# Pogostemon helferi



## JoeD323 (Sep 27, 2011)

Hi all, 
I have recently had poor luck with this plant. I bought a bunch of it and it lasted about 3 weeks before it began to melt away slowly. I have soft water, a pH of 6.6 and temp around 78*F and I have pressurized CO2 and 2wpg. I have been doing research and some say it is picky about water params, while others say it is an easy to moderately difficult plant to grow. Some say it likes harder water, ruling my tank out, while others say it prefers softer water but is sensitive to some ferts.

Can anyone give me any pointers on what worked for them, so I can try to reproduce your positive results? The shop I work at has some really nice pogo but I don't want to kill it again so I'm doing all the homework I can before buying it.

Thanks
Joe


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## 5BodyBlade (Feb 8, 2011)

My water parameters are nearly identical to yours and mine is growing well so I don't know why your having trouble. I put a root tab right in the middle of the bunch. I think it likes to feed from the roots, but not %100. I've only had it for a few months though so maybe someone who has more experience with it can chime in.


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## cookymonster760 (Apr 30, 2011)

had the same problem i have bought this plant in big portions twice before and both times it just melted away not touching this plant ever again


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## Crispino L Ramos (Mar 29, 2008)

I don't have success with this plant.


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## JoeD323 (Sep 27, 2011)

BodyBlade, what root tabs are you using exactly? And what type of substrate?

Crispino, You don't dose ANY ferts? What is the GH of your tank?

Thanks in advance
Joe


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## Crispino L Ramos (Mar 29, 2008)

I do.


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## n00dl3 (Jan 26, 2008)

IME, they need CO2 and fert. Light doesn't matter much... if it is low light it will grow more leggy and high light more busher.


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## Crispino L Ramos (Mar 29, 2008)

n00dl3 said:


> IME, they need CO2 and fert. Light doesn't matter much... if it is low light it will grow more leggy and high light more busher.


What's your water source - tap water or filtered RO?


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

Crispino Ramos said:


> I can only grow it when attached to driftwood - I wrap the stem with cotton before tying it to the driftwood with nylon monofilament fishing line.


This method sounds crazy but it actually works surprisingly well-- i saw Cris's "Downoi tree" in person and they were by far some of the healthiest Pogostemon helferi plants i've seen!


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## happi (Dec 18, 2009)

add me in, mine also melted after 2 months of hanging in there. neither it grew or neither it melted in substrate and one day finally it gave up on me and suddenly just melted away within 2 days.


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## Crispino L Ramos (Mar 29, 2008)

I had the idea of planting Pogostemon helferi from looking at pictures of the plant in its natural habitat.


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## speedie408 (Jan 15, 2009)

Let's see a pic of it attached to wood Cris!  I've never heard of growing downoi that way.

For me, it does best in hard alkaline water, injected CO2, nutrient rich substrate, EI dosing, and high light!

Some of you already seen my old farm tank but here it is for the newer members:
Before: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSDXOqSeyI0
After: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llQMi3Muunc&list=UULeRieRWpQQj-KQ9c9Ay18g&index=9&feature=plcp


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## JoeD323 (Sep 27, 2011)

Thats amazing growth speedie! Apparently pogo really is pretty versatile as far as params. I just wish I could put my finger on exactly what I was doing wrong. I may just try growing it attached to some wood now that I got my ammonia spike under control and my crypts are beginning to recover from the resulting melt. 

Does anyone have any comments as far as optimal temps for this plant? My tank runs at 78*F. Think that might pose an issue?


Joe


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

Very nice, Speedie! Your description of what they like is exactly the condition of my tanks. So looks like there's some hope that I can grow it!

I'd like to see it attached to the wood, as well. The description reminds me of bromeliads.


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## Crispino L Ramos (Mar 29, 2008)

speedie408 said:


> Let's see a pic of it attached to wood Cris!


you've seen them


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## Crispino L Ramos (Mar 29, 2008)

pictures seen


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## speedie408 (Jan 15, 2009)

Thanks for the pics Cris! 

Hope those grow out well for you sir. From my experience they need to be rooted in nutrient rich soil to grow into a nice crown. Otherwise, they tend to melt or get very leggy growth.


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## Crispino L Ramos (Mar 29, 2008)

speedie408 said:


> Thanks for the pics Cris!
> 
> Hope those grow out well for you sir *(just call me Cris, Nick).* From my experience they need to be rooted in nutrient rich soil to grow into a nice crown. Otherwise, they tend to melt or get very leggy growth.


I have tried planting them in Amazonia and they gradually melted, they didn't get the chance to show their legs grow.


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## Crispino L Ramos (Mar 29, 2008)

speedie408 said:


> For me, it does best in hard alkaline water....!


I've never tried hard alkaline water


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

Crispino Ramos said:


> Here are the pictures of downoi attached to manzanita driftwood.


Yeah, I saw those, thanks. I was hoping to get pics showing how they're attached to the wood. But that's okay. :smile:


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## Crispino L Ramos (Mar 29, 2008)

Complexity said:


> Yeah, I saw those, thanks. I was hoping to get pics showing how they're attached to the wood. But that's okay. :smile:


It's easy


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

Okay, I can see it in the top pic now. Thanks for the additional description. Somehow, I had pictured in my mind some kind of rolled cotton.


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## JoeD323 (Sep 27, 2011)

May I ask exactly what purpose the cotton serves? Do the roots not attach to the wood?


Joe


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Cotton rots after about 1 month, but by then, roots have attached.

I have no issues growing the snot out of this plant, but if the CO2 is poor, it does not do well for me.

The 120 Gal thread has plenty of examples where I removed it and kept a few stumps and it grew back to a nice thick 20+ plant group is about 4-6 weeks.

2 weeks before:









2 weeks later:


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## audioaficionado (Apr 19, 2011)

I know what killed both batches I had. My PAR readings at the bottom are less than 20 LOL. That's the problem with tall narrow jungle tanks even with T5 lighting. I have some mico mini sword that is barely hanging on at the bottom. Break a piece off and let it float and it turns into crab grass and starts to cover the top.


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

Damn, Tom, I want that tank. I love red plants, and those reds are dazzling! They are especially beautiful when contrasted by the green plants like that.

Which plants are they (the red ones)?


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## 5BodyBlade (Feb 8, 2011)

JoeD323 said:


> BodyBlade, what root tabs are you using exactly? And what type of substrate?
> 
> Crispino, You don't dose ANY ferts? What is the GH of your tank?
> 
> ...


I used the API Root Tabs and my substrate is Turface.


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## JoeD323 (Sep 27, 2011)

I think I've heard enough. I'm gonna have to go buy some more pogo and try this out. If you guys can grow this plant strapped onto some manzanita, theres no way I'm gonna fail again with ferts, root tabs and CO2!


Joe


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