mushy stems?

C

Cichlidiot420

AC Members
Dec 14, 2008
65
0
0
i started my first planted tank about a week ago. lowtech 55g, 1.7 wpg with flourite substrate. my (i think its called) Limophila Sessiliflora started to float up to the top and the stems were all soft and mushy and fell apart. only the part that was planted though. also the leaves on my Echinodorus Bleheri? are starting to turn a little brown. how do you guys plants your plants into the rocky substrate without damaging them? and how deep should i plant them?

pics of the two plants before this started happening:

Limophila Sessiliflora?
DSCI0171-1.jpg


Echinodorus Bleheri?
DSCI0168-1.jpg


i changed the sand to flourite a couple days ago
 
From what i gathered since im new to this is this. New plants will have to adjust for a week or so before they really perk up. Im sure they will perk up after they adjust.

Are you dosing any C02? You will have to add some ferts as well to keep the plants healthy.
 
im running DIY Co2 with two 2l bottles but i just set it up today, and a bottle of Plant Gro as ferts but iv only used once.
 
I owuld wait a week or so and monitor the plants, They should perk up. You might wan tto look into getting a Pressurized C02 system so you know how much you are dosing. The only real problem with DIY C02 is you never know how much you are dosing.

With what you have now, you will be fine. But once you start to get a population of plants you might have to go with Pressurized C02.
 
That is Ambulia. Grown in low light. IME The stems tend to be weaker/soft when grown in low light.
Which just means they are more susceptible to mechanical damage when handled and may struggle a bit more adapting to a new setup.
I don't know how you have them planted now, but I would recommend planting them in small groups. Rather than one large bush. They will have better access to nutrients in the water column and light. That goes for most stem plants until you get your tank well established.
 
Fordtrannyman said:
That is Ambulia. Grown in low light. IME The stems tend to be weaker/soft when grown in low light.
Which just means they are more susceptible to mechanical damage when handled and may struggle a bit more adapting to a new setup.
I don't know how you have them planted now, but I would recommend planting them in small groups. Rather than one large bush. They will have better access to nutrients in the water column and light. That goes for most stem plants until you get your tank well established.
Click to expand...


ok thanks, i do have the plants all spread out abit more now not in bushes. how deep should i plant them? iv just been pushing it into the flourite about three quarters of an inch to an inch with my fingures and then piling a little ontop to keep them down.

DSCI0167.jpg
 
As long as the roots are submerged so they can get nutrients and the plants dont come out you are fine. It looks like you have a decently deep bed. They say a 3 inch substrate bed is best for not only holding the plants in place, but that means more nutrients for the plants to absorb as well.

Nice looking tank. Is that a standard 55? it looks deeper than most.
 
Cichlidiot420 said:
ok thanks, i do have the plants all spread out abit more now not in bushes. how deep should i plant them? iv just been pushing it into the flourite about three quarters of an inch to an inch with my fingures and then piling a little ontop to keep them down.
Click to expand...

Your Wecome:). The method you described is just fine. Whatever works, right!

I made a typo in my previous statement. Ambulia are not water column feeders by nature. They are substrate feeders and will root well in nutrient rich substrate.
 
and swords dont have a rhizome, but when you plant em bury the roots and pull it back up a bit to leave the crown just above the substrate
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom