STRAAT Dutch Style · Plant Encyclopedia

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Ludwigia White

Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata 'White'

🌍 Central and South America · riverbanks and wetlands Rare CO₂ Required Diff.: ★★★ 📏 Midground/Background 📈 Medium-fast

Rare variant with creamy-white to white-green leaf tips. Without sufficient light (100+ µmol PAR) and stable CO₂ the plant reverts to its green base form. Sensitive to parameter changes. Heavy root feeder — rich soil is essential.

⚗️ Water parameters

🌡️ Temp

22–28 °C

⚗️ pH

6–7.2 pH

🔵 KH

0–4 °dKH

💧 GH

1–8 °dGH

📊 TDS

80–200 ppm

🌿 CO₂

25–35 ppm

High CO₂ essential for white colour

🧪 NO₃

5–20 ppm

🔬 PO₄

0.1–0.5 ppm

⚙️ Fe

0.1–0.3 ppm

Fe deficiency = yellowing tips

💡 PAR

100–250 µmol

High light required for white effect

🪨 Rich soil required — zware root feeder

🇳🇱 Dutch Style

Unique white accent terrace 2-3 in Dutch style. Beautiful contrast with dark green and red neighbours.

💡 Tips

Group 5-7 stems for optimal white effect
Place root tabs directly at stem base
Maintain stable parameters — avoid fluctuations
Strong light at that specific spot necessary
Emersed form has green rounder leaves — normal adaptation

🔍 Problems

⚠ Plant turns green

→ Insufficient light or CO₂ too low

⚠ Yellow tips

→ Iron deficiency

⚠ Leaf drop during stress

→ Sudden parameter change

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Ludwigia Pantanal

Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata 'Pantanal'

🌍 Brazil · Pantanal wetlands Uncommon CO₂ Required Diff.: ★★★ 📏 Background (tall tank) 📈 Very fast

Pink-red whorled variant of L. inclinata. Fast-growing — several centimetres per day under good conditions. Requires truly soft water (KH <3°), high CO₂ (30+ ppm) and excellent nutrition. Irregular growth makes shaping difficult. Meta variant is more accessible alternative.

⚗️ Water parameters

🌡️ Temp

22–28 °C

⚗️ pH

5.5–7 pH

🔵 KH

0–3 °dKH

⚠ KH <3° required

💧 GH

1–5 °dGH

📊 TDS

40–140 ppm

🌿 CO₂

30–50 ppm

⚠ High CO₂ required (30+ ppm)

🧪 NO₃

5–20 ppm

🔬 PO₄

0.1–0.5 ppm

⚙️ Fe

0.1–0.3 ppm

💡 PAR

100–250 µmol

🪨 Ammonia-rich soil required

🇳🇱 Dutch Style

Demanding showplant. Meta variant recommended as more accessible alternative.

💡 Tips

Meta variant is much more accessible — consider that first
KH <3° is the absolute key
Grows several cm per day — plan space
Ammonia-rich soil greatly accelerates growth

🔍 Problems

⚠ Stunting/decline

→ KH too high or CO₂ unstable

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Blood Vomit (Centrolepis)

Centrolepis drummondiana (syn. Trithuria lanterna)

🌍 Western Australia — endemic Rare CO₂ Required Diff.: ★★★ 📏 Foreground — never in shade 📈 Slow

Most rare foreground plant in the hobby. Chinese trade name 吐血 ("blood vomit"). Two-tone leaf: bright green with deep ruby-red base — unique in the aquarium world. Not an Eriocaulon but Centrolepidaceae. Grows in rosettes, does not spread via runners. Roots longer than leaves — deep substrate required.

⚗️ Water parameters

🌡️ Temp

20–26 °C

⚗️ pH

5.5–6.8 pH

🔵 KH

0–2 °dKH

⚠ KH <2° REQUIRED — most critical parameter

💧 GH

1–10 °dGH

GH can be high if KH stays low

📊 TDS

40–120 ppm

🌿 CO₂

30–50 ppm

Direct CO₂ AT SUBSTRATE

🧪 NO₃

2–15 ppm

Low NO₃ extends red zones

🔬 PO₄

0.05–0.3 ppm

⚙️ Fe

0.05–0.2 ppm

💡 PAR

80–200 µmol

Never shade

🪨 Ammonia-rich soil required — roots longer than leaves

🇳🇱 Dutch Style

Spectacular foreground rosette. Only for advanced Dutch style with stable RO setup.

💡 Tips

⚠ KH is the most critical parameter — above 2° plant declines
CO₂ MUST be directed at substrate — not just the surface
Propagation: gently split large rosettes with razor blade
Never relocate — roots grow 5-8cm deep
Decline is gradual and slow — monitor daily
White firm roots = healthy; grey/soft = insufficient CO₂

🔍 Problems

⚠ Soft/limp leaves

→ CO₂ too low at substrate level

⚠ Yellows, no growth

→ KH too high

⚠ Completely green — no red

→ Insufficient light

⚠ Grey limp roots

→ Root rot from insufficient CO₂