Plentiful Pictures of Pearling Plants [*Bandwidth Warning*]

[travis simonson]

I've been working on growing a few new species of plants (for me at least) and have finally gotten some of them to the point where I can get halfway decent pictures of them. When I got home tonight things were pearling very well so I decided to take some pictures

An epiphytic planting of Cryptocoryne wendtii "Green Gecko" with some Hygrophila polysperma "Rosa Nervig" in the background:

The beginnings of submersed growth on some Rotala macrandra "Variegated" that should have bright red leaves with white venation when it gets comfortable:

A holding Pseudotropheus demasoni female hiding at the center of a big bunch of Microsorum pteropus "Narrow Leaf":

An interesting, but fairly uncommon bronze/green runner plant, Potamogeton gayi, reaching the top of my tank:

A flower-bearing stalk of Blyxa aubertii getting ready to bloom:

Brilliant green foliage of Eichornia diversifolia:

A patch of Hydrocotyle verticellata at the base of a large rock with Sagittaria weatherbiana in the shadows behind it:

The multicolored green, yellow, orange, and red leaves of Rotala rotundifolia "Colorata" backdropped by a stand of Blyxa aubertii:

Some Echindorus quadricostatus in the foreground with a cranky, astigmatic Pseudotropheus elongatus "Usisya" poking her head out of her cave in the background:

Some Microsorum pteropus "Needle Leaf" growing out of the bole of a hollow stump:

Two very well fed mbuna hovering over a bed of Ranunculus papulentus with a wall of Anubias barteri v nana "Petite" in the background:

A Pseudotropheus demasoni yawning lazily in front of a stand of Ludwigia glandulosa, my favorite of the Ludwigia genus:

An oblique shot of the full tank:

 

[Jchillin]

There is only one thing I can say:

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Amazing pics.

Pic #4 Potamogeton gayi, That picture looked weird to me at first, I was sort of expecting "sky" above it, not waterline.. not sure why tho. (might be that your background has that "water" look to it.)

'The multicolored green, yellow, orange, and red leaves of Rotala rotundifolia "Colorata"'

what differentiates colorata from regular rotundifolia? I'm only curious because I heard this was a rarer plant and mine looks almost identical to yours (depending on proximity to light)..

 

[travis simonson]

Thanks guys

'The multicolored green, yellow, orange, and red leaves of Rotala rotundifolia "Colorata"'

what differentiates colorata from regular rotundifolia? I'm only curious because I heard this was a rarer plant and mine looks almost identical to yours (depending on proximity to light)..

The main difference is that R. rotundifolia "Colorata" has this coloration regardless of proximity to light. As it approaches the light it takes on a brilliant magenta-red coloration, much more intense than any other variety of R. rotundifolia I've kept. It doesn't have the nice straight growth habit of regular R. rotundifolia unfortunately, and can be quite a bear to trim and get to grow in a bushy manner. It's sort of squirrelly

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Awsome pics, now I know a couple other plants I can get to add some color. Great job...

 

[Japola44]

what substrate do you use? I'm looking around for some to use on my new 50gal.
Hey just noticed you live in Englewood! I do too. Do you have any suggestions for fish stores? The only one I have really bought from is the one on Colorado near Yale.
But yah any way, what substrate are you using lol?

 

[czcz]

Badass. Dying for a pic of the section Downoi to ET road flanked by A. Bonsai/R. indica and Echindorus quadricostatus. What's between E. diversifolia and L. glandulosa?

Pseudotropheus elongatus "Usisya" pic is my favorite

 

[travis simonson]

what substrate do you use?

I don't recommend the mix I'm using. It's part Eco-Complete Cichlid Sand and Eco-Complete Planted Tank substrate. I recommend going with 100% E-C Planted Tank substrate. It's great stuff.

Do you have any suggestions for fish stores?

I recommend South Broadway Tropicals on Broadway just north of Hampden and Todd's Tropicals, way out on east Hampden. Nice selections, for Denver anyway

What's between E. diversifolia and L. glandulosa?

I think you're looking at the broad-leaved light green plant, correct? That's Limnophila sp. "Corkscrew" according to the hobbyist I got it from. I love the color and it grows incredibly fast, a lot like L. aromatica

I'll post some pics of the E. triandra/downoi area when things grow in some more. I had to reduce crowding and got rid of about two dozen juvenile Africans who were munching on the downoi. It's coming back nicely now. Should be a few more weeks.

 

[Purrbox]

I have to agree with Jchillin.

 

[rich311k]

Absolutely incredible.

 

[SerLunchbox]

That is a really nice looking tank you have. Looks to be very well thought out. Though i have to comment .... who said you can't keep plants with cichlids :LOL:

 

[mr funktastic]

wow!!! i am impressed with everything that u do!! i cant wait till it gets a little warmer to send me some of those beauties. the colours are amazing!! are those all high light plants or will they still show the colour with lower lighting around 2 watts per gallon. and again i must say WOW!!

 

[An t-iasg]

Extremely nice! 8O

 

[Japola44]

Thanks for the suggestions!
do you know what some cross roads are for todd's tropicals so i can get an idea about where it is?
I also would like to say your tank looks really fantastic!

 

[Glenc]

Unbelievably beautiful. You have achieved what I think all of us strive for. Beautiful healthy plants, crystal clear water and happy fish. If I had your tank I would not own a TV set. I would probably be divorced also! I'd be parked in front of it all the time!

 

[gfink]

Those colors are really vivid. Are you using any actinic bulbs?

 

[travis simonson]

do you know what some cross roads are for todd's tropicals so i can get an idea about where it is?

Todd's Tropicals is right by the Cherry Creek Dam, just before Hampden turns north and becomes Havana St. It's in a little strip mall shopping center on the north side of Hampden.

 

[travis simonson]

Those colors are really vivid. Are you using any actinic bulbs?

I used to use about 100 watts of actinic03 bulbs but I decided I needed more raw wattage to get better coloration out of the plants. I did like the way the actinics brought out certain colors (blues especially), but in the end I just needed more plant-available light. Now I use roughly 50% 6700K and 50% 10000K. I like the mix

 

[travis simonson]

are those all high light plants or will they still show the colour with lower lighting around 2 watts per gallon

Actually most of the plants (other than the R. macrandra and the L. glandulosa, and maybe the B. aubertii) will grow just fine under medium light, as long as you've got good (25-30 ppm) levels of CO2.

 

[Zagz]

As usual Travis you leave me speechless. And btw that isn't an easy feat. I am in awe of your tank.