In fact, this phenomenon is normal. If the cultivation environment is different, the growth morphology or leaf color of aquatic plants may also change. More clearly, aquatic plants are in different environments, so they usually have to change their growth morphology or leaf color to adapt to the new environment, otherwise it may be difficult to survive.
The change of leaf color is the fastest and most effective way for aquatic plants to adapt to different light environments. If we plant the faded or green butterfly back to its original environment, it can still make it "red" again. Light is closely related to the pigment of aquatic plants, because luminosity and light quality will affect the pigment composition of aquatic plants, and then change the leaf color of aquatic plants.
Second, why are aquatic plants relatively red when cultured under strong light?
Most aquatic plants are green, so red and brown aquatic plants are particularly easy to match and have a strong contrast effect. Especially aquatic plants with stems, such as blood orchid, red willow and red butterfly, are the most popular. In terms of round aquatic plants, red egg leaves are eye-catching.
A little red in evergreen trees and a little "angry" in tranquility are the principles of Dutch landscape tanks. China people have a soft spot for "red", and in China, red represents happiness and auspiciousness. . . . Red aquatic plants have become the favorite of aquarium lovers in China. We noticed that many green water plants also turn red under certain conditions. For example, some green aquatic plants will have red leaves under certain water quality, nutrients or light intensity, especially under strong light. As we all know, red aquatic plants will be redder when cultured under strong light, but few people know the real reason, which is why strong light will change the pigment composition of aquatic plants. Pigments of aquatic plants can be divided into photosynthetic pigments and non-photosynthetic pigments. Among them, photosynthetic pigments include chlorophyll that we are familiar with and carotenoids that we are not familiar with. There is only one non-photosynthetic pigment, called anthocyanin. If their proportions in the epidermis of aquatic plants are different, the colors of aquatic plants will be different.
We all know that chlorophyll is green, exists in chloroplasts of epidermal tissues, and is the most abundant in leaves, which is the main pigment of photosynthesis in aquatic plants. On the one hand, it absorbs light energy and uses it for photosynthesis, but on the other hand, chlorophyll is easily destroyed by strong light, which makes it decompose into colorless products, which of course will also make it lose its photosynthetic ability.
Carotenoids are a "protective pigment", and chlorophyll is natural. In a certain range, chlorophyll can be protected from strong light, but if the luminosity is really strong, the protective effect of carotenoids will be discounted. In addition, there are many different colors of carotenoids, such as yellow, orange and red. They can absorb a specific spectrum and transfer light energy to chlorophyll for utilization, so they can expand the absorption spectrum range of photosynthesis.
Although the chemical properties of carotenoids are much more stable than chlorophyll and are not easy to be destroyed under strong light, they are in danger of being oxidized and decomposed under ultraviolet radiation. At this time, another anthocyanin existing in cell vacuoles appeared. It is a natural substance with the strongest absorption of ultraviolet rays and can be used to protect carotenoids. It absorbs ultraviolet rays and converts the absorbed radiant energy into heat energy, thus increasing the cold resistance of aquatic plants. There are many kinds of anthocyanins with different colors, such as yellow, orange, red, purple and blue, which are richer than carotenoids.
To sum up, the stronger the luminosity, the less chlorophyll and the more carotenoids, so the color of carotenoids can be gradually highlighted. If the light contains ultraviolet rays, it will promote the formation of anthocyanins, and its color will gradually be reflected. In this way, the chances of water plants turning red are relatively increased.
3. Why do aquatic plants turn green when cultured in weak light?
Anthocyanins in aquatic plants are not photosynthetic pigments. Although it has various bright colors and can absorb different spectra (such as green light), it can't transfer the absorbed light energy to chlorophyll for utilization and convert it into heat energy. In addition, it is likely to reflect some light energy (such as red light) needed for photosynthesis, which indirectly affects the efficiency of photosynthesis, so anthocyanins are harmful to aquatic plants in weak light.
When red aquatic plants originally rich in anthocyanins are transplanted in low light, an anthocyanin hydrolase will be produced in aquatic plants to metabolize anthocyanins, so as not to affect photosynthesis, so the color will be mainly carotenoids (such as lutein), which is the main reason for the fading of red aquatic plants.
