The leaves of aquarium plants are usually colored in green and emerald colors. And against their background, the red ludwig swamp looks very impressive and unusual. And it is not surprising that the creators of underwater decorative landscapes fell in love with this grass, because it is not only beautiful, but also quite unpretentious. That this is ludwig swamp and the rules of its content will be discussed in this material.
Description
Ludwig Swamp, the photo of which is presented in the article, is a bright representative of the Onagrikov family. In the natural environment, this perennial herbaceous plant is found in water bodies of Western Asia, North America, Europe and Africa.
It prefers swamps and ponds with stagnant but clear water. Moreover, it can grow in partially air environment. But as a rule, it is hidden under the water column. At home, the culture takes root in moderately warm and tropical aquariums, as well as aquaterrariums and paludariums. In appearance, ludwig swamp is a branching plant with a dense crown. Its height reaches 50 cm, but in the aquarium the growth of culture is more modest. The tetrahedral stems are painted in red tones. Elliptical or ovoid leaves reach 3 cm in length. Depending on the lighting, their color varies from light olive to deep dark red.
Ludwig is a flowering plant. Its buds are subtle and are located in the axils of the leaves. They lack petals and have only four stamens. Therefore, they do not represent aesthetic value. After flowering, in place of the buds, box-shaped fruits filled with seeds are formed.
Beauty and unpretentious nature are not the only advantages of ludwig swamp in the aquarium. Its leaves actively produce oxygen, which positively affects the inhabitants. In addition, fry take refuge in the thickets of culture. And with a lack of vitamins and minerals, some fish are happy to enjoy the greens of the culture.
The content of ludwigia bog
This plant is quite unpretentious, but nevertheless it is necessary to create optimal conditions for it, including:
- optimal illumination;
- nutrient soil;
- suitable hardness and water temperature;
- regular top dressing.
As for the capacity for growing, any aquarium with a depth not exceeding 50 cm is suitable for the plant.
Water
Keeping ludwig marsh in the aquarium is easy. To do this, create optimal water conditions for her:
- Water temperature is from +18 to +26 ° C.
- The hardness index is 2–12 ° gDH.
- Acid of water - 6–7.5 pH.
It is not necessary to arrange special aeration for the plant. Nevertheless, it is important to maintain the purity of the water, because even an insignificant amount of mechanical suspension in a liquid has a depressing effect on algae. Therefore, if you want to achieve lush thickets, change at least 20% of the volume of water in the aquarium every week.
Lighting
Ludwig Swamp is a photophilous plant. And she feels better at maximum illumination, but without direct sunlight. Under such conditions, the shoots and leaves of the plant turn saturated red. In addition, the culture begins to branch and grow rapidly. Of course, ludwig survives in the shade. But in this case, its shoots grow slowly, and the leaves and twigs remain pale green.
If you plan to grow algae in a shaded place, be sure to provide it with fluorescent or LED lamps. Daylight hours for algae should last at least 12 hours a day. When choosing a lamp, give preference to models with 0.5 W / l.
Priming
The choice of soil ludwig does not impose special requirements. It grows well in any type of soil, right down to ordinary garden soil. Nevertheless, fine gravel with particles with a diameter of 3 to 5 mm is considered the best soil for it.
If you wish, you can not root the alga at all, because it is quietly in a floating state and even gives lateral shoots and grows. But it’s better to plant the plant. Then it will feel more comfortable, which will affect its attractiveness and growth.
Landing
Rooting ludwig is quite simple. To do this, carefully place the plant in the aquarium and spread its roots. Sprinkle them with earth and fix with small pebbles or pebbles.
If the soil in the aquarium is not suitable, then put the water beauty in a glass or pot. To do this, fill the container with a mixture of fine gravel and earth. Set the roots of the culture on the soil and carefully fix them with coarse sand. Then place the container in the aquarium.
Plant a plant along the side and back walls, because ludvigia is a long-stemmed crop and will be an excellent background for other algae. For example, to create an amazing underwater landscape, put anubis nana in the foreground, and in the middle - a small pillow and cryptocoryne Wendt. These plants are harmoniously combined with each other in appearance and conditions of detention.
Top dressing
Soil nutrition is very important for ludwig swamp. In old containers, the natural siltation of the environment is enough for her. If you plant a plant in a new aquarium, be sure to add a piece of clay when planting in the soil.
In addition, algae responds well to iron-based top dressing, for example, AVA. From them, the color of the leaves becomes saturated. Add these fertilizers directly to the water, or place them in the ground near the roots.
Breeding
You can grow a new plant from cuttings. At the same time, carry out the breeding process at any time of the year. To do this, cut a side shoot at least 10-12 cm long, just below the growth point. Choose cuttings with a dense rosette of leaves - such seedlings quickly take root and grow. After that, root the branches into the ground, pressing them with pebbles or sand.
If you want to get a grove of plants, then choose a strong stalk, lay it flat on the surface of the soil and fix it with pebbles or pebbles. After some time, each node of the stem will release roots and shoots. Thanks to this quality, you will quickly create a truly unusual underwater landscape.
Ludwig Swamp will become the decoration of your aquarium. This attractive plant has an unpretentious character, and caring for it will not take you much time and effort.