Thanks to the kinda efforts of another TF member I recieved some APS and NAPA mediums so I figured I'd run a test and see if I should get more. These have been COMPLETELY ignored, expect for checking the water level since Sept 09.
I started out with 4 same sized containers with the same drainage holes and the same level of medium. All 4 were kept in the same water at the same level under the same humidy/temps/lights.
The test plant was U. graminifolia since I have tons of it. I did my best to ensure the initial portion size was equal.
Top left - NAPA medium - Kinda grew, kinda dies. Some algae. Complete failure.
Top right - ADA aquasoil - Always grew well, ended up getting moss growing near the end . No algae
Bottom left - APS medium - This one had to be reseeded 3 times, it finally took after the 3rd go and I had to raise the water level to allow it to grow in this stuff, and starting the algae blooms on some of the soil surfaces. Lots of algae. Not too useful.
Bottom right - Peat/Sand contol medium - some UG growing out of the bottom of the pot (the only one of the 4 doing that). Lots of algae and some moss. Before the algae bloom this one looked ok, it did not handle the algae well.
To sum things up, I am still looking for the magic medium .
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39807474@N07/4550857111/" title="007 by randallsimpson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4550857111_173816db71_b.jpg" width="1024" height="685" alt="007" /></a>
---------- Post added at 11:37 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:29 AM ----------
Here is a photo from Dec 09 when I reseeded the APS and then raised the water level. The reasoning behind raising the water level was simply that UG will grow in just plain water and maybe that will help. Well it did kinda of.
The containers are in a different order so:
Top left - ADA aquasoil
Top right - Peat/Sand
Bottom left - APS medium
Bottom right - NAPA medium
Ignore the 2 pots of U. sandersonii, I do.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39807474@N07/4551521740/" title="019 by randallsimpson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4551521740_b88d4c2392_b.jpg" width="685" height="1024" alt="019" /></a>
I started out with 4 same sized containers with the same drainage holes and the same level of medium. All 4 were kept in the same water at the same level under the same humidy/temps/lights.
The test plant was U. graminifolia since I have tons of it. I did my best to ensure the initial portion size was equal.
Top left - NAPA medium - Kinda grew, kinda dies. Some algae. Complete failure.
Top right - ADA aquasoil - Always grew well, ended up getting moss growing near the end . No algae
Bottom left - APS medium - This one had to be reseeded 3 times, it finally took after the 3rd go and I had to raise the water level to allow it to grow in this stuff, and starting the algae blooms on some of the soil surfaces. Lots of algae. Not too useful.
Bottom right - Peat/Sand contol medium - some UG growing out of the bottom of the pot (the only one of the 4 doing that). Lots of algae and some moss. Before the algae bloom this one looked ok, it did not handle the algae well.
To sum things up, I am still looking for the magic medium .
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39807474@N07/4550857111/" title="007 by randallsimpson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4550857111_173816db71_b.jpg" width="1024" height="685" alt="007" /></a>
---------- Post added at 11:37 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:29 AM ----------
Here is a photo from Dec 09 when I reseeded the APS and then raised the water level. The reasoning behind raising the water level was simply that UG will grow in just plain water and maybe that will help. Well it did kinda of.
The containers are in a different order so:
Top left - ADA aquasoil
Top right - Peat/Sand
Bottom left - APS medium
Bottom right - NAPA medium
Ignore the 2 pots of U. sandersonii, I do.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39807474@N07/4551521740/" title="019 by randallsimpson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4551521740_b88d4c2392_b.jpg" width="685" height="1024" alt="019" /></a>