keydoc, Author at Cryptocoryne Addiction

Cryptocoryne crispatula var. tonkinensis – submersed

A few months ago (April 25, 2013) I bought a gel culture C. crispatula var. tonkinensis. Since then I tried to convert it into submersed and emersed form. To tell the truth, I was not very succesful with my emersed trials. I planted several plants, but most of them died. Luckily, I still have one pot with tiny plants (and some submersed plants). I will try to replant it to another substrate and find a better place for it in my emersed setup (maybe I will be more successful this time).

And about submersed form. So far so good. But…It is growing really slowly. I am curious about submersed condition – how long can it last?

Link to gel culture form: Gel culture plants arrived

Some photos (please excuse low quality and algae – mainly because of low nutrition due to a lack of time)…

Cryptocoryne crispatula var. tonkinensis - submersed (1) — Cryptocoryne crispatula var. tonkinensis – submersed (1)

Cryptocoryne crispatula var. tonkinensis - submersed (2) — Cryptocoryne crispatula var. tonkinensis – submersed (2)

Cryptocoryne crispatula var. tonkinensis - submersed (3) — Cryptocoryne crispatula var. tonkinensis – submersed (3)

Photo update 6.11.2013:

Cryptocoryne crispatula var. tonkinensis - submersed (4), (Nov 6, 2013) — Cryptocoryne crispatula var. tonkinensis – submersed (4), (Nov 6, 2013)

Cryptocoryne lingua – thriving

Cryptocoryne lingua (in my temporary window setup)

I got my C. lingua 3 months ago. It had 2-3 leaves for a long time. I was really surprised when I saw it making this nice “rosette”. I am curious whether it will last (I am a bit skeptic).

(Photo is quite blurry, I will try to find a better one).

Oh, and also my H. pinnatifida grows well (It shares a pot with my C. affinis).

Hygrophila pinnatifida (May 18, 2013)

Small update – Crypts fighting plant pests

Emersed setup update
Recently, I wasn´t paying much attention to my setups, so it was a shock when I discovered that some Crypts have melted down and one of my emersed setup was full of some kind of plant pests (aphids?). I am not sure whether these Crypts have melted down due to a high temperature or it was a “work” of this plant pests. I have used some plant pest killer so lets see. Anyway, that were only leaves, plants in general look fine. No worries.

My other – temporary – setup is fine (there are high temperatures too, but without any trace of plant pests).

Gel culture plants arrived – C. pygmaea

The plan was to buy Cryptocoryne pygmaea from a small aquatic plant nursery. But the prize of gel culture plants was interesting so I also bought some Crypts I already have (the more the merrier, right?).

I could not find anyone else who was selling this Crypt in here. Sadly, it is quite common to sell Crypts under different names. Lets see what this Crypt truly is. I am going to give it a try in an emersed form.

Gel culture Cryptocoryne pygmaea (April 25, 2013) - 1 — Gel culture Cryptocoryne pygmaea (April 25, 2013) – 1

Gel culture Cryptocoryne pygmaea (April 25, 2013) - 2 — Gel culture Cryptocoryne pygmaea (April 25, 2013) – 2

Gel culture Cryptocoryne x willisii (April 25, 2013)

Gel culture Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia (April 25, 2013) - 1 — Gel culture Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia (April 25, 2013) – 1

Gel culture Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia (April 25, 2013) - 2 — Gel culture Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia (April 25, 2013) – 2

Gel culture Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica' (April 25, 2013) — Gel culture Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Tropica’ (April 25, 2013)

Gel culture Cryptocoryne tonkinensis (April 25, 2013)

See growing submersed: Cryptocoryne crispatula Engler var. tonkinensis – submersed

Gel culture Hygrophila pinnatifida (April 25, 2013)

Gel culture Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov' (April 25, 2013) — Gel culture Microsorum pteropus ‘Windelov’ (April 25, 2013)

Cryptocoryne lingua – A new addition to my small collection

Recently (March 17, 2013) , I got Cryptocoryne lingua from a friend. The collection is growing slowly but surely. I am really happy about it. Now I will try to get a bit more expensive Crypts.