When aquatic plants are cultured in weak light, they must produce more chlorophyll to improve the efficiency of photosynthesis, but weak light is not enough to destroy its structure, so aquatic plants begin to produce a lot of chlorophyll, increasing the number of chlorophyll, and as a result, its color (green) masks the color of carotenoids, which is the main reason why red aquatic plants turn green.
The main purpose of turning green in low light environment is to increase its photosynthetic rate as much as possible, which is the basic survival method for aquatic plants to adapt to low light environment, otherwise it is difficult to have living space. The reason why aquatic plants are like this is a survival mechanism evolved to adapt to the low light environment, so we really don't have to be surprised by this natural phenomenon.
Four. conclusion
The red water grass lost its original bright color soon after transplantation. Although this scene will inevitably make people feel a little disappointed or sorry, it is understandable that in order to survive in the new environment, it must change the pigment combination in plants again to meet the needs of photosynthesis. If we have this knowledge, we won't be discouraged by this problem. At the same time, if we want to plant it as beautiful as before, we can better understand how to treat it properly to achieve our goal, or at least think about whether we should give it a more suitable light environment, so that it can limit the amount of chlorophyll and have the opportunity to promote the formation of anthocyanins.
There are many lovers of aquatic plants who like red aquatic plants very much. In fact, some striking reds are dotted in the vibrant green bushes. It really makes the finishing point. Unfortunately, planting red aquatic plants is not a simple matter. I'll give you some references in the process of planting red aquatic plants.
Whether the red grass is red or not depends mainly on whether the fertilizer is used correctly. Let's analyze it together:
1, light
As far as red grass is concerned, it really needs strong light. In fact, all positive aquatic plants have similar requirements for light. Of course, a tank also has bright areas and dark areas, so try to plant red grass in the brightest place. In addition, generally speaking, the aquarium is mainly green, and red only plays an ornamental role. In terms of landscaping, try to plant red aquatic plants in one third of the length of the fish tank. Because, from the perspective of human vision, the golden section can attract people's attention most. Some players think that red solar halogen lamps can make red grass redder, but this is only a visual effect. The light wave of solar halogen lamp is more suitable for green grass, and red grass rarely absorbs this light wave.
Red aquatic plants generally need strong light to appear beautiful red, especially red aquatic plants of broadleaf genus. Without strong light, they cannot appear deep red (such as big red leaves). In addition to adequate illumination, it takes longer than green aquatic plants to have enough time for photosynthesis. Because red aquatic plants need an hour to break the dormancy state (for example, spreading leaves and spreading photosynthetic points at the tip) after starting to light in the morning, and then they will start photosynthetic respiration.
Because the chlorophyll of red aquatic plants is less than that of green aquatic plants, it takes more light time to fully carry out photosynthesis and generate enough energy. It usually takes 10- 12 hours.
Factors affecting illuminance:
1). Oil film on the water surface: When the outlet in the water tank inclines to the water surface, water surface waves will be generated, which will cause refractive luminosity, thus reducing the amount of light emitted by the light source into the water.
2). The lamp tube has been used for too long, and the light quantity is insufficient.
3). If you don't wipe the reflector or acrylic transparent plate for a long time, the light quantity will decrease and the light quality will decrease.
The common aquatic plant lighting lamp of aquatic plant water tank adopts three-band integrated wavelength (about 430nm, 555nm and 630nm) as the popular aquatic plant light source. However, for red water plants, the most powerful light quality is blue light and green light. In addition to the three-band lamp, another "blue and green" light source is needed to provide photosynthesis for red water plants. When the red light shines on the leaves, the red leaves will partially reflect and transmit the red light without absorbing it, so it is impossible to use the light in the red band. So we need to add another light source in the blue-green band to make up for it.
Therefore, red and blue light are suitable for green aquatic plants. The blue-green spectrum of red aquatic plants is mainly "near ultraviolet". The stronger the light quality, the more anthocyanins formed in aquatic plants, and the more obvious the red color.
