# Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini' [HELP]



## Cyanider (Mar 1, 2013)

Could you post a picture of your plants?

I don't have experience with A. Reineckii 'mini' but I do have A. Reineckii 'rosaefolia' and it seems to get the pink colors on the bottoms of the leaves, while the tops of the leaves remain a darker color. What do the bottoms of your leaves look like?

I dose iron regularly, but I've noticed that what mostly affected my plants is my co2. More co2, more light, more regular and healthy growth, leads to more flourishing plants. This is what causes the nice red colors in plants. 

I recently moved, and decided to do away with my glass top because it was a bit scratched (I accidentally used an abrasive pad on it before I knew what I was doing). Before I moved, my plants were all green, growing well.. but the ones that had potential to have red tones didn't (L. Aromatic, L. Repens 'mini', R. Colorata). Ever since I moved the tank, removed the scratched glass top, and adjusted my co2 properly, all of those plants now have those colors that they could have. This is because they're growing well and are healthy and flourishing. 

It's so obvious that I changed something just by looking at the plant - the tops are a lot more colorful than the bottoms of the plant! 

Now, don't take this to mean you may or may not have a deficiency, but I just had better luck with optimizing my light/co2. Dosing the iron when I had the glass top on didn't do anything, but removing the glass top and making sure my co2/light balance was just right did the job perfectly.

TL;DR - Having the right balance of co2, light, and fertilizers can make a big difference in plant growth.


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## JoraaÑ (Jun 29, 2009)

Transformation time from emersed to submerge. Give it some time, it will turn red once it will adopt your Parameter.


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## Dannyul (Jun 3, 2013)

*Thanks for your replies!

I haven't got a picture but the undersides of the leaves are of a nice magenta/pink colour which looks really nice. The front of the leaves are more of a amber-orange colour, like a dirty red.

Lighting is very strong with reflectors and is on 8 hours a day with the injection of CO2 so that the drop checker is lime-green.

The parameters of the water are ideal for a planted tank, recently survived a diatom algae outbreak. The water is also crystal clear which is an added bonus - so it's clean AND clear!! 

It may just be the fact that the plant is settling in as it was a nice red-pink colour when it arrived (emersed) so maybe it's just adapting?

Bad luck on the glass cover by the way - everyone makes mistakes!*


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## samee (Oct 14, 2011)

hmm maybe co2 levels are not high enough. Everone goes by different colours but lime green is too low. I keep mine at yellow to dark yellow. When it turns orange, right above dark yellow, my SAE comes to the surface. So I know that dark yellow is the max/perfect level. Again, everyone goes by differently. Recently I got a ph co2 controller its a little early but my Didiplis diandra are starting to turn red. Having a stable co2 lever might be the real trick at the end, as Tom Barr has stated numerous times. Ive had t5ho before and they were always green. Now that Im on T8s, they are changing colour. I do the whole EI dosing and high light thing. Only now my co2 level is stable compared to eye balling it to the indicator all the time.


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## Aganor (Oct 6, 2013)

I will have this plant in my aqua, and since im going to have a pressurized CO2 system with solenoid valve, i hope mine gets red too since im going to do EI with dry salts


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## Jonnywhoop (May 30, 2012)

where did you purchase the mini? ive been looking for this plant for a reasonable price. Not 50$ for a few stems..


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## Jalopy (Aug 11, 2013)

samee said:


> hmm maybe co2 levels are not high enough. Everone goes by different colours but lime green is too low. I keep mine at yellow to dark yellow. When it turns orange, right above dark yellow, my SAE comes to the surface. So I know that dark yellow is the max/perfect level. Again, everyone goes by differently. Recently I got a ph co2 controller its a little early but my Didiplis diandra are starting to turn red. Having a stable co2 lever might be the real trick at the end, as Tom Barr has stated numerous times. Ive had t5ho before and they were always green. Now that Im on T8s, they are changing colour. I do the whole EI dosing and high light thing. Only now my co2 level is stable compared to eye balling it to the indicator all the time.


Do you know if you were under dosing the CO2 before you got the pH controller?


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## AirstoND (Jun 17, 2011)

1) Don't forget the type of light output. Having a roseatte light output, or in 460nm and 650ish wavelength specifically

2) Black substrate/backgrounds also tend to really pop the contrast of red plants IMO


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## Old Scales (May 1, 2013)

I have this AR mini covering the entire front half of my 29g. I have high light, Co2, PPS Pro. Mine grows like weeds and got really red with PO4 at 4-5ppm. Hope this helps. Old Scales.


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## parrottbay (May 14, 2012)

Any update? I have the same problem...


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