Hi all. I've set up a small aquarium for my son of 8. We have only gravel in it and after letting it cycle for around two weeks I got him some micro swords that are going well. He seen some dwarf hairgrass the other day and wanted it as well so I got some of that as well. The hairgrass has been in the tank for about 3 weeks now and there's no sign of growth. Should I be adding some root tabs or fertilizers? There are no fish in the tank yet but might add some collie loach's and a bristle nosed catfish
NEW to planted tanks. Hairgrass
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Khuli loaches and bristle nose plecs are great fish. But they really need clean water and have specific needs. Unless you are confident of good bio filtration, I would not get them.
Maybe get a few live bearers and see how they get on.
Maybe get a few live bearers and see how they get on.
i have kept both before in my other tanks and was breading Bristles and swapping babies for fish food and a local fish shop. I have no problems keeping these fish just new to the planted side on a fresh aquarium with gravel.
DHG need's high light and co2 injected I believe. You can keep it from dying without those things but it wont thrive and really spread out without them. I'm sure someone has grown it in low tech setups but its not the norm.
This ^^^
I have it in a BDBS tank that started off low-tech. It was a bear to get going. It took months of pampering and then it finally picked up and started spreading.
I wouldn't do it in a new tank unless you've passed the brown algae stage already and/or you've got some planted experience. Algae will get on all of the little leaves and it is nearly impossible to remove and keep up with if you have a lot of it.
Now, it grows like the weed it is, but it has CO2.
It does like both flourish tabs and osmocote if I'm feeling ambitious. If you don't have a soiled substrate, I would recommend.
