Bucephalandra Study Group

[Art]

 

[gnatster]

Update since the April 5th post.

The eggcrate container, in my opinion, is not doing as well as the lava rock/aquasoil container. Cleaned up a lot of melted from the eggcrate container. Thought about stopping this and moving them all to the container that's showing better signs of growth. In the end, I figured since I have the space and time, let's keep it going.





The image below is Kedagang Red obtained as TC from Aquarium Plants Factory in July 2025. The top one is a recent cutting from the 60S, below is the same, grown emmersed on lava rock/aquasoil.



Adding a new twist. The Blank Slate UNS 45SA has a purpose; I just need to get it set up. Compare 2 batches, one immersed in the 45SA and the other emmersed in a container.


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[Capraquaria]

I am about 4 weeks in to holding some Buces using the egg-crate method. Water is RO/DI remineralized to 5dGH, with a few drops of APT3 and a smidge of Seachem Flourish Advance. Changing water weekly, and misting leaves a little daily with the same water. However, I am seriously considering just setting up a Buce farm tank. While these Buces are doing ok, and so far I have no melt, I am seeing that some species seem to be doing better after the first month, than others. Kedagang seems pretty unfazed by the situation, and is starting to put out new growth, and holding color better than some.



Theia is also putting out new leaves, but is starting to develop palor in the older leaves. I do need to decrease my light a bit, though, as Theia's container was developing more algae.



Not pictured (I forgot to grab a pic, but can update later) is Blackcurrant. It is looking practically sunbleached, with no new growth. King Crocodile is is pushing growth, but both old and new growth is washing out and looking anemic.



I just received some Dark Venus, and Brownie Blue, so I will see how those do over the next few weeks. Once my main tank is planted out, I plan to rescape my shrimp tank, and they may just get to live in a Buce farm tank. I think will be easier for me to keep nutrient levels, and lighting, more consistent.

 

[BranchScape]

My tiny Brownie ghost tissue cultures ready to be dropped in my tank.

 

[gnatster]

I am seriously considering just setting up a Buce farm tank.

That's two of us.

A shallow UNS AIO 45A is sitting on a shelf, just looking for a use. It has an ATO, a Heater, decent lighting, and I have a complete spare CO2 system. There is plenty of small lava rock, lots of aquasoil, and a packet of APT Start on the storage shelves.

I've had good luck so far with the whole "Dark Start - Babysitter Plants - Critters - Plants I Actually Want" Method using the PPS protocol for ferts, let's push it for a third time.

I've read a bunch of stuff regarding water parameters. pH 6-8, GH and KH all over the map. It's like talking to rabbis, ask 2 rabbis a question, and you get 5 different answers.

Thoughts, comments, suggestions, taunts, and criticism are all welcome.

 

[BranchScape]

Just offering enthusiasm here as I try and finish up work for the night.

 

[anewbie]

Update on my setup - it is no more. I can confirm the ebb and flow hydroponics is not good for Buce or Crypts.

I've pivoted to the old way of substrate planted in pots. I'll post a picture when I can.

While it seems the plastic bin method is more common now-a-days, I really like to see my plants easily so I use an aquarium with a lid. The pots allow me to control things better, IMO, and I can change the water and control the nutrients easier.

Yes, I am a control freak.

Confused - i have buces, crypts and anubia i've been growing for a couple of years in mist environment - here is a couple of quick pictures of older plants:

Perhaps i don't understand what you were doing:

That is a pinto anubia - the dead leaves are from when we had a week of power outage around last week of January - this is a pinto and most of the leaves have been green but after the power outage it sent out a bunch of white leaves that look really nice - they are hard to see because they are on the far side just out of focus - if you follow the dead leaf to a leave that is 1/2 dead just behind it you see approx 5 new leaves that are all white. In the back ground you see some crypts - i forget which maybe pink jacobi or flamingo - not really sure i'm really bad at remembering what i plant the crispatula var balansae grows really well and not picture but i have some rather uncommon pink/red lip pontederiifolia. This plant is just weird - could never get it to spread submersed but emersed one day it sent out runners and i ahve several now but they seem to 'hibernate' periodically only to regrow.




Some random buce - someone told me buces only look good submersed but this one seems to really shine emersed:



Another random buce - the picture doesn't show scales well but it is much larger then the one above and has grown substantially emersed. Not so much in more leaves but everything has gotten larger though it has a few more leaves. It flowers now and then but lacks the colours of the one above.

 

[snowballs99]

That's two of us.

A shallow UNS AIO 45A is sitting on a shelf, just looking for a use. It has an ATO, a Heater, decent lighting, and I have a complete spare CO2 system. There is plenty of small lava rock, lots of aquasoil, and a packet of APT Start on the storage shelves.

I've had good luck so far with the whole "Dark Start - Babysitter Plants - Critters - Plants I Actually Want" Method using the PPS protocol for ferts, let's push it for a third time.

I've read a bunch of stuff regarding water parameters. pH 6-8, GH and KH all over the map. It's like talking to rabbis, ask 2 rabbis a question, and you get 5 different answers.

Thoughts, comments, suggestions, taunts, and criticism are all welcome.

Only thing I know for sure is they suck at competing for nutrients. Don't put them into a lean dosing tank with rotalas. It's like lion vs golden retriever.