# growing tiger lotus and other lotus plants



## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

so i have around 600 watts of light. and i dose with metricde and my tiger lotus just does not grow well,any tips i should know


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## EDGE (Aug 24, 2010)

Are you adding any fertilizer? What type of lights and substrate?

tiger lotus is fairly easy if given a lot of fertilizer and a high light setup. The leaves will go towards the surface if there is not enough light and or CO2. Bulbous plant tends to like a bit more phosphate in the fertilizer dosing.


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## O.C.D Fishies (Apr 21, 2010)

Johnny 

I have almost 3 watts per gallon on my tank, I dose macros and micros as well as metricide. My tiger lotus doesn't do very well either, my red lotus is completely gone and my green one the stems will turn to mush and the leaves fall off. So it may not be as easy as said. I hope you figure it out as it is a very nice plant to have.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

try fert spiking the lotus. I use jobe spikes, cut them in half, and place them deep in the substrate under the lotus roots. Think the ones i use are 13-4-5.

The metricide only tank is growing fine, deep red leaves, and my 29 gallon is not metricide only and it hasn't changed yet. I EI dose my tanks aswell and as said, i had to increase the phosphates a tad bit as i was starting to get green spot algae.

oh and lighting

10g tank = 1x21W CFL
29g tank = 2x21W CFL


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## O.C.D Fishies (Apr 21, 2010)

Good Advice Neven I am going to try that and thanks Johnny for asking. You can also get root tab things from pat at Canadian Aquatics and they are a good price.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

oh and the jobes ones cost like $2.50


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## taureandragon76 (Apr 21, 2010)

jobe spikes are the way to go, pretty sure lotus are root feeders.


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

i did root tabs and nothing so far and they are by for my favorite plant


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

any other input


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## EDGE (Aug 24, 2010)

When you say they are not doing well, 

Are they

small, stunted?
melting?
leggy?
looks soft and fluffy instead of firm and rigid?
No new growth? 
Any roots?
water temperature?
size of the lotus bulb?


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

EDGE said:


> When you say they are not doing well,
> 
> Are they
> 
> ...


they were huge now stunded 
melting yes
some new growth butt slow
roots yes 
water is 77 and 80


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## nmullens (Apr 26, 2010)

How long have you had the lotus for? As other have said they have grown too large and fast in my high tech setup, actually I can't get rid of them no matter how hard I try. Once they rooted in strong, even after I pull up all the plants, new ones just show up all over the tank within a couple months. I used to have them in my low tech setup with low light and no co2 and they also grew great in there. When I put them in my low tech setup they melted away almost to nothing, and then slowly once used to the new tank parameter stated to grow back nice and healthy once again. I have also seen them melt when they are shaded by larger overhanging plants. Another thing I have seen melt them is adding salt to the aquarium used to kill ich. One thing that I have seen help them is grow very very quick is to turn up the temperature of your tank in the 83 range, you don't want to do this for ever but it might help it make a come back, watch out for algae if you do this and add an air stone for your fish as the high temperature makes it harder for your fish to get oxygen from the water.

Good luck with your lotus, if you post a picture that might help also as it says 1000 words.

Nic


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

i'll also chime in and say my first lotus took horribly, it looked like it died, then after lettin the tank over grow for months, i cleaned it up and discovered a thriving lotus that mothered all my other ones. The mother plant has roots that extent under half the tank, so it can keep up with its high nutrient uptake


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

ya i just wish they would thrive


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## EDGE (Aug 24, 2010)

melting usually happens when there is a change in the environment and will settle down once the plant readjust. This can be anything from disturbing the roots, change in pH, change in fertilizer ratio, frequency etc.

stunted growth can be a number of factors. One being the root is not established. If the plant been in the same spot for over 3 weeks and there is only a couple inches of root or a few pieces of roots, then this is rooting issues.
You should see 4"+ roots after 3 to 4 weeks.

If not, then could be a few things.

*fertilizer imbalance*
lotus does not need a lot of nitrogen to grow. lotus growth is mainly off of potassium, phosphate, Ca and Mg.

*compact high organic content substrate. *
Need to clean up the area. roots need a high oxygen level to survive and thrive and the plant is struggling to root.

Been a few years since I had a lotus bulb, but I don't remember them being a fast grower. 1 leaf a week is usually a good place to start.


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

compact high organic content substrate.
Need to clean up the area. roots need a high oxygen level to survive and thrive and the plant is struggling to root.
mmmmm maybe this might be it should i pull it out of the gravel and maybe back in ?


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

also, you can try not planting the bulb, it'll still root into the substrate


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

i don't under stand the bulb ? ill look it up


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

Lotus grow from bulbs, once its rooted and taken off nicely, some people break it free of the bulb and grow another lotus, if the bulb is buried too deeply, it'll rot


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

i have a 300w heater in a 180 i might get another one butt the temp seems alright


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

Alkalinity buffer is this good for plants as well if you use metricide too . would Alkalinity help the lotus maybe ?


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

any more info will help


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

lkalinity buffer is this good for plants as well if you use metricide too . would Alkalinity help the lotus maybe ?
do they like a certain PH


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

Well my PH might be high butt all my other plants doing ok i gonna try crappy tire for Jobes ferts. and the PH is 7 right outta the tap.


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

O.C.D Fishies said:


> Good Advice Neven I am going to try that and thanks Johnny for asking. You can also get root tab things from pat at Canadian Aquatics and they are a good price.


any luck on the jobe ferts and the lotus plants


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

im gonna buy some florish whats the best one


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