New plants in, how do I help them grow?

smyke

smyke

newbie
Oct 9, 2007
509
0
16
Connecticut
Real Name
Mike
Hello,

I received a shipment of low ligth plants from Mgamer yesterday. planted them in my newly set up tank and now cant wait for them to start growing.
The problem is that they spent the extra 2 days floating around CT on USPS trucks and they seem a little beat up because of it.

when I tested the water this morning i had pH of 6.8, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 0.

my fish that are listed in my signature were moved into that tank from the 10g where they were housed temporarily. water parameters in that tank were exactly the same just before I moved everything.
i also moved the HOB filter, heater and a coconut shell that I had in the 10g so the bacteria should be there and there should be no issues with cycling. I also figured it wouldnt hurt to add some water from the old tank so I did (about 5 gals).

the question is: without any nitrates present will the plants have any nutrients? is there anything I can do to give them a boost?

I am planning on adding more fish soon so that should help. Also I am considering DIY CO2 unless you dont think its going to help me any.

the lighting currently is 50W total of 6700K bulbs. I hope it will be enough to grow these low light plants.
substrate is pool sand.

Najas guadalupensis (guppy grass)
baby java fern
vals
Dwarf Sag
crypt

java moss - came from the 10gal

All your help is greatly appreciated.
 
my plants that came went belly up to, but there is roots still so I am playing the waiting game. If your plants still have good roots they will come back :) there is usually a die off of the leaves I read when first put in the tank, mine went thru the cold and did not do well in transport, but the roots look good so I am not worried.
 
so i should just leave them be eventhough they are dying? I do have the 10g tank with 23 wats of cfl (screw in type) over it. i thought about putting them there to save them until I figure out better lighting for the bigger tank.
would that be a good thing to do?
 
I agree with what was already said above, the leafs may rot but as long as the root is still healthy then your still golden and the plant will start growing again in 1-2 weeks. Dont expect your plants to just grow an inch right away, after a long shipment they need alot of time to adjust to the new conditions.. and adding them to the 10g dont really thing would help since i doubt the plant is suffering from not getting enough light, but suffering the acclimation..
you say they were out for 2 extra days, when you got the package was it cold?? I had plants suffer big time due to the cold and it took 2-3 weeks for them to start growing again..
 
yes, they were all cold when my wife opened the package.
I am glad to hear that, because they do look pretty rough right now.

I think I forgot to thank everybody for their input. I really appreciate it.
 
bk828 said:
I agree with what was already said above, the leafs may rot but as long as the root is still healthy then your still golden and the plant will start growing again in 1-2 weeks. Dont expect your plants to just grow an inch right away, after a long shipment they need alot of time to adjust to the new conditions.. and adding them to the 10g dont really thing would help since i doubt the plant is suffering from not getting enough light, but suffering the acclimation..
you say they were out for 2 extra days, when you got the package was it cold?? I had plants suffer big time due to the cold and it took 2-3 weeks for them to start growing again..
Click to expand...
excellent info!!
mszumins said:
yes, they were all cold when my wife opened the package.
I am glad to hear that, because they do look pretty rough right now.

I think I forgot to thank everybody for their input. I really appreciate it.
Click to expand...
mine were in bad shape to, but as long as the roots are ok, then you got nothing to worry about :) all mine died, well the leaves, my vals went caput, but the roots are good to go so there ok, it just takes time. plants that go far in the cold, suffer.... but I am positive they will be ok :)
I to get disapointed when I order and get a sprig in the box, I am always thinking I will get this great thriving plant beautiful and so regal, what I get is a cutting and small rooted plants that look sad for several weeks. to tell you the truth, most of my plants always died. the lighting was not good, and there for my plants never really took off. now that I upgraded the lights this last week my java moss looks go tasty! and my java fern is looking betterd to!
 
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