I had a tropical in my 4ft tank, no feedy type substrate, and it flowered, small flowers admittedly, but, flowers none the less.
The plant was a tropical water luily, as opposed to a hardy type, so it may pay to find out the type of your plant.
Bulbs are usually tropical, roots are hardy.
Tropicals will keep growing all year, hardys need a winter, I believe.
Hope this helps.