# Keeping Green Cabomba Full



## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Hi,

Any tips on keeping cabomba full. I just put some in my planted 46gallon. It makes a nice contrast between my Hygrophila and Hygrophila Sunset.

My tank premeters are:

2 wpg - 96w 6700k cf (putting second 96w on for 3 to 4 hrs daily)
Eco-complete substrate
co2 - 1 bubble every 2 seconds) two hagen canisiter through one diffusor 
ph 7.0, kh 3, nitrAte 0 (with phos-X pad in filter, taking out)


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## glenhead (Jan 29, 2005)

From my experience, the main thing Cabomba wants is light. When we limit the "floaties" in the tank so they don't shade the Cabomba forest, the Cabomba stays short (maybe four to six inches) and very dense. Once the floatie stuff gets carried away, the shade causes the Cabomba to get leggy as it strains to reach the light. Once it grows around the floatie stuff, it gets really dense on the illuminated area. Pretty interesting reaction, and it happens every time. We had one stem that got kind of lost in the Ludwigia at the back of the tank, and we didn't even know it was back there until we suddenly had this gorgeous Cabomba growing above the Ludwigia. The lower stem was over eighteen inches long, and only had seven layers of leaves in the whole length, but the top section (above the Ludwigia) was maybe five inches and solid leaves.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I assume you have Cabomba Caroliniana, which requires intense light (3WPG+) and lots of C02.

To keep it full you will also need to get your N03 levels up to around 10ppm.


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## Osteomata (Jan 11, 2005)

Heres a wierd one with Cabomba:
15Gallon High (18inches tall0 tank
40 watt Current USA light
Eco-complete
Flourish Excel for CO2
Flourish line of ferts for macros and traces
medium fish load
Cabomba Carolinia: I have two versions, bright green and subuded green with red tinting on the underside of the leaves. Both have been in the tank for 4 weeks, planted at the same time.

The bright green is in the back left near the filter intake. It has grown about 2 inches, but seems to have stabilzed at 5 inches from the water surface. Close internodes.

The subdued green is in the back right near the filter outlet. It has rocket up 5 inches, and is about to touch the surface of the water, yet the internodes remain closely spaced. Additionally, the strand closest to the filter exit has grown the fastest, and also has an incredible amount of red on the lower half of the plant, FAR more than any other stems. I suspected Fe in my tap water was being impregnated onto the plant under the exhaust current, but tests indicate low iron, and I have seen no evidence iron staining in my home. On the other hand I do dose Flourish Fe. 

The lighting is pretty equal. If anything the subdued green variety gets more light since it is planted a bit more spaced out, and has no other plants near it.

Any ideas as to why I am seeing this "race for the surface" with one cabomba and not the other? Is it simply the difference in variety or is it something to do with the filter inlet/exhaust placement?


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## arellanon (Jan 2, 2005)

My girlfriend's cabomba is doing great with only 1.5wpg and about 15ppm co2. Really easy to grow IME (at least cabomba caroliniana).


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