If anyone is or has grown Pogostemon Helferi I have a couple questions. First, on 7/12/12 I planted a large area (maybe 3'x5") of Pogostemon Helferi. My problem is I noticed when I planted them they had very tiny roots. I have 3 yo-yo loaches which root in the substrate like wild hogs and of course they have slightly pulled some of the plants up. Since I planted them all rather closely together replanting loose ones are almost impossible. I have just been gentlely sprinkling my eco-complete around those plants base as best as possible.
Question is: do these plants get decent root systems? If so how long does it take? Second question is I noticed recently some of the plants are coming in with white top growth, which after research points to low iron. I have been monitoring my iron almost daily and find I have to keep my water column concentration at .3 to .4 (I know .5 is the maximun) and the white growth does turn green. The plants are growning well and am noticing new plantlets growing at the base of some of the plants, so all is well on that front.
But, my tank literally eats iron. I have to dose almost daily and by the end of the day the iron readings are almost down to 0. I use Seachem Iron test kit, and I test for cleated iron which is what the readings listed are for. The test for ionic iron always tests .1 or 0. I know this plant does absorb iron from the water column but does it also draw iron from its root system? With the plantings still in the process of getting better rooted I am very leary of trying to put my iron pellet fertilizer around them for now. So any ideas how to keep iron in my water column? I will list my stats below. All my plants grow wonderfullly but this guy is the fussy one, and of course it is in the front of the tank. Any help or insight will be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Janis
Tank: 220 gallon 72"Lx24"Wx30"H
Lighting: Coralife 72" fixture 3x150 HID metal halide, 4x 39W T5, 6x1W LED lunar light, all on timer
Filtration: Fluval FX5, Fluval 406 with Aqua Ultraviolet Advantage 2000+ 15 Watt UV Sterilizer
Heating: 3x 300W Fluval E Series
Powerheads: 2x 240gph Hydor Koralia Nano pumps (for gentle added circulation due to tank size)
Substrate: 1-1/2" organic soil, capped with 1-1/2" eco-complete
Water parameters:
KH: 5
GH: 6
PH: 7.2
Iron: .3
Nitrates 10 ppm
Phosphates: .5 to 1 ppm
Flourish Excel -no CO2 (yet)
Ferts: dosing PPS Pro daily plus Flouris Iron as needed
Water testing 2x week
Water changes 10 gallons every day
Plants:
Telanthera Rosefolia (Alternanthera reineckii)
Ambulia (Limnophila indica)
Limnophila aromatica 'hippuroides'
Proserpinaca Palustris
Rotala Indica (Rotala roundifolia)
Rotala macrandra
Anubias barteri v. Nana
Anubias barteri v. Coffeefolia
Bolbitus heudelotii
Pogostemon helferi
Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides)
Java Fern, Lace (Microsorium pteropus v. Windelov)
Crinum Calimistratum
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Florida Sunset'
Tiger Lotus, Red (Nymphaea zenkeri)
Cryptocoryne Parva
Cryptocoryne lutea
Cryptocoryne Wendtii Bronze (Cryptocoryne wendtii v. Tropica)
Amazon Sword (Echinodorus bleheri)
Ozelot Sword (Echinodorus 'ozelot')
Dwarf Baby Tears (Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba')
Fish:
10 Veil and Super Veil Angelfish (3 juvenille, 1 pair, 1 male with his 4 female harem)
21 Rummy nose tetras
12 Diamond tetras
5 German Blue Rams
4 Electric Blue Rams
2 Gold Rams
3 YoYo loaches
4 Corydoras sterbai
4 Corydoras panda
Corydoras agassizi
8 Threadfin Rainbow Fish
18 Otocinclus Catfish
3 Whiptail Cats (Farlowella gracilis)
Question is: do these plants get decent root systems? If so how long does it take? Second question is I noticed recently some of the plants are coming in with white top growth, which after research points to low iron. I have been monitoring my iron almost daily and find I have to keep my water column concentration at .3 to .4 (I know .5 is the maximun) and the white growth does turn green. The plants are growning well and am noticing new plantlets growing at the base of some of the plants, so all is well on that front.
But, my tank literally eats iron. I have to dose almost daily and by the end of the day the iron readings are almost down to 0. I use Seachem Iron test kit, and I test for cleated iron which is what the readings listed are for. The test for ionic iron always tests .1 or 0. I know this plant does absorb iron from the water column but does it also draw iron from its root system? With the plantings still in the process of getting better rooted I am very leary of trying to put my iron pellet fertilizer around them for now. So any ideas how to keep iron in my water column? I will list my stats below. All my plants grow wonderfullly but this guy is the fussy one, and of course it is in the front of the tank. Any help or insight will be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Janis
Tank: 220 gallon 72"Lx24"Wx30"H
Lighting: Coralife 72" fixture 3x150 HID metal halide, 4x 39W T5, 6x1W LED lunar light, all on timer
Filtration: Fluval FX5, Fluval 406 with Aqua Ultraviolet Advantage 2000+ 15 Watt UV Sterilizer
Heating: 3x 300W Fluval E Series
Powerheads: 2x 240gph Hydor Koralia Nano pumps (for gentle added circulation due to tank size)
Substrate: 1-1/2" organic soil, capped with 1-1/2" eco-complete
Water parameters:
KH: 5
GH: 6
PH: 7.2
Iron: .3
Nitrates 10 ppm
Phosphates: .5 to 1 ppm
Flourish Excel -no CO2 (yet)
Ferts: dosing PPS Pro daily plus Flouris Iron as needed
Water testing 2x week
Water changes 10 gallons every day
Plants:
Telanthera Rosefolia (Alternanthera reineckii)
Ambulia (Limnophila indica)
Limnophila aromatica 'hippuroides'
Proserpinaca Palustris
Rotala Indica (Rotala roundifolia)
Rotala macrandra
Anubias barteri v. Nana
Anubias barteri v. Coffeefolia
Bolbitus heudelotii
Pogostemon helferi
Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides)
Java Fern, Lace (Microsorium pteropus v. Windelov)
Crinum Calimistratum
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Florida Sunset'
Tiger Lotus, Red (Nymphaea zenkeri)
Cryptocoryne Parva
Cryptocoryne lutea
Cryptocoryne Wendtii Bronze (Cryptocoryne wendtii v. Tropica)
Amazon Sword (Echinodorus bleheri)
Ozelot Sword (Echinodorus 'ozelot')
Dwarf Baby Tears (Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba')
Fish:
10 Veil and Super Veil Angelfish (3 juvenille, 1 pair, 1 male with his 4 female harem)
21 Rummy nose tetras
12 Diamond tetras
5 German Blue Rams
4 Electric Blue Rams
2 Gold Rams
3 YoYo loaches
4 Corydoras sterbai
4 Corydoras panda
Corydoras agassizi
8 Threadfin Rainbow Fish
18 Otocinclus Catfish
3 Whiptail Cats (Farlowella gracilis)