it's winter here and someone dumped this alocasia on the curb. It's been acclimating to my house the last week and i finally set it up in a semi hydro setup yesterday. I'm using a fish bubbler and a mini tank heater to combat the swings in temperature from our heating. fertilizing with liquid ferts once a week. Never had an alocasia before so hoping this works for it. If anyone has any tips/critiques lemme know, i really want this one to live! Waiting for an opaque container so it doesn't grow algae.
The black pot should have slits in the side so the roots can breathe. Right now it's drowning. Wish I could come across a great find like this.
This is a good concept…but for an alocasia…and one that is acclimating, I’m afraid there will be root rot with this set up! The water should not be that high…water level should always be under the roots.
I’m assuming this was in soil? And has this been in this set up like this already for a week?
Good to know! After some other comments I lowered the water level to about 1/2 inch above the bottom of the black pot which puts it below the roots. This alocasia has only been in this setup for about 15hrs now, before it was in the clump of soil it was found with. So hopefully i adjusted the water level soon enough for the roots to not rot. Thanks for the feedback!
Winning
Its too far into the water and that water needs to have the nutrient solution always. Not once a week. Right now its sitting in water and if those are not water roots it will rot.
Oh sorry to clarify, the water always has nutrients in it, i just add nutrients no more than once a week when i do water top ups. Ok good to know about the water level, should the water be closer to the the bottom of the black pot, and just rely on the leca wicking right now? Thanks!
Water level is below the roots.
They have an air stone in there. As far as I understand it, ut won't rot even if fully submerged. OP is running more of a hydroponic than semi hydro setup here and just has the LECA acting as stability rather than aeration since that is already provided plentyly by said airstone.
Correct me if im wrong but root rot occurs if a root not adapted for a certain level of low oxygen at root surface is exposed to an low oxygen media which is not the case here.
The airstone will not stop the plant from rotting. These roots are not water roots.
Maybe, as you know, water does not rot roots, its a lack of O2 that rots roots, the bubbler may be enough.