Want emersed growth? Try Cyano! (pics)

[Billsgate]

So I've been trying to get rid of cyano (which always forms at the surface of my tank, never goes downward) for a while now. I've let the cyano grow for 2 weeks now, and I've had excellent results with this! It's still there, but on the bright side I now have lots of small sterns I can clip and replant afterwards. One of my stern plants takes advantage of the tight surface to break through the water line.

Full tank shot:

Top shots, 1st with lid:

I'm getting me a new sponge filter (to increase water flow) once I start earning some money again (been sick for a month now, mononucleoses (don't know if it's english as well, but it's a word)

 

[fish_4_all]

All I can grow emersed is cyano or mold. Gonna try a setup like yours. If oyu want it to grow on the bottom, add a piece of untreated ceramic to tank in a low circulation spot.

Anyway, I would really like to know the species that is growing out the top that is a wanted plant as I am looking to do just what you have done but I don't think my Primrose is going to accomplish this.

 

[Glenc]

That's to cool, looks amazing! People try real hard to achieve good emersed growth, looks like you've figured it out!

 

[Billsgate]

Anyway, I would really like to know the species that is growing out the top that is a wanted plant as I am looking to do just what you have done but I don't think my Primrose is going to accomplish this.

I'm sorry, but I really can't help you with the ID on this plant. I've had it for 3 years and a bit, was one of my first plants, and has lived through all my beginner mistakes. All the ones you are seeing coming out of the top grew from a bare stern I overlooked when redoing this tank a year ago, it grew lots of new shoots and this is the result
I think most stern plants that are not very fine leaved (like cabomba species) are able to do this, and you don't need cyano for it actually, if you throw in some duckweed and let it take over the entire top of your tank, the surface is "firm" enough for some stern plants to start growing out of the water. (This is the way I first got plants to grow out of the water, the cyano just adds to the thickness of the surface )

 

[fish_4_all]

Alternanthera
Ammannia gracilis
Limnophila aromatica
Proserpinaca palustris

All possibilities. Some mre information if you don't mind:
Do the plants lose the lower leaves when they break the surface?
When you cut and replant, does it go back to submerged for really easy or does it take some time to transition?

Sorr for all the questions but I am getting a 10 gallon and will be doing this myself very soon so it will help me out a lot.

 

[Billsgate]

I googled all of the 4 you named, but none are the exact species. But the alternanthera looks most like it. Today I janked out all of this plant, took cuttings from the growth above water (cut just above the water line), and took cuttings from the same plant that grew under water. I made two seperate bunches, and planted them next to eachother for comparisson. The ones that grew above water have red sterns, below water have green sterns. The leaves on the ones above water look allot paler then the ones that grew under water.

All of the cyano is now gone, and I thoroughly cleaned my sponge filter, turns out a Malasian trumpet snail was blocking my impeller, so I had no water flow, now it's all back to normal.

Bad thing is my camera's card is broke, but I'll try to get some pics tommorow, if not it'll be next week.

I just looked on plantgeek, and I'm pretty sure this is the one I have, very easy and common plant: Hygrophila polysperma http://www.plantgeek.net/plant-138.htm

Edit: Lower leaves were indeed lost on most of these sterns as you may see in the full tank shot (not much green fine leaves in tank). Some of the sterns grew horizontal at the surface and then had sideshoots break through the surface. Duckweed is your friend for this, but if you have too much flow, your duckweed will not grow as good and a carpet of duckweed is also a great place for cyano to start forming if the flow is low.
Another thing: My hood is completely sealed off, apart from a lid I take off to feed. I think the submersed growth is promoted by the humid enviroment of the hood (evaporated water almost doesn't leave the tank)

HTH

 

[fish_4_all]

http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/seagrant/hygpol10.jpg

Here is one I found on emersed form. Might help.

I hope it isn't because I got rid of mine and I am not chancing getting in trouble for getting it again.

 

[Billsgate]

http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/seagrant/hygpol10.jpg

Here is one I found on emersed form. Might help.

I hope it isn't because I got rid of mine and I am not chancing getting in trouble for getting it again.

Who's gonna be angry at you for taking that plant again?
Yes I really think it's that one I have.
But I also believe the same can be achieved with any of the plants you mentioned in your previous post, along with other plants. Some may do it faster then others, but all you can do is give some of them a go.

 

[fish_4_all]

LOL, my state banned even the possesion of it so I won't be gettin it again. No big deal, like you said, I have a number of species that will do it and they are species I like better anyway. My primrose grows so fast in one tank that I could easily do it in there.

All I have to do is figure out something to use as a tension breakers at the surface so it will grow out instead of along the top, like it does now. That and I have to keep the light going down to the lower plants so they don't lose all their lower leaves, or at least give them a chance.