Easing Tissue Culture Anubias Into Submersion?

I am getting a beautiful Anubias Nana white pinto soon. This is my second try with tissue culture plants, all of them have died previously.

Is there a good way to acclimate them and prepare them for underwater life?

I have Co2, and what I think is good lighting (everything else is growing like crazy except my Xmas moss bonsaI tree).

I have a nice piece of driftwood ready and waiting and my tank has cycled over a 6 week period and all water parameters are good aside from high nitrates.

It is a heavily planted tank with no fish yet.

I really love the way this little plant looks and want to give this one a better chance than the last one. Suggestions??

 

Is your drop checker showing green all the time the lights are on? What is the light? Do you dose fertilizer?

There are two factors to consider here: the white and the tissue culture factor

Tissue culture will be adapted to easier CO2 access from the atmosphere, so it's really good that you have CO2 going. Make sure it's coming on around 1-2 hours before lights on, and you can turn it off 1 hour before. With CO2, tissue cultures almost never going through a melting stage.

Higher light is more important for white plants because they have much less chlorophyll than their green counterparts. I think positioning the anubias in an area that gets excellent light and, importantly, good water flow to bring it CO2, will increase your chance of success

 

Is your drop checker showing green all the time the lights are on? What is the light? Do you dose fertilizer?

There are two factors to consider here: the white and the tissue culture factor

Tissue culture will be adapted to easier CO2 access from the atmosphere, so it's really good that you have CO2 going. Make sure it's coming on around 1-2 hours before lights on, and you can turn it off 1 hour before. With CO2, tissue cultures almost never going through a melting stage.

Higher light is more important for white plants because they have much less chlorophyll than their green counterparts. I think positioning the anubias in an area that gets excellent light and, importantly, good water flow to bring it CO2, will increase your chance of success

Thanks so much for your reply!
Yes, my drop checker is always green.
I am using Thrive nutrients about every 3 to 4 days, 30% -50% water change once a week.
My light is an off brand one I haven't been able to find PAR info on. KZKR LED full spectrum. Lumen: 2730, power: 23.5-24 w, 8000k.
I have a 36 gallon bowfront that is quite tall. I want to say 20" to lowest substrate but I'm having a brain fart at the moment.
I didn't even think about it being white!
Co2 and light are on the same timer, I'd have to buy a new timer to separate them.
All 4 of my tissue culture plants melted which makes me think it's a lighting issue since they were all ground covers. The only one that shows a chance of recovery is the dwarf hair grass.
Do you think I need a new light? I was looking at a Beamswork one.

 

Thanks so much for your reply!
Yes, my drop checker is always green.
I am using Thrive nutrients about every 3 to 4 days, 30% -50% water change once a week.
My light is an off brand one I haven't been able to find PAR info on. KZKR LED full spectrum. Lumen: 2730, power: 23.5-24 w, 8000k.
I have a 36 gallon bowfront that is quite tall. I want to say 20" to lowest substrate but I'm having a brain fart at the moment.
I didn't even think about it being white!
Co2 and light are on the same timer, I'd have to buy a new timer to separate them.
All 4 of my tissue culture plants melted which makes me think it's a lighting issue since they were all ground covers. The only one that shows a chance of recovery is the dwarf hair grass.
Do you think I need a new light? I was looking at a Beamswork one.

For anubias specifically probably not, especially if you attach it to hardscape and it’s higher up closer to the light. For low tech plants a beamswork should be fine. For higher light demanding plants a beamswork will probably not be enough

Otherwise, your setup looks good to go!

 

For anubias specifically probably not, especially if you attach it to hardscape and it’s higher up closer to the light. For low tech plants a beamswork should be fine. For higher light demanding plants a beamswork will probably not be enough

Otherwise, your setup looks good to go!

Any suggestions on a good light for a tall tank so I can grow carpet plants?

 

Any suggestions on a good light for a tall tank so I can grow carpet plants?

