22-09-2023, 11:11 AM
(22-09-2023, 10:03 AM)Oh_hunnihunni Wrote: I have kept planted tropical aquariums for decades so am hoping that experience will feed through into the lotus pot. Lotuses in aquascaped tanks are glorious things, I have even managed to flower a couple of those, but they are very different from the sacred lotus I have been tempted by for a long time. I remember a dear friend from TM days who told me not to do it, lol, based on her commercial water garden owning days. She said the 'bloody things grew like weeds'! I suspect though mine in the two nice big chinese style pots on my north facing deck won't prove to be a serious threat to my equilibrium. And they will help me fight off my growing temptation to start another aquarium!
I think the plant you grew in the aquarium was likely a "tiger lotus" which is Nymphaea zenkeri, a waterlily closely related to the cultivars we grow in ponds. It goes into the tropical tank because it doesn't tolerate low temperatures outside. I had one a long time ago but unfortunately didn't get any flowers.
Your new lotus is Nelumbo nucifera. And yes, it does grow like a weed if let loose, but controlled in a pot or garden pond is no bother. Certainly a lot easier to manage than an aquarium. If you really wanted some fish, you could put some white cloud mountain minnows in, or even a paradise fish, but the water could get too hot for either of them.