practical room temp plant growing research

[thom336]

ok, i have been doing some work into growing certain plants at room temperature, as opposed to tropical temps, and i have had amazing results. amazon swords are growing really well, and another sword has plently of new growths from it, and this is a sword i had great trouble with at tropical temperatures. i have some new shoots growing on my crypts in this room temp set up, and the bronze bacopa, well, it speaks for itself....the new growth is fast, a nice green colour, and is algae-free (the old growth on the plant before put into his set up was covered in hair algae). parrots feather is obviously growing very well, and i am having to transfer it out - in 2 weeks it has over doubled! i recently added some young java fern to the tank, so i have yet to see the growth rate of that.

the substrate is silver sand, lighting is a 12V halogen desk lamp, and the tank is 4gals. no fertilisers have been added, and there is no CO2 or filtration - just regular partial water changes. there is an open-ended air line in the tank. so if i add CO2 and fertilisers i shoulnd be able to increase plant growth even more. the tanks inhabitants are 3 female guppys and a male. some pics of the tank about a week ago can be seen on the link below, and i hope to put some new pics of it here over the weekend, with close ups of the new growths.

i just thought i would share these experiances with you!

[plantbrain]

At lower temps, the H2O hold more gas at equilibrium and plant growth rates are slower.

So say at 15C the O2 level is about 10ppm and at 30C it's 7.5ppm. Same type of thing for CO2 but it's a more complicated issue than O2. Generally all gases are more soluble in colder waters.

Most plants you grow like cooler waters also. Only a very few seem to be only happy at 25C and above. I cannot really think on one either off the top of my head that can only grow above this temp.

Crypts etc can handle rather cool waters.
Swords certain do and can.

Colder temps reduce metabolic rates and growth rates of most of these plants.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[nvision]

to add to the list, java moss and christmas moss grow extremely well in cooler water also. if you want very lush, dense, "spongy" moss, this would be the way to go.

i've tried christmas moss a few times and can never get it to grow at 75 degrees or higher.

[thom336]

alot of 'tropical' plants do in fact fair better in cooler temperatures. other examples to add to those already mentioned include vallis, ludwigia, java fern, and the obvious ones elodia and crispa.

[plantbrain]

Name one that does NOT do well at 60-72F(submersed plant)?

I don't know of any.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[Slappy*McFish]

my tanks stay around a temp of 74-76F all the time.

[thom336]

for years people had trouble with the madagascar lace plant before they realised it preferred cooler temperatures....and i cannot think off hand of a plant that doesnt do well at cooler temperatures, but i will consult my brain. :D . lol.