Finnex 24/7 is a good starting point for the less demanding carpeting plants like Monte Carlo, marsilea

 

I have tried tissue culture plants once, in an already established planted tank. It’s a long haul and a lot of patience. Not like I had to do anything, but it was that looking at it constantly thinking it looks terrible. And then one day out of no where after watching it fall apart and shed for 3 months it’s a beautiful plant. I thought for sure it was dying.

I found they are very needy for proper nutrients right from the get go.

Can I ask, why not just buy an established anubias ?

 

I have tried tissue culture plants once, in an already established planted tank. It’s a long haul and a lot of patience. Not like I had to do anything, but it was that looking at it constantly thinking it looks terrible. And then one day out of no where after watching it fall apart and shed for 3 months it’s a beautiful plant. I thought for sure it was dying.

I found they are very needy for proper nutrients right from the get go.

Can I ask, why not just buy an established anubias ?View attachment 551382View attachment 551383View attachment 551384

I just happened to fall in love with the little white anubias and I haven't seen them anywhere else or they were never in stock. The carpeting plants I bought that way hoping to avoid pests. Honestly they were very expensive and had I looked harder I might have found better prices for plants raised submerged. I am heavily planting my tank to provide a safe environment for the blue Rams I hope to get as my show piece fish.
Where do you prefer to get your plants?

 

I have tried tissue culture plants once, in an already established planted tank. It’s a long haul and a lot of patience. Not like I had to do anything, but it was that looking at it constantly thinking it looks terrible. And then one day out of no where after watching it fall apart and shed for 3 months it’s a beautiful plant. I thought for sure it was dying.

I found they are very needy for proper nutrients right from the get go.

Can I ask, why not just buy an established anubias ?View attachment 551382View attachment 551383View attachment 551384

Is your bottom plant and the top plant the same one? Holy cow, what a difference! I love how beautiful and perfect it turned out. I may need to add a crypt!

 

can't answer the acclimation question, but i'm curious where are you getting the plant? my lfs just got in some non-tissue culture anubias nana petite whites (grown emersed) and they're charging $30 for a tiny rhizome with maybe 6 leaves lol. i've seen tissue cultures for $15 on ebay. I believe the ones petco sell from complete aquatic systems are $12

 

I just happened to fall in love with the little white anubias and I haven't seen them anywhere else or they were never in stock. The carpeting plants I bought that way hoping to avoid pests. Honestly they were very expensive and had I looked harder I might have found better prices for plants raised submerged. I am heavily planting my tank to provide a safe environment for the blue Rams I hope to get as my show piece fish.
Where do you prefer to get your plants?

I bought my tissue plants from LFS, just as an experiment. Something to tryout. I now use an online supplier for all my plants, they sell tissue plants as well. Here is the link.

 

Is your bottom plant and the top plant the same one? Holy cow, what a difference! I love how beautiful and perfect it turned out. I may need to add a crypt!

No sorry for the confusion. The crypt is the long brown leafed one. The bottom one is a micro sword. They were both tissue plants. The micro sword is only just starting spread out. Took about 5 mos.

 

No sorry for the confusion. The crypt is the long brown leafed one. The bottom one is a micro sword. They were both tissue plants. The micro sword is only just starting spread out. Took about 5 mos.

I was really amazed at is transformation if they were the same plant! Glad to see that tired plants can thrive though!

I bought my tissue plants from LFS, just as an experiment. Something to tryout. I now use an online supplier for all my plants, they sell tissue plants as well. Here is the link.

How did your tissue plants do? I love the plant guys website!!

 

I was really amazed at is transformation if they were the same plant! Glad to see that tired plants can thrive though!


How did your tissue plants do? I love the plant guys website!!

Plant guy is awesome.

Tissue plants need lots of patience and require lots of time to become viable and a good plant dosing regimen, both column and substrate.

They never once melted though.

Might try them again, but something to be said for planting a nice large healthy plant that’s ready to go right away.

I think if you were striving for that sterile type of plant environment some plant keepers enjoy, tissue plants would be the way to go.