star grass help

[Yoemen]

I have some star grass that when I first got was bright bright red in my tank. It stayed red and grew, but got a little to big, so I trimmed it back. Since then it has been only green with some recent tinges of red. I first planted it with root tabs, but I was told it is a water column feeder not a heavy root feeder, so haven't used any lately. It is in a 75 gallon tank under a 4 x 55 ahsupply kit. With CO2 injected. It is growing good, just not turning red.

I have some other red plants that are turning colors, but the star grass just isn't.

[Bk718]

the star grass you are talking about is probably didiplis diandra, and ive read/heard and from personal experience, that its very hard to get this plant orange/red tinge and most have it as green. Are you dosing any ferts??

[Hurley]

I have stargrass and it was never red. Are you sure its stargrass? Some plants that are red will turn green if there isn't enough iron or light in the tank. Do you have a picture?


edit: @ BK828's post: I didn't know about that plant. I was assuming it was regular stargrass.

[Yoemen]

I think blood stargrass may be the name I bought it under. Yes, I am dosing iron every other day along with traces. and hitting the kno3, and other ferts on oposite days.

[Bk718]

yea theres 2 types. One is known as blood stargrass the other as regular stargrass

The scientific names are
Heteranthera zosterifolia
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/images/Pontederiaceae/stargrass.jpg

And Didiplis diandra
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y254/sergiopineda/didiplis-diandra.jpg


Back to the OP, only people i saw have this plant fully orange/redish are those with high light, usually mid to upper 3wpg. Normally when i had it under 3wpg the only orange/red tinge i got was at the tips once the plant was tall enough to reach the top of the tank

[Yoemen]

hmm, it is funny. could the root tabs have had an effect? Because it literally turned red in my tank, was green when I bought it.

[Bk718]

could be, give it a shot again.

Are you dosing NPK at all?? Whats your co2 ppm if you know it? pressurized im guessing

[Yoemen]

My ppm is like 32-33 it kinda varies depending on when I read it.

I am dosing npk. I am using EI method.

I did some looking and have 2 other plants it might be.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/myplants/79-Ludwigia_inclinata_Ludwigia_inclinata_Ludwigia_inc linata_var_verticillata_Cuba.html

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/myplants/156-Ludwigia_Pantanal_Ludwigia_inclinata_var_verticill ata_Pantanal.html

In reality it looks more like those two then bloodstar grass.

[Bk718]

Can you take a photo of your plant so we know for sure which it is lol

another plant that looks like that is l. aromatica

[Yoemen]

aromatica is similar, but I would have to say it is inclinata now that I have looked at the all. The main reason is the leaf density, mine has very thick leaves, they aren't really spaced out.

I would post a picture, but I am at work and the plant is at home right now.

[Yoemen]

The other thing to add is that I am keeping mine as a kind of bush/shrub, rather then letting it grow all the way to the top of the tank.

[Bk718]

you dont carry your plants with you to work??? bleehhhh such a waste

j/k

post some shots when you get home

[Squawkbert]

The other thing to add is that I am keeping mine as a kind of bush/shrub, rather then letting it grow all the way to the top of the tank.

Ding!

That's the problem. Unless you have a gazillion watts of light, most stems color up only as they reach the top of the water. Keeping it trimmed will keep it green.

In the future, leave the stems in the back to grow to full height. When they start bending around as a result of being taller than the tank, trim them taking about 1/4 to 1/3 off the top and planting these (w/ red tops) in front of the taller stems. Eventually, you may well have a gradation of red tipped leaves from short to tall. Also - keep other plants from shading them.

Iron level management is not generally a good way to manage color.

[Yoemen]

well, I agree with you sqawkbert, except for the fact that it was all read as a bush then went through a growth spurt and I had to trim it back and it has never regained the red color it had as a bush prior to the trimming.