Bacopa monnieri var. 'ABC' (Moneywort, Indian Pennywort, Water Hyssop, )
Bacopa monnieri var. "ABC" (Money Wort, Indian Pennywort, brahmi, thyme-leafed gratiola, herb of grace)
One of the most versatile aquarium plants that has something for hobbiest of all levels! If you don't already have this plant - get it! It's so versatile tha offers something for everyone - from the complete beginner to the advanced hobbyist.
B. monnieri is easy to grow as they come while also offering a completely different look in high-tech aquariums. It is one of those very rarest aquarium plants that will flourish in any set-up - tolerating even low lighting, cold wate and requires no CO2 to thrive (though it will definitely benefit). It is an absolutely MUST for anyone starting a planted tank for the first time and is even suitable for coldwater aquariums with Goldfish which do not tend to eat this plant. It's one plant that is virtually guaranteed to succeed and can be used to give any aquarium some living greenery.
For aquariums for fish or algae issues, this plant is one of the best ways to clean your water of nitrates and phosphates since it grows so fast, even in less-than-ideal setups. Just having this plant growing in your tank will dramatically reduce levels of nitrate, resulting in healthier, happier fish and will also reduce phosphate - which is known to contribute to many forms of algae. This plant cleans your aquarium water like few others and does not require much of anything to do it!
It's beautiful, fresh green color makes for a fantastic midground to background that is extremely versatile and can be pruned (or left to grow above water) into many different forms and growth patterns. Our cultured 'ABC' variant will grow unusally dense and short and spreads laterally under high light and CO2 for a unique, almost carpet-like appearance in high-tech tanks.
Bacopa monnieri readily grows above the water if allowed do and wil creep down the side of your aquarium and will produce flowers. for an unique, It's a great way to integrate your aquarium into your living room! For that reason, Bacopa monnieri is one of the best plants to use in a shallow tank or a paludarium.
Bacopa monieri is so easy to grow that you can keep it in a simple vase filled with water near a windowsill. It will eventually grow out of the water and spill down the side of the vase (like the leaves of a willow) and will even produce flowers for a very unque looking houseplant!
The beautiful, characteristically round leaves of this plant look very neat and tidy and it's generally vertical growth habit makes it ideal for creating an area of the aquarium that looks like an underwater forest.
Little known fact - this plant does quite well attached to decor: driftwood or rocks. You can attach it horizontally to grow new sprouts at each node. It's a great alternative to other slower growing epiphytes and looks absolutely stunning growing out of a knot in a piece of driftwood or sandwiched between a couple rocks.
Our 'ABC' variety grows signifcantly more compact and dense under high lighting conditions and will grow somewhat like a tall carpet plant. With the right pruning techniques, it will send stems creeping along the substrate which produce more short, vertical stems making it an unexpectedly beautiful foreground or carpet plant.
Under regular lighting, this variant grows just like the wild-type.
QUICK NOTES:
Difficulty: Easy as it gets
Type: Stem
Size: Up to 30cm in height
Position and Usage: Midground to background (Foreground in high - tech tanks). Can be used in Goldfish tanks and is extremely useful for cleaning aquarium water of nitrates and phosphates.
Growth rate: Moderate to fast
Lighting: 1/5 - 5/5
Water Conditions: 10 - 28°C, pH of 6.5 to 7.5
CO2: Not required
Propagation: Cuttings
Special Requirements: Very few - this plants grows in anything. May benefit from nitrate supplementation (5 mg/L); and phosphate supplementation (0.25 - 0.5 mg/L) since it is relatively fast growing and can use more waste than your fish produce! In a tank with lots of fish, a basic fertilizer that contains potassium and micronutrients including Iron is all that you need.
Notes and curiousities: Used as a medicinal plant in the Ayurvedic medical tradition for cognitive enhancement. Lots of health products based on this plant. For that reason, it's considered to be a holy plant in some cultures. It's also fantastic for the health of your fish (for other reasons) so it really is a "healing plant" in so many ways.
Description
Bacopa monnieri is an undemanding, relatively fast-growing plant native to Africa, Asia, and the Americas. It is an especially popular aquatic variety and is known by several names including although not limited to ‘moneywort’, ‘water hyssop’, and ‘Brahmi’. It has both medicinal and ornamental properties.
Emersed plants will creep along the substrate while submersed plants will grow in vertical bunches. Stems are fleshy and sport green, oval leaves. With regular maintenance, you may cultivate B. monnieri into a shrub-like shape. Lateral shoots and pseudo-runners at the base of the plant can be trimmed and resultant cuttings used to propagate.
This plant will thrive when grown in relatively clean, clear, nutrient-rich water. CO2 supplementation, regular iron and micronutrient supplementation and bright lighting will promote robust growth. In insufficient lighting, lower portions of the plant may rot.
