Limnophila aromatica

[Tug]

I am thinking about using only carbonate hardness as a source of carbon for photosynthesis in my brackish water tank. Is Limnophila aromatica able to use carbonate hardness in this fashion? Some of the other plants are Vallisneria (they love it), Cryptocoryne parva and Java Fern. The light is mostly over the L. aromatica. Any advice on using this approach will be appreciated.

[jonny_ftm]

Even in low light conditions, most plants that can use KH as a C source can't use it as the sole source of C. They need CO2 also. Crypts, ferns, swords... are very slow plant growers, probably contributing to the fact that they can easily live without injected CO2, so with very low CO2 levels, under low/medium light conditions.

L. Aromatica, even if it can use Kh, won't behave as swords and crypts without CO2, if under high light

[Tug]

Sorry, Echinodorus parviflorus 'tropica' - not Cryptocoryne parva as I stated earlier. The tank is getting CO2 from a yeast reactor. Kind of why I want to try it w/out. One less thing to fuss with.

My understanding is that Elodea will use KH. But I'm not sure Elodea and L. aromatica have similar characteristics.

[jonny_ftm]

Yes, Elodea can do Biogenic Decalcification very well, I tested it personally when I was on the dark side:



As you can see, when this reaction happens in a significant way, a white deposit will appear on leaves (calcium carbonate) and even the hardy Elodea will be an algae food.

I don't wish you that expierience

Also an excellent read here, on this Biogenic Decalcifiction:

http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/decalcification.html

[Tug]

Thank you for sharing your experience. A picture is worth a thousand words.
A great link as well. I'll probably need to read it more then once or twice.