For this spring and summer I also plan to re-do my emersed setup. Oh, and when the snow melts down I hope to get C. pygmaea (it is sold under this name, so I hope it truelly is pygmaea… we shall see!)

Cryptocoryne lingua (April 3 2013) — Cryptocoryne lingua (April 3, 2013)

Cryptocoryne affinis – “The Old Beauty”

Last week I paid a visit to my friend. He has got several tanks but what amazed me the most was the one with his Cryptocoryne affinis.

We can say it is a common Crypt that almost everybody had in his tank 10 or 15 years ago. But since it is quite hard to cultivate it in emersed setup (and submersed cultivation would be expensive), the plant nurseries supply this Crypt almost rarely. And that is a pity! See the picture to understand why. The photo is from his 10 or 15 years old – and still running – tank. Simple tank with quite large gravel (but to be honest well nutritioned by fish…), sponge filter with power head and some blue-ish tube above it (I will ask later what light did he use). The result – dark green leaves and I fell in love with them. I was told his affinis blooms quite often so I am looking forward to take a photo next time I have a chance.

Thank you, Karel.

Cryptocoryne affinis - The Beauty (Karel´s tank) — Cryptocoryne affinis – The Beauty (Karel´s tank)

Website & upcoming changes

At first, I wrote this web/blog for me to archive some photos and to make a clear image of my trials and errors in time… I was surprised when I realized there are people that actually read my blog. Thank you (Allen, Jim, and many others).

Therefore – and for some other reasons – I have decided to do some changes:

improve comments & contact form – since I found some old messages in spam (spambots are doing a great job so I may overlook a comment or a message that actually is from a real person),
write (or take photos) a bit more… at least I hope so.

And of course my long-term goal: get some more interesting or as I call them – “more fancy” Crypts.

A small desk lamp-tank

Current layout of a small tank on my desk (31 liters) - mostly Crypts — Current layout of a small tank on my desk (31 liters) – mostly Crypts

Description: TO BE UPDATED
Size(XxYxZ): 50x25x25 cm; approx. 31 liters
Date started: October 7th 2012 (restart – new substrate)
Lightning: 11W lamp (840)
Tech: a very old filter (used as a power head) + bio foam
CO2: no
Fertilization: none
Substrate: a cheap clay based substrate + JBL florapol
Inhabitants: Girardinus metallicus (aka Metallic livebearer), Neocaridina zhangjiajiensis sp. White (aka White Pearl)
Plants: Cryptocoryne ciliata, Cryptocoryne indonesii (?… from Dennerle), Cryptocoryne tonkinensis, Cryptocoryne walkeri, Cryptocoryne wendtii var. (?), Cryptocoryne wendtii var. green, Cryptocoryne x willisii, Echinodorus tenellus, Eleocharis vivipara, Hydrocotyle sp. “Japan”, Lagenandra meeboldii

Old layout, photo, video

Stream layout (old) - C. affinis — Stream layout (old) – C. affinis

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx4PKv9VGzM

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NzY1q0B7Hw

October – update

(EMERSED)

Another few weeks passed and Cryptocoryne wendtii is blooming again. Since it is its fourth-fifth time this season, no more photos…

Anyway, I am glad because it is getting cold these days and Crypts are still in a mood to bloom. I hope to get lucky with other Crypts.

(SUBMERSED)

Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Mi Oya’ continues to bloom in my tank.

Cryptocoryne wendtii – blooming spree! (3rd time this summer)

Good news: Another 14 days passed and C. wendtii is blooming again. Actually this is 3rd spathe this summer. I can say it is almost regular, every 2 weeks.

And of course, some photo documentation:

Cryptocoryne wendtii - blooming spree - 3rd time - Sept-20-2012 (detail) — Cryptocoryne wendtii – blooming spree – 3rd time – Sept-20-2012 (detail)

Cryptocoryne wendtii - blooming spree - 3rd time - Sept-20-2012 (huge plant) — Cryptocoryne wendtii – blooming spree – 3rd time – Sept-20-2012 (huge plant)