2. Fertilizer
This is the key to planting red grass. Generally, root fertilizer or granular fertilizer is added to the roots of red grass regularly. It should be noted that the effective area of a fertilizer is eight square centimeters. ) Red grass has a large demand for liquid fertilizer and high quality requirements. It should be noted that some red grass looks very red, but it is actually dehydration caused by excessive fertilization. Observe whether the terminal bud is miniaturized and whether there is a pink feeling in color. If there are the above two points, there may be signs of dehydration. If not adjusted in time, the terminal bud will die, and lateral buds will grow near the original terminal bud. In other words, it is unhealthy for stems and grasses to grow many lateral buds. On the contrary, some red grasses don't look too red, but they have big leaves, thick stems and large terminal buds. This is a healthy performance, and only some trace elements such as iron and manganese need to be supplemented. The high concentration of these two trace elements can make aquatic plants present more beautiful colors.
iron
In addition to essential elements, there is also an indispensable trace element-iron agent. According to the quality, content and time of iron adding agent, there will be differences in red depth. For example, the leaf clover of the genus leptophyllum is the most obvious. Generally speaking, the iron agent will be oxidized in a short time after being added, so it is easy to be lacking; The addition time should match the addition when photosynthesis is strong, so that it can be effectively absorbed and utilized. Therefore, iron agent needs to be supplemented every day to avoid shortage.
3. Carbon dioxide
Besides high illumination and other conditions, red aquatic plants need a lot of CO2 to change from orange-red to crimson. In particular, the red aquatic plants of the genus Lepidium have higher demand for carbon dioxide, such as cranberries.
The absorption of CO2 by red aquatic plants is relatively large, but it should not be excessive. If it exceeds 20ppm, it is easy to cause dehydration.
4. Water temperature
Generally speaking, the requirement of red aquatic plants for water temperature is lower than that of ordinary aquatic plants, and the most suitable range is about 20~23℃. Otherwise, aquatic plants can't absorb nutrients and carry out photosynthesis, making their leaves stretch and appear bright red. The higher the water temperature is, the respiration rate of aquatic plants will exceed the photosynthetic rate, which will affect the activity rate of enzymes. The respiration of aquatic plants will consume energy, while the activity of enzymes will produce energy, so the consumption of energy is greater than the energy produced, and photosynthesis will be reduced; And when the water temperature is low, carbon dioxide is easier to dissolve and stay in water, while when the water temperature is high, carbon dioxide stays in water for a shorter time and is easier to volatilize. )
Finally, there are some details that fish friends need to pay attention to:
1,) If you use a CO2 diffusion bucket (this one is set on the water pump motor), you can observe that when the light is turned on, more CO2 will be dissolved in the aquarium, but as time goes on, it will be dissolved less and less. This is because the gas content in the water is less in the morning, so the added gas will dissolve quickly, but with the passage of time, the gas content in the water will become higher and higher, so the dissolved amount will become smaller and smaller, and the dissolution time will become longer. So after turning on the light for six hours, it is best to release less carbon dioxide. But you can't turn it too big in the morning, otherwise it will easily lead to hypoxia. Because, at this time, the gas in the water dissolves quickly, and the PH value will also decrease quickly, and the fluctuation of PH value will burn the mucosa and fins of fish.
2.) Some aquatic plants are detectors of fertilizer deficiency, such as Haemophilus, Pteris vittata, etc. They take root in water (there are a lot of roots on their stems). I believe everyone has seen it. Some grasses also show similar symptoms of fertilizer deficiency and excessive fertilization, and the amount of liquid fertilizer can be adjusted by observing these details at ordinary times.
5.ph value
The PH value in water is 6~6.4. With the increase of PH value, the red color tends to purple-blue (with the increase of PH value, anthocyanins will precipitate, and the displayed color tends to purple-red, while with the increase of PH value, the more precipitates, the displayed color tends to purple-blue. ), should cooperate with CO2 release, adjust the PH value.
