# Two Questions: Plant ID and Why Roots So Long



## dr3167 (Feb 18, 2011)

First thread, so hello. Just started growing tank plants this year after my old 18W T8 died on my free 29g.

My first question is why is my Alternanthera Roseafolia growing a massive root system from the entire length of its stem?

See roots before:









And roots now:









Lastly, what is this plant? I had it written down, but I have since lost the paper. Sorry about the blurriness; my camera skills and this bowfront add up to terrible photos.


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## dr3167 (Feb 18, 2011)

Oh yeah. Tank specs:

Hardware --->
29Tall Bowfront (24x12x24inches)
24W T5HO x3 8 hours per day
DIY C02 2L (want pressurized just don't want to pay for it) ceramic counter/diffuser @ 1 Bubble per Second
C02 checker green to greenish yellow just before lights out, air stone for surface agitation at night

Ferts --->
Seachem Comprehensive half cap 2x per week
Seachem Excel 2x per week
Seachem Flourish Tabs
CaribSea eco Complete Substrate

Stuff I do --->
20% water changes weekly
Tank is not overstocked


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

For your aerial roots problem, it could be that you are not giving enough fertilizers. You have a lot of light for your aquarium, and your fertilizing regimen does not seem to be following EI dosing amounts, so you are likely starving your plants.

As for your plant ID, it appears to be _Hygrophila corymbosa_ 'compact'


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## dr3167 (Feb 18, 2011)

Ah, will have to research EI a little more. Thanks for your help.


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## chriscro (Dec 3, 2010)

some plants have roots throughout their system naturally, other plants even use these root systems to anchor to other objects within the tank and can even multiple this way.

nothing to worry about many of plants do it.


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## qwerty (Dec 15, 2009)

I was gonna say hygro. Corymbosa Compact as well. So +1 for that.


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