hi MK,
There was time when i changed my ADA substrate to flourite. What I got for the test result for dgh was 12 and kh was 3. I would say that 3 kh would be good but having 12 dgh was too high for most plants.

I used API water softener pillow to soften the water to about 3dgh as well. Dont take my word for it, check the galleries on the website, http://www.bubblesaquarium.com/image...t%20PageF1.htm , look at how the water spec of a experts' tank and you will see why.

By the way, having a low dgh as 3 will also improve pearling. Good luck bro.

[Aquaria One]

If a chiller's beyond your budget, get a fan or fans.