Yet another Anubias question: too much light?

[YuccaPatrol]

I have one regular Anubias and one Nana which are now in rather bright light because it they are tied to the top of a piece of driftwood.

It is in a 37 gallon with a 55watt compact flourescent that is a daylight/plant spectrum. I estimate that they are 6 inches below the surface, so are receiving pretty intense light . . .

Here is a photo:

 

[reiverix]

I can't see the photo. Anyways I have anubias in my 75g, some of it only four or five inches from the surface, under 300w of light. All my anuabias is nana and coffefolia and it does fine. Not sure how other species would do under that much light.

I think that a lot of low light plants will do great under high lighting but are just able to tolerate less intense light as well. I've grown crypts, java fern and bolbitis under high light.

 

[YuccaPatrol]

Sorry for the missing photo. . . it seems that another fish forum won't allow linking to my gallery images there. . . sigh. . . Fixed it by posting it on a car forum, ha!

 

[Roan Art]

I agree with reiverix

Although I don't have any anubias in my big high light tanks, I have some in my smaller ones and my 10g is at 4wpg. The nana petite does the best and I've got that tied about 2" from the surface.

I've also grown crypt ciliata and bolbitis under high light. As a matter of fact, my bolbitis is going nuts. I cannot, for the life of me, get any java fern pteropus to grow for me, but Microsorium brassii, the so-called "narrow leafed" version, grows extremely well.

Roan

PS
I love those hatchets!

 

[Lobo.]

my experience with anubias is that when it is under a lot of light, it is VERY susseptible to algie growing on its leaves and killing it... but in a well maintained tank, this might not happen, just look out for fuzzy growth

btw, that driftwood is VERY cool, did you buy it? and how do you get the plants to grow on it? do you have substate in the wood pockets or what...?

 

[YuccaPatrol]

Roan,

I love those hatchets too! They are among my favorite fish. This aquarium has been a work in progress for almost 2 years, but now I almost think it is looking how I want it to with the Hatchets at the top, school of neons in the middle, and a few interesting odd-balls to keep it very interesting.

Lobo, I found all of my driftwood. The main piece in the middle came out of a stream in Alabama. The photo doesn't do it justice. It is full of neat caves and holes and hiding places. Reminds me that I need to go on another driftwood hunt soon now that the weather is starting to get nice. . .

The dominant plant you see is Java Fern which attaches itself to rocks and wood by the roots. I originally tied small pieces of the plant to the wood and it attaches itself over a couple months. I am trying to do the same with the anubias which has been tied to the wood only for a week or 2.

 

[Lobo.]

:OT:
i like to find my own driftwood as well, but for me its hit or miss... about half of what i find i end up throwing out b/c it starts to rot.. what doesnt rot is what i find on the beach usually, which im at about 2 weeks a year...
id REALLY like to know what wood is O.K. in a tank, and where to find it in a stream (as this would be more conveinient than driving 400 miles to Florida) and then after finding the correct wood, what do you do to it to clean it?
TY in advance!!
the driftwood that did not rot... (part of the remains of an old peir that got submerged by a hurricane... this part was pounded by waves, which washed off all of the rotten wood)

:OT:

 

[YuccaPatrol]

Lobo,

I go to a stream that flows through a hardwood forest here in Alabama. I just walk up and down the banks looking for places where high waters have created piles of washed down wood and debris. I look for very dark and old looking pieces.

I think the best pieces actually are pieces that came from roots rather than above ground growth. My best guess is that roots are always under ground and are exposed to a lot more moisture than the above ground wood. Makes sense to me that root wood would be more long lasting in water.

I only wish I knew a place where I could go and load up a car full of it, because I look through LOTS of these debris piles to find a few good pieces.

To clean it, I will either try to boil it or bake it in the oven to kill any fungus or weird stuff that might be in/on it. I'll scrub it with a nylon brush and soak it in a bucket to see if it discolors the water significantly.

So far, the pieces that I have brought home have all been pretty good, so either I have been lucky or I just have a good eye for it.

 

[Roan Art]

IMO part of the problem with "driftwood" that many people use is that it's not real driftwood.

Driftwood is wood that has been in water, ocean or fresh or bog/swamp, for quite some time (like years) and is thoroughly imbued with water. The wood does decay, the speed dependent on what type of wood (density). The colder the water, the longer it takes for the wood to decay.

In nature, you'll almost never seen a real piece of pine driftwood because pine is a very soft and porous fiber. It just falls apart and decays quickly. The same goes for any soft woods. Usual driftwoods in fresh around here would be oak, maple and other hard woods.

The reason you see so much Swahalla bogwood and Maylasian driftwod for sale (other than it seems to be plentiful and I believe that the countries that those come are non-regulated in terms of their forestry and rain-forest) is because they are recovered from bogs and rain forests. The wood has been in moisture for a LONG time, are very water imbued, dense, and heavy and sinks fast, if not immediately. It takes MUCH longer for those woods to decay than regular hard woods.

Just my 2 cents,
Roan