# All red aquascape?



## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

This is totally random and I'm just curious but has anyone ever done an aquascape with all red/purple plants, sort of like a modern monochromatic artsy tank? With silver/white fish. Could be striking in a very unnatural way.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Interesting... 
I hope someone does it....
Closest I've got as far as red is a desert scape..
All red hardscape.. large rocks.. and erios everywhere..
But I can't grow erios lol..
If some one does do this I feel as though the use of butterfly rotala mandatory..


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## jimmah (Feb 16, 2010)

I saw this done a few years ago. I believe it was entered in the ADA competition. None the less, it looked amazing


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## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

Aw I would love to see pics! I know there's a bunch of "fall" aquascapes out there but I'd push those even further and only use red/orange/purple plants to look like autumn trees. If I had time and CO2 that's what I'd do.
And ADA would never let something like that win... they don't like anything too "gimmicky". But I think it would be stunning.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

There is a very nice subtle red rock native to my area that I have in one tank. I have not gone to the extreme of 'only red plants', though.


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## crazydaz (Mar 18, 2007)

This would be difficult to pull off. Even the reddest of plants typically have green or pale colored leaves towards the bottom portion of their stems. I don't know of a brilliant red groundcover.....Rotala mexicana comes close, but does have green mixed in. I'm usually able to get really good color out of my reds and oranges, but this would be challenging.

Does anyone have a picture of this all red and purple tank, by chance?


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## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

Hmmmmm I didn't even think about the ground cover  It might just have to have a red midground and some low-lying red crypts and tiger lotus. 

Don't mind me, I've run out of space to put tanks but haven't run out of inspiration to design them so now I'm designing imaginary future tanks.


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## m8e (Oct 16, 2009)

Started this nano tank yesterday. Might replace the java fern if i can find some red plants locally. But i kind of like the opponent color thingy going on. :icon_smil


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## carolinyens (May 18, 2009)

An all red theme would be pretty awesome I had thought about this b4 but havent tried it. Are you worried about having to dose a lot of iron or going super heavy with a clay substrate? This was my main question when I was thinking about this.


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## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

We'll have to have someone who's an expert at keeping red plants red chime in on the special needs of a tank like this, besides high light and CO2 of course.


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## shrimpNewbie (May 6, 2011)

If you want truly red plants you can take your lighting past the very bright category but risk algae at normal co2 levels, fish less I could see it happening very well


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

YOU KNOW.. i just thought of this on my lunch break today
i was looking at my tank thinking hmm i wonder how i could pull that off..

and for a red carpetting plant. i'd actually trim plain ludwigia down low frequently.

red plants need LIGHT to trigger the defense mechanism...
they tint themselves to prevent too much light from destroying tissue.. this is how red is achieved in most plants

people fake reds by lowering N which reduces chlorophyll production allowing the red pigments there to show through more

with lots of light comes great responsibilty.. much c02 is needed to keep the system stable. much more so that in nature with constant flowing streams that prevent much algae from settling on plants and continually bringing fresh nutrients and c02. even if it is at low levels. ITS always there


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## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

Hygrophilia sp. 'Araguaia is a red ground cover plant.


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## crazydaz (Mar 18, 2007)

HD....red plants simply don't use the "red" wavelength part of the visible system, and their pigments reflect that red light away. I don't believe that it is a defense mechanism against high intensity light. I don't think that plain ludwigia routinely trimmed low would survive for very long. It would be an interesting idea to try. Any fast growing stem that is routinely hacked down has always eventually become covered in BBA and then rots away for me, at least. It would get pretty ratty looking, regardless, as it would keep sending out aerial roots that would gradually become dark black and yucky looking.

Ua Hua--Would you call Hygro Araguaia a true ground cover? It's a stem plant that grows low, but it doesn't really fill in extremely well. I think of mine as a type of "accent" plant more than anything. I guess it could work.


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## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

I guess I should have said red foreground plant rather than ground cover. It's still a very cool red colored foreground plant that doesn't get used very often.


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## aweeby (Oct 1, 2011)

part of the defense mechanism thing is correct: the in some plants, reddish colour is an antioxidant produced to prevent oxygen poisoning and burning. (which is why the young leaves on some plants are slightly pink, pomegranite comes to mind.)

this is an interesting concept. hm.

Maybe for the foreground, instead of pulling your hair out with trying to find red plants, you could go with really pale sand? It would be easier and that'd go with the red/white motif.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

I have thought about it in the past. The problem for me is that I don't want to use super high light plants for something I have never seen before as I don't have spare equipment so I would have to dedicate my main tank to it. There are a few red plants that do fine under fairly normal light but not enough for me to try. I wouldn't want to do a small amount of plants.

I have been considering doing a co2 injected nano or pico for awhile since I have an extra needle valve setup on my co2 rig but not enough room for anything bigger than about 5 gallons. I wasn't planning on stocking it so maybe I will give it a try. The problem is I will be limited to plants due to size. I don't know what red plant it would be great for a "carpet" on a large tank. It's a stem and doesn't carpet but looks good trimmed low. The only carpet plant I can think of with some color is E. tenellus but even when I get dense red, it still has quite a bit of green.


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## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

You could try just a sand front with rocks thrown in... fluorite black sand or any color light sand would be cool. I think a 5 gallon is big enough to try for it. I was picturing almost a traditional dutch tank with tons of different red stems and a couple lotuses or lillies thrown in, so that would require a longer tank than most 5 gallons I know of, but I'm really curious to see what you can come up with.


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