From a test tube to an aquarium. The whole truth about meristem aquarium plants

Have you ever wondered how the vibrant, lush plants in your aquarium came to be there? Aquarium meristem plants find it especially fascinating to follow their journey from a test tube to their tank. These plants, which are cultivated from microscopic tissue cultures, have enormous advantages for your aquarium.

Meristem plants are cultivated under carefully controlled, sterile conditions in a lab to begin their lives. This procedure guarantees that the plants are free of diseases and pests, which can be extremely helpful for keeping an aquarium healthy. They are prepared to go from the lab to your home tank once they have reached a certain size.

The capacity of meristem plants to flourish and grow quickly after being added to an aquarium is one of their main advantages. They can quickly establish themselves and adapt well to a variety of conditions, giving your fish a lush, green environment. Making the most of these plants in your aquatic setup can be achieved by understanding how they are grown and the reasons behind their resilience.

Meristem reproduction

Aquarium plants reproduce by a process called microcutting, in which a piece of meristem tissue is placed on the surface of a nutrient gel and kept in a completely sterile environment. Cell division starts there, and from there mature plants grow that are exact replicas of their mother.

Sugars, amino acids, mineral salts, and phytohormones make up the nutrient gel. Maintaining a sterile environment is crucial, as any disruptions will lead to the proliferation of mold and the demise of plants.

You can replicate any portion of the plant using the meristem, so you can grow a lot of seedlings from a single, healthy mother plant.

Genetic engineering and growing in a lab are not the same thing. Genes remain in their natural state during meristem propagation; no action with them is necessary.

A new plant takes about a month and a half to develop from its cells. Following that, it is either moved to a greenhouse complex or micro-cut to produce hundreds more new plants. The plant grows to a size appropriate for sale in the greenhouse.

The meristem propagation method was first applied in agriculture and has only lately gained traction in aquaristics.

Planting in an aquarium

Planting microcloned plants is not difficult; the key is to carefully consider the planting strategy ahead of time.

Before planting, immediately open the plant’s container. An open container allows bacteria and viruses to enter and grow quickly in the nutrient gel, compromising the environment’s sterility.

How to plant:

• Carefully remove the plant from the container. To do this, you can turn the container upside down and shake it a little or remove the material with tweezers. The less damage the aquarium plant receives, the easier the adaptation period will be. You can carefully move in a circle and pick up the gel with tweezers – this will make it easier to remove.
• Rinse the nutrient gel from the plant roots with warm running water. If the roots are too small, it is better to leave everything as is, the remains of the gel are not such a terrible problem as damaged roots.

• Trim the roots to a length of 1.5-2 cm. With long roots, the plant will only take longer to adapt to new conditions.
• Disassemble the material into separate parts. If you need to plant ground cover plants such as Hemianthus cubeus, you can simply cut them with scissors.
• Prepare a hole in the soil and use tweezers to place the plant there with the roots down, pressing them lightly with soil.

Apply some liquid fertilizer to the plant to aid in its survival of the adaptation period.

It is preferable to plant groundcover plants as deep as possible, leaving a little patch of leaves at the top, because they have a weak root system. While such actions won’t hinder growth, they will ensure that the plant doesn’t float and perish.

An understanding of meristem aquarium plants is essential to setting up a healthy aquarium. From the fundamentals of how these plants begin in a test tube to their complete integration into your tank, this article will walk you through it all. We’ll unearth the key information regarding their upkeep, growth, and how they can turn your aquatic space into a lively, thriving habitat.

Pros and cons

Compared to regular aquarium plants, meristem plants have numerous advantages:

• Absence of spores of other algae and snails. Perhaps, this is the most important difficulty that aquarists face when buying plants.
• Plants grown in the laboratory are absolutely healthy – they are not predisposed to viral, fungal and bacterial infections. Due to this, they do not require painstaking care and there is no risk that the aquarist will bring an infection into a clean aquarium with new plants.
• Genetic uniformity. Plants grow identical to the mother plant, which reduces to zero the likelihood of growing something unpredictable. With standard plant propagation, varietal characteristics are split and young plants can completely lose their resemblance to the mother.

• Meristem aquarium plants can reproduce in a standard way right in the aquarium.
• Convenient storage and transportation. Plants are packed in dense containers that can be transported for a long time. The main thing is to maintain a temperature of +5-+25°C. Plants can be stored without lighting for 8-10 days, with normal lighting on a windowsill or table – up to 30 days.
• Compact packaging. A standard container holds as many sprouts as three pots grown in the traditional way.

Please be aware that the aquarium plant is actively growing during this time, not merely waiting to be planted!

Several aquarists list the protracted process of plant adaptation in the aquarium as one of the drawbacks. However, ordinary plants grown in the conventional manner require the same amount of time to go through this process.

Any plant needs time to adjust its metabolism from the air to the water and develop underwater leaves rather than air-borne ones. Replanting requires careful washing to remove any nutrients the plant may have picked up along the way. The plant should be replanted as gradually as possible, ideally over a few days.

Frequently asked questions

Is it possible to plant a meristem in a new aquarium?

Expert aquarium keepers caution against meristem plants taking root poorly and becoming overrun with xenome in an unclean or problematic aquarium. If the plant already has a stable balance, it will quickly adjust to the new circumstances and start to grow.

Which types of plants take root best?

Ammania bonsai, alternatera, eleocharis, anubis, proserpinaki, hygrophila, and feathery leaf have the highest rates of survival.

Why is it necessary to wash off the nutrient gel from the roots?

The nutrient material that meristem roots are impregnated with upon entering the aquarium may eventually provide the perfect conditions for the growth of bacteria, fungus, and mold.

How to choose the right plant?

Make sure to focus on the roots, which are easily seen through the gel. If they are not properly transported or stored, they may rot, which will cause the plant to wither or die.

It’s also crucial to purchase meristem aquarium plants from reputable vendors and to closely inspect the packaging, as many knockoffs have hit the market as a result of this trend’s growing popularity.

From their beginnings in a test tube, meristem plants have evolved into important components of our aquariums. These plants are a fantastic option for aquarium enthusiasts of all skill levels because they can be grown from just a few cells and are renowned for their resilience and adaptability. They are a great addition to any aquatic setup because of their easy care and unique ability to thrive in a variety of conditions.

The consistent growth of meristem plants is one of their main benefits. Since they are grown in a controlled environment, they frequently exhibit greater resilience to disease than their wild counterparts. As you watch them grow in your tank, you’ll have less trouble and more fun.

When meristem plants are added to your aquarium, you’ll discover that they can change the underwater scenery into a lively and hygienic setting. Because of their versatility, they can be added to a variety of tank configurations, improving the aquarium’s aesthetic appeal and ecological balance. Thus, these plants can infuse your aquatic environment with a hint of the accuracy and beauty of nature, regardless of your level of experience as an aquarist.

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