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Does anyone out there have any experience with keeping bamboo in a planted tank? One of my LFS has started carrying decorative bamboo for growing in an aquarium. They say it grows well under water in low to medium light and I admit, it does look nice.

Can't say I've heard of a true aquatic bamboo. The only kind of bamboo that I know of needs to be grown emersed, with just a little bit of the plant underwater. I think it can last a while totally submerged, but will not live that way forever.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

I agree, you should only put the stem part under, as this is probably the only part thats useful underwater. I thought of that before though, and have found that the really tall specimens will root and grow in the gravel over time. I dunno...Maybe you should give it a try?

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I've really wanted to try growing some but like others said it can't be completely underwater. You have to leave at least the very top with the green leaves out of water or it won't grow well and will probably die eventually. Same with mangroves. Those would be fun to grow but they have to stick out the top out of the tank. That means your light has to be high enough off the edge of the tank to accomodate the plants while still providing them with light, the tank either has to be shallow enough or have something the plants can root on near the surface, and you have to keep an open top tank. Those things have kept me from trying such plants.

I have not heard of a "true" bamboo living submerged. You do see it in bogs though. You may have luck with it.
"Lucky" bamboo will do good in a tank that is tall enough for it to grow. Lucky bamboo is not related to bamboo at all, it is a totally seperate speciesof plant. I had several pieces planted in a 10g for several months. The lucky bamboo rooted with no troubles. Due to the highth that lucky bamboo can grow, I had no lid on the tank. Indoor lighting seemed to be sufficent not only to sustain it, but to also allow it to grow. Since the tank had no filtration, and I wanted an Asian them, with bamboo and a submerged Budda with a betta for some motion. I broke the tank down so my wife would have room to put up the Hannuka Bush...family joke for Xmas tree.

"There is also a Clown Pleco in this tank some where. I am telling you, HE IS IN HERE."