I am at my wit's end trying to get my plants to grow. I have a 75 gallon tank with Java moss, Java fern and hornwort. I only have 1 watt per gallon, but I heard that these plants are extremely tolerant. The hornwort used to grow like crazy with half the wattage I have now, but how it is not. I have hard water, with a PH of around 7, and little to no nitrates, only slight algae on the glass. Decorations are driftwood, lava rock and petrified wood. Anyone have any suggestions? This is my first post, looking forward to getting to know the community.
Trouble Growing Plants
- Thread starter jphillips86
- Start date
Are you dosing any ferts? A trace like Flourish or Kent Freshwater Plant should help. How many fish do you have?
Easy way to force hornwort and java moss is to tear them apart so they have new places to grow. Just rip out small clumps and put them somewhere and they should start growing.
Also, if your nitrates are very very low, then it might affect plant growth. I usually try for around 5-10ppm of nitrates depending on the fish. Doing water changes will replenish some of the nutrients, and you can supplement nutrients with liquid ferts after water changes.
Also, if your nitrates are very very low, then it might affect plant growth. I usually try for around 5-10ppm of nitrates depending on the fish. Doing water changes will replenish some of the nutrients, and you can supplement nutrients with liquid ferts after water changes.
Do you think my tank is understocked? The Nitrates are never very high. But they are south American cichlids, so I can't add that many more since they will eventually grow larger.
I used to inject co2, but it never really seemed to help. I have a lot of surface water movement, which probably exchanged all the co2 back out before the plants could get it.
Hornwort is supposed to be easy but I have had mixed results with it in the past. How long since you added the extra lighting? Maybe it is a bit stressed from the change. And it may have had an early growth spurt until it used up the available nitrates and is now slowing down.
How are the moss and ferns doing? They are slow growers, so you can't expect dramatic growth from them.
I think the plants should do fine going forward as the fish grow and produce more waste. I would go ahead and add some trace ferts again.
How are the moss and ferns doing? They are slow growers, so you can't expect dramatic growth from them.
I think the plants should do fine going forward as the fish grow and produce more waste. I would go ahead and add some trace ferts again.
i think the cichlids may be your cause
what specific type of cichlids do you have?
cichlids and plants dont mix, a few do, but most dont
my mbuna used to pull out plants, bring them up to the surface and drop them. id replant and they just kept doing it, until finally, they ate them all
Last edited:
maybe dosing it in liquid form would make a difference? i dunno, just trying to help >.>