How to grow plants fast?

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HugoFish

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Sep 11, 2019
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Gleis
Hello guys , i have 3 types of plant in my aquarium and it has passed 1 month since i bought them and they aren't growing . They are really healthy, but I see no change at the plant and its the same size like it was 1 month ago . I have tetra substrate like gravel and i also use fertilizer every month. If this is a lack of CO2 how can i fix this ( without going at the pet store to buy co2 pump , tablets etc...) ? Thnx :)
 

the loach

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Aug 6, 2018
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Test pH and KH and you can calculate the CO2. But you don't need CO2 in a low tech setup, your plants might be either slow growing or not growing cause they are high light plants.
 

dougall

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Mar 29, 2005
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It's also possible your plants are not aquatic too.

Maybe post details of everything.. like the lights used, the fertilizer used, how much, how often etc.

If you cannot identify the plants, maybe post pictures so someone else could

I assume the gravel is inert, so will not likely help nor hurt the plants
 

fishorama

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Jun 28, 2006
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In your other post I saw you have a small anubias. They are very slow growing even when happy. A new leaf a week (fast!) or 2 to a month is pretty normal. Yours has some black beard algae, maybe just on the older leaves. I don't remember looking to see if the rhizome (sideways stem that roots & leaves grow from) is above the gravel but it should be...

Pics will help us to help you. I saw you have an 11g tank. that's not a standard size in the US. What are the tank's dimensions? I think I saw you live in Albania...

More questions:

What lighting do you have?

How long are your lights on?

Do you have a test kit for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate etc? Even the strips can give an idea but liquid tests are better.

What filtration do you have?
 
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HugoFish

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Sep 11, 2019
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My tank is 11 gallon . I have 2 aquarium light , the one you see in the photo which came with the tank and another Led light which is powerfoul too.Think that my lights provide a LOT of light for the tank. I leave the lights on for 12 h and i use a timer for that . Also i have a mechanichal filter witch filtrate 800l/h.I have tetra test strips 6 in 1.

All my plants are tank plants.

My grass is a little bit destroyed because of the mystery snail but i removed him from the tank .

20190920_124731.jpg20190920_124743.jpg20190920_124600.jpg20190920_125309.jpg
 

fishorama

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Well, your lights are on too long. Try 6 or 7 hours.

I'm not familiar with your lights but it seems like a lot. None of your plants need high power lighting.

I was wrong about you having an anubias, it looks like bacopa (?). The new growth looks good. As it grows, you can remove the ugly bba lower part & replant the pretty tops.

The rosette plant is a cryptocoryne. I don't see bba on it. It would like a root tab fertilizer near the roots.

Your "grass" looks like a dwarf sagittarius (or maybe a dwarf vallisneria). It's planted a bit too deep. You want to have the "crown" (where leaves & roots join) at or a tiny bit above the substrate (like your crypt). You can gently grab all the leaves near the gravel & pull it up just a little bit.

What do your test strips say? Here's a tip for saving money with strips. You can cut them in half the long way. Make sure to keep the lid on tight too.
 

HugoFish

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thnx a lot. But are you sure that my plants arent stem plants and reproduce by itself.What about cryptocorine? And how do i know if my plants are ready to replant and any tips for that?
 

fishorama

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crypts & sag send out short runners that grow new plants gradually making a small clump of several plants. You can just leave them alone like that or remove a new plant by cutting the runner after it grows a few leaves & roots.

The bacopa is a stem plant. You can snip off the top leaving a few leaves on the base plant & replant the top. it should branch into 2 new stems near the top of the old "stump".
 
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