​Aponogeton rigidifolia - Tank Busters

This is my "Aponogeton Tank" - a 4x2x2 which is about 1/3 as big it needs to be!


^ Aponogeton rigidifolius - has leaves 1.8m long in a 1.2m tank - and like a total dufus I put 3 plants in the right back corner. Aquascaping genius I am...



^I normally have 3 light fittings on top - but light struggles to penetrate the Apon leaves. Aponogeton crispus (green) up this end getting overshadowed by the A. rigidifolius that is planted 4 ft away at the other end.



^I have my Barclaya longifolia planted up this end (pink and green leaves). The tank is 60cm high so some of those Barclaya leaves are 1m long (50m of frond and 50cm of petiole). I have two wavemakers pushing the current around in a big whirlpool but most of the flow is against the glass because of the mass of plants in the middle. Aponogeton undulatus has the little clear windows in the leaves and the plants are rooted up the other end but those leaves are nearly a metre long too. Right in the middle Aponogeton elongatus is peeking out trying to get some light! All those stems at the top are the A. rigidifolius heading west! The white blob in the Barclaya is a bag over a flower to catch some seeds.

I'd love a 3ft deep tank - but my arms are not that long... and I don't have shares in the electricity company... so I think I need to start potting some of these into little pots to cramp their style.

Substrate is DIY gravel and magic red clay. Soft water, but quite alkaline - pH 7.5-8 due to the gravel. No water column ferts at all. Osmocote and blood'n'bone added to gravel on setup 12 months ago. (there is potassium in the hardness booster I add to my rainwater)



Left to Right: Aponogeton vanbruggenii, Aponogeton tofus, Barclaya longifolia "magenta", Barclaya longifolia "red" (hiding in a pot in the corner) ...and some where in the shadows there are a couple of small green Barclaya too.

A little crowded!



Sold an Aponogeton rigidifolia to make some space (there are 3 of these planted in the tank pictured above!). The buyer has an 800mm high tank with Altum angels and wanted something big to arch over the surface and give some shelter. Perfect!