Crypt Rot

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2ManyHobbies

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Dec 8, 2002
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I have a question about Crypt rot.

From everything I have read about this subject it appears that the most important thing to growing this plant is aquarium stability. Little changes such as temperature, light, fertilizer, pH, etc. are thought to trigger the leaves to start rotting. Now my question…what is the easiest way to maintain aquarium stability? The tank that I change water once every 2-3 weeks has the most prolific crypts, with no Co2, no fertilizer, etc. The tank that I change 50 % of the water every week, add CO2, nitrates, KCl, and fertilizer is currently experiences crypt rot. Any suggestions? All of my other plants are growing quite nicely!
 

OrionGirl

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Aug 14, 2001
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Crypts tend to prefer tanks with gradual changes, IME. In my tank with the best crypts, I usually do small water changes, and nothing extra, low light. If I fertilize it, the crypts head south. I don't think you can maintain consistant enough levels of ferts--they will fluctuate daily. Could just be me, but mine do very well when I do very little.
 

RTR

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That depends for me on the particular crypt and the particular tank - largely on how big the changes are at water change time. You can try doing 2 smaller changes, but that will not have the effect of nutrient reset that I assume you want. I have one tank with liquid supplements (including Excel as CO2 substitute) which gets 40-50% changes - with a stand of C. balanse which is not affected at all. Ditto another tank with the green and brown forms of C. wendtii, C balanse, and an unID'd heavy-leafed green crypt - none of which are bothered by the large changes, but this is Excel, not gas, also. There is very little pH change with these water changes. As my water is moderately hard (GH 9, KH 7), there is likely (although admittedly not checked) not a lot of difference in the TDS from my moderate supplements. Most of my Crypt experience is in ~2-2.6 W/gall NO tanks with supplements only if deficiencies are suspected, and where water changes are lower percentage 25-33%).
 
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