some 45 changes

I wondered if my philodendron could grow rooted in water, like the pothos- it has a very pretty, trailing habit and if draped down the short ends of the tank, I hope it might make the angelfish feel more sheltered (decided once again it's not feasible to move the tank). I have the heartleaf variety.

Happily, I just learned that this is one of the few houseplants that will thrive growing in water- if not forever, at least for a very long time. That's good news- I've already pulled a few pothos stems that were starting to rot on the lower section. Not sure if the dim light in the hall will be enough for philodendron, though.

I took the last wood sticks out. They are constantly covered in a layer of soft mulm, which also coats all the photos roots tangled nearby. I guess the plants are happy- absorbing nutrients from that mulm- but I started to think maybe it's excess mulm from the rotting wood layers, not from the leaf litter?

Also curious to see if, without the wood shedding stuff into the water column, will the roots strike down to the leaf litter on the tank floor, and look more tidy? Mr. Beautiful still finds them useful shelter.

Other things in this tank: not sure if my aponogeton capuronii are going to make it. One has grown out two new leaves, which stay relatively straight. Bulb looks firm- I can't tell if new roots have grown.

The other one, its new leaf is still curved, it hasn't grown any more,

and the bulb accidentally got pulled up some, now I can easily see all the roots- which look rotting. Bulb is definitely rotting away. No new white roots. Doesn't look good.

At least the crypt balansae are doing well!

And I definitely notice response in the plants, since I started dosing potassium and iron- windelov fern stands up straighter, has shed some old leaves and growing quite a few new ones.

Buce 'brownie ghost' on the dragon stone is growing new leaves from its creeping rhizome!

Buce 'green wavy' is standing taller on its rocks- in the background-

Other buces:

Enough leaf litter has disintegrated that more anubias roots are showing.

I still like the thicket of anubias congensis, even though I often accidentally tear a leaf with the siphon, getting too close when cleaning the leaves.

Even my husband noticed the brown drifting mess- he said "um, I think your filter isn't working well or something- there's lots of stuff flying around the tank." kind of embarassing... . . ! yeah, it was the day I needed to do a water change- but it's a constant problem really. I need less of whatever's producing all the mess, or to hook my eheim canister back up on here.