# Madagascar Lace in AQUASOIL-WOW!



## jsenske (Mar 15, 2004)

For what it's worth, I have never been able to really successfully grow M. lace plant in any previous substrates, even with all other variables being equal (temp., lighting, etc.). I'd get a little growth, but usually small leaves and quick dormancy. I simply can not believe the growth after just 5 weeks in AQUA SOIL. This whole tank is doing phenomenal, but the lace plants tell me there is something good happening here. They were not too impressive when the came in- very crinkled- as the plant does not always ship so well. All the growth on this specimen is new. The pic hardly does it justice, but let me say the size and beauty in such a short time is really impressive. This is a plant I have always wanted to keep. AQUA SOIL is my new magic bullet- not just because of this plant- but literally everything and every layout so far has made unprecedented progress. Sometimes I wish I did not sell the stuff so that people wouldn't think I am just trying to "sell" it to them. I'll post some other updates like the tank we set up when Oliver was here. It is off the hook after just a month. Maybe what I am seeing is standard growth/progress for others that nay say the ADA or use kiln-fired kitty litter and the like, but nothing short of remarkable and a whole new pace for me and my experience doing this (planted tanks) for a while now.


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## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

Beautiful specimen, Jeff. I don't think I've seen one that nice before.


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## aquaessentials (Dec 15, 2004)

WOW

May I also say, that must be one high spec camera you are using. Is that the new one you just purchased?


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## jsenske (Mar 15, 2004)

Thanks! This is the finest M. lace plant I have personally seen. There are 3 more in this tank that are doing very well also- they were in pitiful condition when I planted them so they are a little behind this one but catching up fast. 

Regarding the camera- not to deviate here in this forum- but it is the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II. 16 megapixels, full-frame sensor. The thing is amazing. That shot is not even at full resolution.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

I can think of only one other person who has lace plants that nice; Sean Murphy. He has had it flower and gets seedlings every year. His avatar is the purple flower that it sends out. 

I'm using Aquasoil in a small tank now. I have used several other commercial substrates and it is my favorite so far. I'm just waiting for the April 14th order to come in so I can redo my 75 gallon.


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## dmartin72 (Oct 9, 2004)

What? I thought you were a big Nikon man! Well, you certainly picked the camera of all cameras.



jsenske said:


> Regarding the camera- not to deviate here in this forum- but it is the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II. 16 megapixels, full-frame sensor. The thing is amazing. That shot is not even at full resolution.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

Very nice looking, healthy lace plant. Over the long term the Echinodorus uruguayensis next to the lace plant may start to crowd and shade out the lace plant.


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## jsenske (Mar 15, 2004)

David- I was indeed a NIKON-man all the way- but they always seem a step behind Canon in the digital realm. It took something like the 1Ds Mark II to force me to finally switch. We are also doing a book on aquarium design for a big-name publisher and they want me to do all the photography. I figured I better invest in a digital camera (as I know nothing about film) truly up to the task. 

It is somewhat my hope that the lace will get shaded out a bit and maybe not grow quite so tall- I understand it does well in shadier conditions. plus I anticipate a dormant period eventually and I can't be sure I'll continue to include the plant long-term in the layout. I was just pleasantly surprised to see them do so well right out of the gate after many failed attempts over the years. Everything is just growing so nicely so quickly in the ADA substrate. This tank has seen very little liquid dosing and looks strong. Zero algae and I mean NONE!


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I used to try so hard to grow lace plants, and they always died back. It turned out that I was hurting rather than helping them by growing them by themselves. It turned out that other plants growing next to them made all the difference. They seem to need to have 'companion' plants whose roots are intermingled with their own. I once had a lace plant growing with Cryptocoryne x willisii as its companion go for five years without any rest period. It might have gone longer, but I terminated the experiment and used the tank for something else.


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

jsenske said:


> David- I was indeed a NIKON-man all the way- but they always seem a step behind Canon in the digital realm. It took something like the 1Ds Mark II to force me to finally switch. We are also doing a book on aquarium design for a big-name publisher and they want me to do all the photography. I figured I better invest in a digital camera (as I know nothing about film) truly up to the task.
> 
> It is somewhat my hope that the lace will get shaded out a bit and maybe not grow quite so tall- I understand it does well in shadier conditions. plus I anticipate a dormant period eventually and I can't be sure I'll continue to include the plant long-term in the layout. I was just pleasantly surprised to see them do so well right out of the gate after many failed attempts over the years. Everything is just growing so nicely so quickly in the ADA substrate. This tank has seen very little liquid dosing and looks strong. Zero algae and I mean NONE!


It'll do well over the longer term with cooler temps, the best ones I've had did well at 2w/gal of NO FL's.

The bigger the bulb, the better.

I'm still a Nikon man, but the D100 suits my needs(I already have lens etc), the Canon's are great though, we use them at work and many pro's do also, the Nikon D1-2 series are nice and have more bells and whistles.

I think you made a wise choice to get a nice camera, as ADA has shown, there is alot to be said for capturing the nice aquascapes.

That's the best advertizing. If you produced a nice book, then you can sell it and get paid + get free advertizing.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

Jeff,

We know you're honest and aren't trying to sell us on the product. Don't worry about that. 

It doesn't surprise me that Aqua Soil would cause one of those plants to do so well. The only tank I've ever had one do well in, and well enough to flower, was in a 29 with many years' old gravel supplimented with peat and Tetra's Floredepot. Lighting was 2 ancient 24" t-8 bulbs. I think it has something to do with the "softer" substrate. Regardless, congratulations on making this breakthrough.

Regards,
Phil


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## fishfry (Apr 15, 2004)

I also had my best experience in a tank with an old substrate and low lighting, no CO2. My plant flowered a couple times but the leaves never looked quite as beautiful as the picture. Great little plant, and great camera. I am thinking about the 20D since they retired the 10D.


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## rs79 (Dec 7, 2004)

I just grew mine in sand and put a plant tab under the roots when it slowed down. It filled a 40 gallon long tank.

These are frame grabs from the video I took of it in 1996, the pree-digital-camera era. I still have the tape somewhere.

These are taken doen the length of the tank by holding the camera at the side and shooting down the entire three feet of the tank. The plant was on the other side, the bulb was like a golf ball, and the leaves were nearly two feet long and arond 6+ inches wide. Never seen one that big since. The bulb was hideously big.


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## northtexasfossilguy (Mar 6, 2009)

What are your water GH, KH, pH, nitrates, nitrites, etc... ?


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## talkingplant (Aug 19, 2009)

That's a very gorgeous plant!


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