Cabomba growing strangely.

[Old Scales]

I need your help please.
I have a 29g tank. Four tube T5HO with 3 Geiseman 6000k & 1 Zoo Med 5000k. 96w total. Lights on 2 tubes f/1 hr, 4 tubes f/6 hrs, then 2 tubes f/1 hr.
Dosing Glut for carbon & PPS-Pro for ferts. Temp is 77F. Substrate is all Flora-Max.
See picture attached. When I bought this Cabomba it was all about 6" long and nice and dense. See how the top part has grown so fast that it is about 2-3" between leaf bracts.
How should I trim this? Why is it not staying dense like on the bottom?
I have several more advanced high light plants now, so is the Cabomba not a good companion plant because of this?
Thank you in advance for your advice. OS.

 

[Rivercats]

This is typical for Cabomba. I use it but always towards the back so the nice dense colored top portions are visable but the lanky stems are hidden behind. I also sometimes cut the good tops off and replant them after removing the bottoms. It's the nature of the beast.

 

[spiketooth]

My Cabomba dont really looks like your. The ones i jad in my 75 went all the way to the top and started growing flowers. Here is a pic of mine



There on the right

 

[Rivercats]

They can also flower underwater which is really pretty. Here's a pic of when mine flowered underwater the last time... Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community - Rivercats's Album: 220g 12-1-2012 - Picture

 

[spiketooth]

They can also flower underwater which is really pretty. Here's a pic of when mine flowered underwater the last time... Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community - Rivercats's Album: 220g 12-1-2012 - Picture

That is soo cool, i hope mine does that

 

[Old Scales]

Thanks you for your replies. I will trim some off the bottom and replant. Spike your Cabomba is really thick and green. Beautiful!
Rivercats, thanks for the picture. Awesome as all your plants are. Hope mine bloom. That would be a real treat.

 

[Cammywammy]

I think the lighting highly influences the way this plant grows. If you think about adaptation and the evolution of the plant it probably grows taller and more spread out because it wants more light. It also probably grows thicker and fuller when it has enough light and grows fuller to take advantage of it. Try offering more light or longer periods of light.

 

[Old Scales]

OK Thank you Cammy.

 

[Rivercats]

Even under my metal halides in a deep tank the Cabomba will still only grow thick and lush when it gets very tall. So yes the light influences it but in deep tanks even under extremely high light it will still grow in this method.

As for the blooming, it actually happened when I began seriously upping my phosphate levels. I have also found that my anubia nana's flower quite regularly and often with at least 2 flowers usually since changing this level in my tank.

 

[Old Scales]

I'm seeing the same thing in the anubias in my guppy tank since using the PPS. The PO4 has caused them to bloom. I finally got the PO4 to between 0.5 & 1.0. In the 30g it has caused the new growth on my Ludwigia Gland. to be a much better red. Still adjusting dose on NO3 as it still wants to stay low. When I trim down the Cabomba, I'm going to cut off and replant the tops like you said to. On two of the stems, I'm going to cut the tops off and leave the bottom just to see how & if they will put out side branches. What do you think would be a good plant to intermingle with Hygrophilia Difformis to give a grouping of it some extra texture? Thanks, OS

 

[Rivercats]

I'm not a fan of intermingling plants. I like to have nice full plantings of one plant type and then use other plants with a different leaf shape and even color in a grouping that compliments yet stands out from the other plant groups around it. IMO when intermingling plants you lose the visual uniqueness of each type of plant. Could you post a full tank shot so I can see where the plant is located?

Also the cabomba will produce 2 side shoot usually but not always for me when topping it and leaving the bottom. I use this method when I want to thicken the plants without necessarily planting more.

 

[Old Scales]

Yes I see your point about intermingling. I'm realizing I don't really have alot of room in a 29g to have all the plants I want. Ha! Imagine that! I'll PM you the picture as it won't let me attach one here in quick reply or I don't know how yet. Note the big sword in the center. I see it coming out for a bigger group of Ludwigia Gland. MY pogostemon erectus from UK is dead I think. The ammania bonsai is coming out well. Verdict is still out on the Alternanthera mini. I'm looking forward to seeing pics of your latest plants you ordered. Lordy, I've never heard of half of them. Fascinating.
Thanks for your replies, OS.

 

[Old Scales]

River, I had to post the tank picture as a new thread. Apparently I still don't know how to attach the pictures very well yet. Sorry. OS.

 

[Old Scales]

Picture of my 29g tank.

Here is the full tank shot I hope! LOL

 

[Rivercats]

I see you got it to work!

You know I recently pulled out my two huge swords because they look up way too much room and after I removed them found that they had been really darkening up the tank and blocking light. I'd remove it now before it gets too big and makes a bigger mess trying to get it out.

As for the picture.... you have alot of room left to plant and if you removed the big rocks you'd have a ton of room IMO. You could put a non green plant in front of the wisteria, will have to think about a good one. Then I'd push the Cabomba all the way back against the wall and crowd them a bit so leaves slightly overlap the ones around them. Then put a different leaf shape and colored plant in front of them. You could top and replant some of the Ludwigia but then I'd add another type of plant next to the wisteria. Maybe even make your stand of wisteria alittle smaller so it doesn't overpower the other different groups of plants. I'll have to think of some cool but not too difficult plants you could use.

What's the mini doing?

 

[Old Scales]

Well, I print screened this reply and went to the tank and read it over and mulled some of the ideas. I like your ideas ALOT! The wisteria being such a large group was what was bothering me I know now. Just needed a kick in the mind. I looked at some Ludwigia Ovalis(bronze-ish color & nice leaf shape. Either lessen and move back the wisteria and put it left of it at the end or left of the Cabomba after moving it to the far left as you say.
The A. mini is sprouting out a litle. It is about 3/4" taller than when I put it in. Gosh you should have seen how beat down flat they all were, even in their shipping tubs after all that shipping from the UK .I don't thinkl I'll try that again. About half of the leaves are still that melted semi-transparent look, but I think it's going to SLOWLY make it. The Ammania Bonsai is really taking off the best. I up'd my glut dose 2 ml more and added another 1 hr to the 4 tube light period hoping to help them along better. I just have them kind of "row cropped" on the front until they get stronger.
How are the A. minis you got? How did yours come & did you find them here in the states? Again, thank you so much for taking the time to help me. Luck & GB Brian.

 

[Rivercats]

I got the Alternanthera Reinekii mini and the Mini Rotala Butterfly. The AR mini is here in the states but not many have it. The Mini Butterfly is getting more and more popular. I got both from The Planted Tank buy and sell. The mini rotala butterfly is such a tiny petite little plant I worried when it took 3 days to get here and even the seller was afraid it might not make it. But I planted it and as of yesterday, almost a week later, I have new leaves popping up. If your seeing even alittle new growth it should pull through. Plus as it establishes you can cut off bad parts and replant. That's what I tend to do. You should look into Ludwigia sp. Cuba and perhaps Rotala Pantanal or Vietnam. You might have to go to The Planted Tank or Aquabid but they aren't too hard to find and they come from here in the states... lol!

 

[Rivercats]

Check out this guys list.... The Planted Tank Forum. I've gotten plants from him. There are several good choices on here but you'd have to PM him to find out what he has left. All you need to do is Join that forum.

 

[Old Scales]

I just registered and got on the planted tank member list. Good Site! Thanks, OS.

 

[Rivercats]

You'll find alot of the new plants I've gotten on there. Now you have a whole new world of options on which plants you can have!