I know Crypts are very sensitive to Crypt melt, especially when you mess with their photo-period, and I know about etiolation, but when you say "too much light," what qualifies as too much? And what about in emersed conditions? What specifically are the adverse effects of too much light, and how would you spot the beginning signs? I'm not worried about it at the moment, but I do want to add more light to my set-ups, and I'm wondering how much would be ideal. I mean personally I consider compact growth to be a good thing, and etiolation to be bad. I'm just wondering how much light is too much, and what will happen?
I am growing several varieties of Crypts, Anubias, and Java Ferns (amongst other plants) submerged and emersed, and they are all commonly considered low-light plants. But that doesn't mean that, like pretty much any plant, that they do not benefit from more light (and CO2). While obviously more light is better, I'm assuming that at a certain point the plant can only absorb so much light, and beyond that, more light will in fact become detrimental. That being said, I have seen set-ups where people give these plants a
ton of light, and I wonder if they are wasting their money on all those lights, or if it is actually worth it. Obviously there is a point at which the costs will start to outweigh the benefits, so I'm basically trying to figure out roughly where that point is. Essentially what I am looking for is the ideal amount of light to grow these "low-light" plants, both in emersed conditions and submerged (mainly the former).
I know emersed growth is a lot different, for, amongst other reasons, the extremely high concentrations of CO2 in the air in relation to in the water. Sorta a long-winded reply with a simple question, but anyway, just wondering what your thoughts on extra lighting are. :confused1:
If plants do not get enough light, a process called etiolation comes into play. As a response to deficient lighting, physiologic processes in the plant's cells promote the process where auxins are produced. Auxins cause the cells to increase dramatically in length. Thus, you end up with plants that look more spindly and elongated. You see examples of this with house plants kept in too little light or a plant that has been left, say, in a garage for awhile.
Exposure to more light, conversely will result in the return of still pasts to the chloroplast state and thus normal plant growth due to lessened auxin production.
Too much light will conversely result in shorter mor compact looking plants.
That's it in a nutshell.
Bill
I know this was mentioned before as well, but regarding the original thread, duckweed does keep the water cleaner, though I do think the blocking of the light has something to do with it as well.