I saw you posted on another thread that you have some Moneywart with new growth that is thin. When I moved and my plants went from a tank with water of 6.4 PH to a tank with water of 7.8 PH the growth rate of my Rotala Indica slowed drastically and the little bit of new growth was almost microscopic green leaves instead of the lush reddish green leaves it used to produce. I gave it a couple months to rebound but it never did. The Moneywort may be reacting to a change in PH in your tank from the lake it came from. It doesn't sound as drastic as my plants so even if they don't bounce back and grow a little thicker they look like they are producing healthy growth that will look good in your tank.
Just added hair grass to my aquarium (looks like dying)
- Thread starter Finthusiast
- Start date
Hello Fin...
For starters, you have too many blades of grass planted together. The larger clumps are too thick and water can't move through the roots and provide oxygen. A little browning is normal, because the plant is getting used to a new water chemistry. You need very small clumps of four to six strands planted an inch or more apart. You need to clip the ends of the roots off to start new growth. These plants need nutrient substrate and root tabs placed near the roots. This one is easy to grow, but needs some early work to prepare it for a new tank. It requires a bit stronger lighting too and grows much better in a tank that's shorter and longer.
TTG
T
Terraphyte Tank Guy
, wow great info! How do you recommend seperating the strands? I was afraid of damaging them. What kind of substrate would you recommend? I may get enough to fill just about 1/3 of my tank and keep the rest using my current substrate. Any experience with using two different substrates? Of coarse I will use some rocks and stuff to seperate the two so they do not mix together. Also what are root tabs and how do I use them? This is exactly what I was seeking to learn, I appreciate you all greatly for the responses!
Hello again...
This is a carpet plant and goes to the front of the tank if you're putting together some type aqua scape work. This is a slow growing plant if you have just moderate light. It will in time, cover the bottom area.. The plant is typically shipped in a larger clump and smaller clumps can be removed with plant tweezers. Just grab a few blades by the roots with the tweezers and carefully pull them away from the main clump. Trim the roots just a bit and push the clump into the bottom material and cover the roots. Each clump should be about an inch or so apart. You really need a layered substrate like a small course gravel on the bottom, then Eco-complete and Activ-flora and more gravel on top. The Eco and Activ are packed in water and shipped in bags. The root tabs can be pushed into the bottom material with the tweezers evenly between the clumps. This plant grows best in a short tank, close to the light source. I use shop LED lights from the hardware store. A lumen level in the 1000 range is about right. If you have good aquarium lights, they should be enough.
Remember, taller tanks take stronger light if you want aquarium plants to grow.
TTG
I don’t know how to thank you enough for providing this info! I am really enjoying taking care of aquariums the more I learn! I will let these guys stay in as they are going through shock already, I will go get more of them from the lake and follow these instructions. They are coming from a sand/muddy substrate, will they be able to live in the substrate I have chosen or do I need to get a sand type?
Fin...
The substrate info I gave you should be fine for your plants. It will allow water to flow through the plant roots and provides oxygen for them. I don't care for sand. Very small bottom material, like sand can compact and create voids that will mess up the water chemistry and compressed sand can cut off oxygen to the plant roots. If you don't have aquarium plant tools, make a small hole in the bottom material with your index finger about an inch deep. Put the plant into the hole and hold it there. Use your other hand to carefully push the material around the plant to cover the roots. The bottom material should be about three inches deep.
TTG
Alright thanks for the advice I will look into substrates and Report back soon before I buy anything. Appreciate all the help!
edit: what is it you mean as the small coarse gravel for bottom and top layers?
edit: what is it you mean as the small coarse gravel for bottom and top layers?
Fin...
When I set up a planted tank, I use layers of different substrate in order to give the plants the best material for growth. The first is the course gravel. It's typically white and is just small, pea sized rocks. I spread this about an inch thick. Then I spread the Activ-flora and the Eco-complete. I top all this with another layer of the gravel. The gravel helps keep the roots in place and allows water to flow through the bottom material and gives the roots a steady source of O2. All the layers together should be about three inches thick sitting on the bottom. How much you need, depends on the size of the tank. Once the plants are in, I put in the root tabs, spacing them around the tank, but not too close to any plant roots.
TTG
