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Banana plant

10K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  Piranha Joe 
#1 ·
I bought one of these thinking they are cool plants but it is not doing well. After doing some research I see that it likes soft, acidic water. I have pH 8.0 currently, and very hard water. Temp is about 78. I fertilize once a week with a .15-0-0 ferilizer. Every day I dose with flourish, and there are root tabs in the substrate as well. There are about 2.75 watts per gallon in there. I was just wondering if there is anything else I can do to help this plant grow
Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Your water may be the problem, high pH. Plants can be acclimated, but their general welfare will be compromised. Also, I notice that your fertilizer is total nitrogen, it is a low percentage but it should be so. While this is good to green up plants, it won't help with the growth. You should look for a fertilizer that has a little phospherous and a little potash in it. The numbers on the label denote nitrogen-phospherous-potash percentages in the bottle/tablet/powder. An easy way to remember what each does is the saying "up, down, all around". Nitrogen takes care of what you see. Phospherous takes care of the root system. Potash takes care of the all around health of the plant.
So soften you water up a bit, maybe down to a pH of 6.8-7.2 and change your fertilizer to a more rounded blend. You should be fine. To soften your water, I would use a softening pillow in my power filter that uses a resin to absorb salts that harden your water. Many pillows can be regenerated by following the directions on the package.
 
#3 ·
Thank you for the fert. recommendation. I don't really want to mess with the water chemistry, as my other plants (besides the banana plant) are doing well. If I softened the water in the tank, I would still be adding hard water in during water changes, and I don't want to hurt the fish via water chemistry swings. Crypts, bacopa, swords, and anubias are doing great, so I think I will stick with the water out of the tap. I will, however, switch ferts.
Thanks for the help
 
#4 ·
The best information I have found about banana plants is that this is normal for any banana that has the little root tubers on it. They are actually a system of "bulbs" that store nutrients for the plant over the winter or supposed to be. The plant will lose these little "bulbs" and in the process it will start to put out roots. It will also send up runners to the surface. These are what you want to grow healthy banana plants. They will grow roots and offshoots in healthy conditions and the sister plants can be healthier than the mother plant. I don't remember the informaiton about when to remove the offshoots but I would think it is when ithas a couple leaves and a descent roots system started, kinda like most sowrds with runners.

Remove the little "bananas" when they start to fall off or they will rot and diminish the health of your tank.

This is all from memory so I may be off a little. I will try to find the site I had that really explains this plant well and get it to you when I do.
 
#7 ·
:) I got a banana plant for our betta's tank. The "bananas" rotted off and the rest of the plant split into 2 plants and now we have 2 plants with roots, one of which has runners to the surface. ph 7.6 temp 78. All's well ends well.
 
#11 ·
Banana Plants

I am anxious to see if it will ever flower...I bought a bunch of them (no pun intended)...so we shall see... My poor Mickey, his fins are all jagged because of the plastic plant I put in there...it seemed soft enough; guess I was wrong; he still looks healthy and happy which is really all that matters; right? :)
 
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