Hygrophila Corymbosa-red leaves

trapperwolves

I purchased some Hygrophila corymbosa about 2 weeks ago. The plants appear to be doing fairly well. There are roots appearing at the nodes in the substrate and roots growing at nodes above the substrate. There are also new leaves already growing.

My question is in reference to the top leaves on a few of the plants. The leaves were very green when first purchashed. They are now turning a reddish color. I am assuming this is because of my lighting and not any type of nutrient deficiancy. I read the profile on these plants and see that they require low light.

I have 2 T5HO fluorescent bulbs above a 29 gallon (really only 25 gallon because of the substate, driftwood, etc.). 1 bulb is 6500k and 1 is 6700k and both are 24 watt. This gives me a little under 2 watts per gallon. I do not add C02. Twice a week I use Flourish with no other supplements.

Should I be conserned that the leaves are turning red?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

Geomancer

I don't believe so, in the profile at the end where it talks about light it says:

"Grows well under moderate light; the shoots will be stronger and thicker under more intense light. The reddish variant requires brighter light."

Byron

Correct. Even the original green form of this plant needs good light, moderate light is pushing it. You probably have the red leaf form.

As to your light, that is high light over this tank. Remember that watts per gallon is very unreliable with all the different types of lighting now available. T5 HO (high output) produces considerably more intense light than comparable T8. I only have one T8 tube over my 29g, and that is low to moderate light; you have about 4 times the light I have.

Maxillius

I had a plant like so who would turn very ugly under bright light i had to move it under the shade of another plant
and its now doing great! it was growing way too fast i beleive thats why it was truning brown/red
mine was piking up and inch a day o_O or more! now its more like 2-3 cm a day and leaves grow green :)

trapperwolves

Back to the drawing board--again. I was assuming I had low light due to the wattage per gallon.

What would you think if I removed 1 bulb? Say I kept 1 bulb at T5HO 24 watt 6700k?

Or would it be more beneficial to the plants to go to 1 T8 bulb? I currently have a cover and light that I could use that has 1 T8, 17 watt bulb. I swithced to the high output set-up believing the T8 would be insufficient light for plants.

I would prefer to try to keep more of a low tech style tank with fairly easy to grow plants.

Thanks again for any replies.

Byron

One T8 tube over a 29g will give you low to moderate light. I have this over my 29g. Most stem plants will not likely do well (Brazilian Pennywort is an exception), but swords, crypts, Vallisneria, Java Fern, Java Moss and Anubias, plus floating plants, will.

If you can disengage one T5 tube and have the other still light, this will increase options and several stem plants in addition to the above will (or should) work. Some fixtures work with only one tube, some don't.

The Hygrophila will not manage under a single T8, I know from experience; it may manage with a single T5, I would expect it to, but won't promise.

Byron.