6. Difficulties
According to the hardness of various aquatic plants. Generally, most red aquatic plants need higher hardness (KH hardness (carbonic acid hardness)-because calcium carbonate and magnesium absorb quickly and are easy to be lacking, they need to be supplemented; GH hardness (total hardness)-High total hardness leads to high conductivity, which is required by most red aquatic plants). Otherwise, it is difficult to present the favorite red leaves. If the hardness is not suitable for aquatic plants, they will not be able to absorb nutrients, leading to albinism and poor growth near the terminal buds. Red chrysanthemum and clover in red aquatic plants need low hardness water.
Other matters needing attention in breeding red aquatic plants
Besides good planting conditions, there are other matters needing attention when planting red aquatic plants. The following will introduce the relationship between water quality and algae, which affects the normal growth of aquatic plants. There are also some resistant aquatic plants that people ignore.
Water quality and algae water quality should be stable. When the water quality changes rapidly, such as transplanting other pots and turning over pots, the terminal buds will shrink, twist and wrinkle the leaves. (Venetian blinds are the most obvious)
Red water plants like water with low or non-existent nitrate concentration. When nitrate concentration is high, it will hinder the absorption of iron and affect the growth of aquatic plants.
At the beginning of the new tank, Qin Ying changed the water and really removed the dead leaves at the bottom of the tank to prevent the water quality from deteriorating. In water quality management, in addition to changing water frequently to improve excessive nitrate in water, green "fast-growing aquatic plants" can also be planted in the tank to reduce nitrate content. For example: Chrysanthemum morifolium, willow, willow leaf, seaweed, Roland, small round leaf and so on. (When nitrate is too high, red water weeds are not easy to survive. )
The most direct place for aquatic plants to absorb and branch photosynthesis is the tip of the new leaf. Besides fish medicine and excessive chemical fertilizer, if algae attach to leaves (especially the respiratory growth point at the tip of leaves), aquatic plants can't normally perform the respiratory function needed for survival, just like human beings can't breathe when their necks are pinched. Therefore, we should pay attention to the management of water quality to prevent algae from breeding.
If the nitrate concentration is low, it is suggested to raise a proper amount of small fish, and the feed should not be excessive, which can effectively control the defecation of fish and reduce the nitrate content, and then cooperate with changing water to reduce the nitrate in the water. The feed contains more "phosphorus", which is easy to increase the chance of algae occurrence.
Don't plant red water plants with water plants that avoid resistance. The resistance between creatures is like the survival competition of human beings, where horns compete for territory, and people compete for territory with swords, guns and physical strength, while aquatic plants secrete harmful substances, making it impossible for each other to survive. Therefore, red aquatic plants are not suitable for planting in the same place as these aquatic plants, such as pepper and cymbidium.
Red water plants have irresistible magic in the water plant tank. Whether it's the colorful red leaves, the delicate and charming red butterflies, or the fresh and moving foliage plants, they will always be the shining protagonists in the aquarium. However, many fans are always at a loss as to how to cultivate the red aquatic plants and how to take care of the delicate guests in this water. In this article, I will take you into their lives.
Red aquatic plants belong to "strong positive" and "narrow adaptation range (limit)" among stem aquatic plants. If the adaptation conditions and requirements are clear, it is not difficult to plant bright red aquatic plants.
Among the leaf types of red aquatic plants, they can be roughly divided into broad leaves, thin leaves and pointed leaves.
The leaf color of red aquatic plants has evolved into different gorgeous colors and color concentrations due to the amount of anthocyanins contained. Anthocyanins are stored in developing new leaves and occasionally exist in stems, leaves and roots.
The colors of red aquatic plants are red, reddish brown, brown and so on. The degree of color presentation is influenced by the environment, resulting in orange red, light red, deep red, latosolic red, purple red and so on. , with different concentrations of color.
For example, water temperature, light source, PH value, element content, CO2 and swabbing, water hardness, etc. will all affect the formation degree of anthocyanins.
The popular red aquatic plants are red butterfly, red leaf, big red leaf, Korean pine tail, red willow, blood orchid, clover, cranberry, red taro, red chrysanthemum and so on.