Plant in shock after transplanting?

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red devil

red devil

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I just put a plant in my tank - it looks very much like this. In the first week, all of the lower leaves fell off. The upper ones are still hanging in there. Is this due to transplant shock? Lighting is a little bit weak in my tank. I would like to install a small strip of LED's inside and underneath the hood, which would mean that the lights would be submerged all the time. Does anyone know of such a string of lights?
 
jpappy789

jpappy789

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Feb 18, 2007
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There are submersible LEDs...actually seem to produce more PAR than I would have guessed.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=24833

Plants definitely do adjust to new conditions to at least some extent (e.g. sometimes plants are grown emersed). But if lower leaves are being affected, then that may indicate that not enough light is penetrating towards the bottom of the tank. However I'm not usually one to blindly suggest adding more light either.

Do you happen to know exactly what you have (the pic is L. glandulosa)? What do you have for lighting now? Any CO2/ferts?
 
red devil

red devil

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I will post a pic as soon as I can - right now my cell phone is not talking to my computer :( I have one u shaped fluorescent tube in the front half of the tank - it is probably 12 watts and half white/half blue. It provides light to 60% of the front of the tank but not to back or side, where these plants are. No ferts...I am a plant newbie :(
 
S

SirMuffin

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Sounds like a light issue to me but I am not a plant person, would like to be but not there yet. Does the plant still look healthy? If it still looks healthy and you can rule out disease then to me it would either be lighting or adjusting to your new water conditions.
 
jpappy789

jpappy789

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Feb 18, 2007
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Sounds like you have a power compact (PC) fixture with maybe 50/50 bulbs. The ones in the picture are "pin" fixtures, although there are smaller screw-in bulbs that have more of a U-shape. One alone may not be enough depending on what exact plants you're trying, especially if it isn't reaching a good portion of the tank.

What tank size is it, by the way? I should have asked that before.

aqualight_48-2.gif
 
Steven 1

Steven 1

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I read one message one time that said that red colored plants need more light than others. I personally think that's the issue.
 
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