# Telanthera Cardinalis Care



## AirstoND

1) You're off to a good start with what you've listed.
2) Don't overcrowd, keep 1-2in spacing between stems

Im setting up a 20L with many of these Alternethara Reinecki.


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## AquaLady86

The only things I have here are the root tabs and light...


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## norbot

Ime this is an intermediate plant. I found that it helps to find a middle ground when it comes to light. 

Not enough and the lower leaves turn to mush, it does like a good amount of light but you can overdo it.

I decided to start some emmersed and, wow, in a little over 2 months the reinickii is over 1 foot tall! 

From the emmersed I saw the effects of too much light, the leaves bend away from the light and it starts bronzing but eventually the leave dies and looks fried. of course this is emmersed, I don't know if leaves really "fry" underwater

Dirt, floramax, root tabs and co2 this plant should take off. 

If the lower leaves die try more light, if the plant loses color add more/use better root tabs and fertilization

If the plant folds its leaves and turns that orangey bronze, reduce light

These observations are based on my experience only


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## AquaLady86

Thanks so much. Im trying to figure out how to post a pic so I can show you guys if I planted them right.


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## Zorfox

This plant will do well in low-medium light on up to high. It's growing quite well for me in low-medium light, nearly inert substrate, no root tabs, and dry fertilizers plus glutaral. It seems to take quite a while to get going but once it does it's bullet proof IME.



norbot said:


> From the emmersed I saw the effects of too much light, the leaves bend away from the light and it starts bronzing but eventually the leave dies and looks fried.


You may want to check your humidity. I have these growing outdoors with high light (3-4 hours of direct sunlight a day). The bronzing and curling of leaves alert me to low humidity. If you let it continue the tip and edges will dry then the leaf dies.


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## norbot

Well I keep it sealed and spray often, the thing is I repositioned the reinickii with a little less light and presto. check it out:









I have it growing like a weed in the emmersered. Every time I trim some out of the tank it goes in there. Here's a bad pic of the emmered:


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## norbot

its good growth but not perfect. Does this thing flower grown emersed? Any other tips about this plant?


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## ADJAquariums

They like a good substrate, i.e. Root tabs or dirt or anything that'll give nutrients, and they seem to like a good deal of light, I've got mine in natural daylight and growth is explosive


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## Zorfox

That's a very nice plant! See the leaves at top that are curling? That's what I see when the humidity gets too low.



norbot said:


> Does this thing flower grown emersed?


How are you growing yours? I'm doing these hydroponically. So far it seems the best solution is a 33% macro nutrients and full strength micro nutrient hoagland's solution. Still fiddling with it. Using a high dome seedling tray to acclimate cuttings. 

These blooms are on a plant a little over 1 month from being submersed. Almost ready to remove the dome full time. It's been off two days now but it's been cloudy, humidity about 65% average.


Sorry about the focus on the macros. I just flipped my lens backwards and held it by hand. Kinda award to do lol


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## norbot

Wow that's amazing, thanks for posting that

I just stuck them in a 55 with a bunch of cfls, sealed the top and left it. I am gonna try mixing up a little fertilizer like you said, should I spray it on the plant or just put it in the water?

Those flowers are nice


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## Zorfox

I fill the seed tray with the modified Hoagland's solution. I added a small powerhead for circulation. The plants are in net pots with either coir or floramax substrate, it's what I had lying around. I change the solution once a week. The dome has adjustable openings so I can decrease humidity over time until I don't need it any longer.

This is the solution I'm using. I don't add Ca since my GH is very high. Of course that may change I want to see if there is a difference lol

This is for 5 liters. This is a 50% macro 100% micro hoagland solution
KNO3 856mg
KH2PO4 111mg
K2SO4 500mg
Plantex CSM + B 382mg
MSSO4.7H2O (Epsom Salt) 1,191mg

I have significant calcium in my tap otherwise add an appropriate amount to the mix
Sorry forgot. No I don't mist them. Just high humidity initially 90-100%


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## AquaLady86

By the way, beautiful frikin plants. So good i wanna curse. My plants are teeny tiny. About a half inch or to two inches tall. Do I plant the roots in the substrate? I ask because the roots and leaves seem to be on the same level. Planting some buries leaves as well.


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## OVT

Strip off the bottom 2-4 nodes then plant.

via Droid DNA Tapatalk 2


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## AquaLady86

OVT said:


> Strip off the bottom 2-4 nodes then plant.
> 
> via Droid DNA Tapatalk 2


Lol huh? Where's the nodes? Nice dog btw. Great Dane?


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## norbot

I believe it's the leaf nodes, or where the leaves are attached to the stem.

Pluck the bottom few leaves and push the stem into substrate, it will grow roots


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## norbot

btw I added the fertilizer yesterday and today I see the beginning of a bloom already!

Thanks for the info


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## forester

i guess i have gotten lucky , i have some in one of those 5 gallon spec tanks witht the led strip on it . they grow great with no ferts , no Co2 , and sand substrate . i am thinking with the weekly water changes and the perfect mount of light i got lucky with it and grows like crazy and beautiful red


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## OVT

norbot said:


> I believe it's the leaf nodes, or where the leaves are attached to the stem.
> Pluck the bottom few leaves and push the stem into substrate, it will grow roots


Exactly. And yes, it is a Great Dane.

via Droid DNA Tapatalk 2


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## AquaLady86

Ok I plucked the leaves. My substrate is black TMS and I have root tabs. I put a tiny bit of florish excel in it too. I hear that excel melts plants and kills invertebrates.


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## Beeker

I know this is an old thread, but it is that time of year now, and this plant is amazing!
In the pictures, it is not in actually in the tank. Does this plant have to be above the water, or can it live as an aquatic plant, entirely submerged?


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## The Coffee

Beeker said:


> I know this is an old thread, but it is that time of year now, and this plant is amazing!
> In the pictures, it is not in actually in the tank. Does this plant have to be above the water, or can it live as an aquatic plant, entirely submerged?


No grows well completely submerged. 

Interesting thing I found out recently is that when you just plant these they don't do very well for the first 3-4 weeks underwater. Even the new growth won't be too good initially. But after this period then they start putting out good new leaves in the new shoots and they start to take off.


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