Stargrass Problems

Vinlo · 01-05-2005, 02:11 AM

I was wondering if anyone has had a problem with Stargrass stunting? I have two large bushes in two separate tanks. In one tank it has slowed in vertical growth - it still gets bushy but at a much slower rate (I guess I shouldn't complain - less pruning). In the other tank, it just grows very, very slow. I find this strange only because 2 months ago the plant would reach the water surface every week, now not so much. What new growth is there, is quite healthy.

Paramaters, lighting, etc are about the same in both tanks (Ph6.6-6.8, NO3 5+, PO4 ~1, KH 5, GH 9, CO2 ~25). I haven't checked the GH in a while, I wonder if my stats have changes?

Any ideas what it could be?

Wö£fëñxXx · 01-05-2005, 03:00 AM

You didn't mention trace, with 3wpg and 25ppm C02
5+ppm n03 is a bit on the lean side for 3wpg
I would add more macro's & micro's.

Vinlo · 01-05-2005, 02:28 PM

I usually add 3-4ml of Flourish Fe and 1ml of Flourish after water change. Seems if I add any more during the week I get some thread algae (minimal, but enough to notice). Maybe that suggests I have larger problems?

malkore · 01-05-2005, 03:04 PM

1mL of flourish a week is all you dose for traces? that's the problem. I used to dose 5-10mL a week on my 75g (before I switched to plantex).

Iron also oxidizes fast..so I'd add it every 3 days, not just once a week.

Vinlo · 01-05-2005, 04:55 PM

I used to add 1ml of flourish every other day and 2ml of plantex (emptying old bottle of flourish currently) every other day. I started getting thread algae so I backed off completely. I didn't think too little iron/traces would cause an algae problem? I thought it was too much caused the problems?

The 55 gallon gets 1ml of iron and 2ml of plantex daily with no ill effects, just the bushy slow growing stargrass. My 30 was the dosing schedule and thread algae I have been talking about.

Wö£fëñxXx · 01-06-2005, 01:19 AM

2ml of plantex daily? that is not near enough, despite popular opinions, thats 10+ml a week,, I add 30 to 40ml plantex a week with no ill effects at all, but I also run rich tanks, most people way under dose there tanks, stun the plants or limit the uptake by trying to be so precise on their dosing and algae of whatever form starts to grow. add more KN03,KH2P04, trace

I have 2 tanks from high light to low light with C02, this method works on both of them, dosing based on water volume, amounts may be reduced but not frequency.
I would suggest this on a 30g with 3+wpg planted

use kh/ph/C02 chart and push the C02 on up to 30ppm with 3+wpg

day1) clean glass, prune preen, clean filter, do 50 to 70% water change, add almost 1/2 teaspoon KN03 1/16 teaspoon KH2P04
day2) 8ml trace
day3) 1/3 teaspoon KN03 1/32 teaspoon KH2P04
day4) same as day 2
day5) same as day 3
day6) enjoy tank or water change
day7) same as day 1..(reset start over) I clean my filters every two to three weeks with clean filter floss only.

Estimative way of dosing

01-05-2005, 02:11 AM	#1
Vinlo Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 719	Stargrass Problems I was wondering if anyone has had a problem with Stargrass stunting? I have two large bushes in two separate tanks. In one tank it has slowed in vertical growth - it still gets bushy but at a much slower rate (I guess I shouldn't complain - less pruning). In the other tank, it just grows very, very slow. I find this strange only because 2 months ago the plant would reach the water surface every week, now not so much. What new growth is there, is quite healthy. Paramaters, lighting, etc are about the same in both tanks (Ph6.6-6.8, NO3 5+, PO4 ~1, KH 5, GH 9, CO2 ~25). I haven't checked the GH in a while, I wonder if my stats have changes? Any ideas what it could be? __________________ 30 Gallon Planted - 2-T8 ODNO, AC300, HP CO2, Fluorite/Gravel 55 Gallon Planted - 4-T8 ODNO, XP3, HP CO2, Fluorite

01-05-2005, 03:00 AM	#2
Wö£fëñxXx Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (125/100%) Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: USA Posts: 3,037	You didn't mention trace, with 3wpg and 25ppm C02 5+ppm n03 is a bit on the lean side for 3wpg I would add more macro's & micro's. __________________ *Craig*

01-05-2005, 02:28 PM	#3
Vinlo Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 719	I usually add 3-4ml of Flourish Fe and 1ml of Flourish after water change. Seems if I add any more during the week I get some thread algae (minimal, but enough to notice). Maybe that suggests I have larger problems? __________________ 30 Gallon Planted - 2-T8 ODNO, AC300, HP CO2, Fluorite/Gravel 55 Gallon Planted - 4-T8 ODNO, XP3, HP CO2, Fluorite

01-05-2005, 03:04 PM	#4
malkore Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 2,165	1mL of flourish a week is all you dose for traces? that's the problem. I used to dose 5-10mL a week on my 75g (before I switched to plantex). Iron also oxidizes fast..so I'd add it every 3 days, not just once a week. __________________ Malkore Filstar XP2 PIMP #3 Visit my aquarium pages - see specs on my tanks, and photos of how they've evolved

01-05-2005, 04:55 PM	#5
Vinlo Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 719	I used to add 1ml of flourish every other day and 2ml of plantex (emptying old bottle of flourish currently) every other day. I started getting thread algae so I backed off completely. I didn't think too little iron/traces would cause an algae problem? I thought it was too much caused the problems? The 55 gallon gets 1ml of iron and 2ml of plantex daily with no ill effects, just the bushy slow growing stargrass. My 30 was the dosing schedule and thread algae I have been talking about. __________________ 30 Gallon Planted - 2-T8 ODNO, AC300, HP CO2, Fluorite/Gravel 55 Gallon Planted - 4-T8 ODNO, XP3, HP CO2, Fluorite

01-06-2005, 01:19 AM	#6
Wö£fëñxXx Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (125/100%) Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: USA Posts: 3,037	2ml of plantex daily? that is not near enough, despite popular opinions, thats 10+ml a week,, I add 30 to 40ml plantex a week with no ill effects at all, but I also run rich tanks, most people way under dose there tanks, stun the plants or limit the uptake by trying to be so precise on their dosing and algae of whatever form starts to grow. add more KN03,KH2P04, trace I have 2 tanks from high light to low light with C02, this method works on both of them, dosing based on water volume, amounts may be reduced but not frequency. I would suggest this on a 30g with 3+wpg planted use kh/ph/C02 chart and push the C02 on up to 30ppm with 3+wpg day1) clean glass, prune preen, clean filter, do 50 to 70% water change, add almost 1/2 teaspoon KN03 1/16 teaspoon KH2P04 day2) 8ml trace day3) 1/3 teaspoon KN03 1/32 teaspoon KH2P04 day4) same as day 2 day5) same as day 3 day6) enjoy tank or water change day7) same as day 1..(reset start over) I clean my filters every two to three weeks with clean filter floss only. Estimative way of dosing __________________ *Craig* Last edited by Wö£fëñxXx; 01-06-2005 at 10:32 AM..

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