Samolus valerandi (aka Brookweed) Experiment

[Arnold]

Samolus valerandi its an interesting plant that usually grows in marshes and wetlands, I have grow it succesfully in my freshwater shrimptank totally submerged. Learning about this plant I reed that it can also grows in estuarys and brackish areas so I decided to try a little cutting in my Halocaridina tank hoping nothing more than a dead plant in few weeks... but for now its been totally different

Samolus valerandi in his submerged form

My Samolus plant after 1 month planted in the center of the tank planted around Rupia maritima (30/03/2019) planted as a very small cutting


My Samolus plant (21/04/2019) as you can see its growing very well, lots of new leafs and good color

[Opaela]

Very nice. I'm looking forward to the progress. I would not mind adding some legit plants to my opae ula tank.

[Dch48]

Interesting. Where could I get that plant? I can't find any place that sells them.

[Arnold]

I dont expect great things about the Samolus in long term since my salinity its pretty high above 1.010 but who knows, but im pretty lucky having the Widgeon grass Ruppia maritima, I guess im one of the few people to have it in a Halocaridina biotope set-up, its growing really good even in my lowlight tank

Ruppia maritima growing in Anchialine pool
Kanonone Waterhole, anchialine pool, with Ruppia maritima, Kau District, Hawaii County, Hawaii 8 by Alan Cressler, en Flickr

[Dch48]

I'd like to get some widgeon grass but I can't find any of that either

[Arnold]

I live in the Canary Islands a volcanic archipielago just like Hawai, here are also brackish ponds near the coast, I collected a few stems of Ruppia maritima hoping nothing but they have rooted and grown really good, Some stems are even flowering (I only have a 5 wat bulb in my tank)

Ruppia maritima flowers

[Dch48]

If you get seeds, send me some.