Anyone got experience with phyllospadix in cold water?

[Dcal]

Title says it all...

Thanks in advance.

 

[Peace River]

I have not worked with this species of grass personally, but the range for P. scouleri runs from Alaska to Mexico so it likely can tolerate a wide temperature range (although it may or may not require a slow transition). Other phyllospadix species seem to have a similarly wide range.

Hopefully others will chime in soon!

 

[Dcal]

I have not worked with this species of grass personally, but the range for P. scouleri runs from Alaska to Mexico so it likely can tolerate a wide temperature range (although it may or may not require a slow transition). Other phyllospadix species seem to have a similarly wide range.

Hopefully others will chime in soon!

I’m pulling it from Southern California (legally) so my question was more about nutrients and lighting requirements rather than temperature sorry I should’ve been more specific.

 

[Peace River]

I'm not sure how much of this article about sea grass translates over to phyllospadix sp., but I found this helpful when I was attempting to work with sea grass from coastal Florida.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-04/sl/index.php

 

[Dcal]

I'm not sure how much of this article about sea grass translates over to phyllospadix sp., but I found this helpful when I was attempting to work with sea grass from coastal Florida.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-04/sl/index.php

That's a great read thank you so much. Based on your experience knowledge do you think, realistically, I would have any luck keeping it in a high flow, mid-nutrient level tank with high lighting and its natural substrate?

 

[Peace River]

I have a similar project with sea grass that I attempt semi-successfully (at best) every few years. In many ways I think that to be successful with sea grass has more to do with what is happening in the substrate level than just what is happening with light, flow, and nutrients in the water column. IMO I think one of the issues is keeping enough nutrients in the sand bed without having the sand bed going anoxic. Any creature that do sand stirring have the potential to eat or damage the root system so I don't think that is the solution. I have studied and tried deep sand beds (DSB) and other approaches. I have considered (but have yet to try) a reverse gravel filter system underneath the sand. All of this has usually resulted in the grass doing fine for a while then fading.

 

[Dcal]

I have a similar project with sea grass that I attempt semi-successfully (at best) every few years. In many ways I think that to be successful with sea grass has more to do with what is happening in the substrate level than just what is happening with light, flow, and nutrients in the water column. IMO I think one of the issues is keeping enough nutrients in the sand bed without having the sand bed going anoxic. Any creature that do sand stirring have the potential to eat or damage the root system so I don't think that is the solution. I have studied and tried deep sand beds (DSB) and other approaches. I have considered (but have yet to try) a reverse gravel filter system underneath the sand. All of this has usually resulted in the grass doing fine for a while then fading.

Ah I see the difficulties with the nutrients at the root system. I'm a current undergrad hopefully trying to get into PhD program right after and might try some of your methods to see if I can find a successful way to create somewhat of a culture that can look nice in my tank and give me something for my resume lol. I planned on 3-4 inch sand bed. Do you think a combination of brittle stars and dosing phyto and NO3 and PO4 change anything about success rate?

 

[Peace River]

Ah I see the difficulties with the nutrients at the root system. I'm a current undergrad hopefully trying to get into PhD program right after and might try some of your methods to see if I can find a successful way to create somewhat of a culture that can look nice in my tank and give me something for my resume lol. I planned on 3-4 inch sand bed. Do you think a combination of brittle stars and dosing phyto and NO3 and PO4 change anything about success rate?

A couple of thoughts - based on your background and potential future I would treat it like an experiment and collected data such as your water parameters, microscope image comparisons, etc. It is a lot easier to do research when you are not restrained by grant requirements and other funding constraints. Of course, it can be easier to do research when you have access to a lab, funds, etc. It sounds like your plan is at least in the ball park. Now it is time to dig into the literature (including gray literature) and find out everything you can about sea grass and comparable rooted coastal plants. Don't believe half of it and then match the rest up against your experiments. It is part scientific method, part experimentation, and part interpretative judgement. Good luck!