# Rotala Magenta...ferts ?



## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

The plants at the bottom and to the left were sold to me under the name of Rotala Indica. They do get a pinkish look to the tops
when the tops grow close enough to the surface to get really good light.
The other plant was sold to me under the name of Rotala Magenta(it was ordered that way at least). You can see where the old leaves stop and the new growth is on the top by the dark burgundy color of those leaves and the length of and spacing of
those leaves from the next leaf group up from them. The new being closer spaced up the stem from each other than the older
leaves were. But as you can see the new leaves are coming in mostly in green.


This is what one site says about fert needs for it:
Supplements: Trace Elements, CO2 Fertilization, Iron, Potassium*
This is a ten G tank/w 2 T5 bulbs...one at 6500K and one at 650nm(Roseated) True Lumen Flora Pink bulb.
If the entire stem was dark red before I'd guess they were grown in direct sunlight or under some serious hydroponic 
lights. The top of these plants are not more than 7" from the bulbs. Iron is supplemented in there in three ways. The 
substrate was picked for being the highest level of any I could find. The tank gets Pride(iron supplement) and API
Leaf Zone each week(which also has iron). The tank also gets daily doses of Excel.
I think that when the plants grow closer to the top they will get more red.
But here are two questions about this:
#1 *Potassium: is this not the mineral which is said to promote algae when excess amounts get in there by feeding
too much ?
#2 Would having 2 6500K bulbs be better than one and one Roseated bulb ? I thought I was up-grading when I
changed from 2 T8 bulbs to 2 T5 bulbs. When I had the T8's I used one each of 6500K and 5400K(Zoo Med Flora Max)
But in the T5 I'm using 1 6500K and one 650nm which I believe might make me short on the 6500K spectrum.
Any thoughts on this are welcomed. This may be as simple as changing the Roseated back to a 6500K bulb.
Not that all red plants need the same nutrient amounts but if you have any experience/w these especially or just
any red plants, could you tell me what you did to increase the red in them.
In the past I did find one article where a man used 10,000K T5 bulbs for a year and then switched them to 6700K
bulbs with no other changes in the tank. His statement: "Very noticeable improvement in growth."


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

The change in color to what they were to what they are now and what the plant did is normal for plants that get transplanted and changed to a new tank with different lighting, etc.

In tanks with lower light levels usually you don't see reds until the stems get closer to the light. This even occurs on my 75g with a T5HO light as compared to what my 125s have with much higher light levels. 

You will not know how that plant will completely react in that tank until it has been in there a while and growing normally.

Some people think it is low nitrates that cause reds. If you go to the planted tank site, Tom Barr (google his name) repeatedly disputes this with proof that it CANNOT be true. Given he is like one of the fathers of EI fert dosing in tanks and his level of expertise, I completely believe his proof and claims that it isn't true.

Phosphates can cause algae issues. Potassium is not known to cause issues that I am aware of. CO2 may help you. I know you listed that as being provided, but didn't think you had done that yet? Excel is not CO2.

I would also say that anyone thinks they can actually see diffs in growth levels between a 6700K and 10000k is probably a case of "perceived" differences. The two bulbs are a matter of taste. I have used them both and my red plants react no differently.


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

"You will not know how that plant will completely react in that tank until it has been in there a while and growing normally."
This one I have been experiencing for a while now and my Rotala Indica didn't look pink till after a year in that tank. It's no longer
pink because I cut each stem in half to transplant them to the other end of the tank when I bought the new substrate.
The entire stems and leaves of this new bunch of Magenda are red(a purplish color actually) and I wonder how that happened.
Likely because they are the tops of plants that were cut and re-planted long enough to get a few roots on them before being sold.
The roots on them were very poor and sparse and you could see they had not been developing for long.
The older Rotala Indica had decent roots as they had been planted for a year when I pulled them out to transplant them in the
new substrate. I have high hopes for this tank to end up looking fairly good after 6 months or so of growth. Hate being limited
to the ten gallons by this lease. Not enough floor space in them to do much. Very difficult to find plants small enough to look
in proportion to the aria which you have to work/w. Thick stems may be right for larger tanks but take up too much room in
this tank. Did put three stems of Wisteria in there which I severly trimed because they were huge compared to the tank size.
Once they get growing well they will soak up a good bit of any excess nutrients cause of their fast growing speed.
Thank you for the feedback...

P.S. Actually it doesn't look horrible right now even though it's just starting to grow after the new substrate has been added.
[Aquarium Gallery - Picture http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=24930&size=1&filefix=.jpg]


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

You don't have to be limited by the 10g. Start DIY CO2 and you can have just about any kind of plant you want.


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