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I've kept a group of R. Mac Variegated for over three years now. Have stunted it a few times, and it barely survived a couple of "events" I have had over the years.
But all in all, while it is moody, it also offers a fantastic display when it's happy. I look at it as being an early indicator. In general, if it's happy, so are most other plants.
And in the pic above, it looks very happy. I would use it.
Now the Sunset. I get it's rare and difficult, but also don't really know where I would use it.
Yes, I feel the pain of keeping the Macrandra lol. It's really hard to keep it happy for a long time.
In Asia, people have almost no problem growing the plant. Probably because the fertilizers are usually supplied via roots. I've known a guy keeping it under direct sunlight, no co2, no filter, no flow. Just uses super-super-rich substrate and does daily waterchange. And it grows beautifully in such conditions...
In my tank, the sunset is far less of a hassle. It sometimes stunts but never dies. But I've never been able to grow it this big until now. I've heard it likes higher kH water. My tap is super soft.
It's a hard plant to scape IMO. Similar texture to the Tonina Fluviatilis, just different colors. Unfortunately, the color is quite dark. Dark green stem with dark orangeish/reddish leaves. Polished internet photos may show a vibrant color. But in my tank, the plant looks hardly visible if placed near any off-green plants.
IMO, to use it as a group, it needs to be next to or in front of bright green and fine texture groups to make it really visible. This way, the plant is used as a "dark spot" to enhance the contrast of a bright area. Then again, a moss log probably works better for this purpose

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Tom Barr used the plant to make a row, which, I think, can be also an effective way to use it.
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Dat light!!

Great bulb choice, looks amazing
Thanks!
Coming from LED, my eyes still want some green. Couldn't go all colored bulbs like you or Greggz or Dennis

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