[Bettacrazy]

about a month or two ago I bought two small potted clumps of DHG and put it in my planted tank. at first it was doing good but not really growing a "carpet" on the substrate like I wanted it to. then it started to turn light brown and died. there is a sand substrate in my planted tank.

 

[razalas5]

More info would help such as...
Lighting?
Dosing Ferts?
Root tabs?
CO2?

 

[lauraleellbp]

More info would help such as...
Lighting?
Dosing Ferts?
Root tabs?
CO2?

Yup. Need all this info.

IME DHG doesn't do well without CO2 and really does best with a substrate with some nutrient content if you want it to carpet.

 

[joekidwell]

Yeah everything rasa said...with sand u definitely need root tabs.

 

[Bettacrazy]

lighting is compact fluorescent, no co2, I use flourish nitrogen weekly.

 

[Bettacrazy]

ok will get root tabs.

 

[sampster5000]

Whats the size of your tank? I'm growing DHG in a 20 gallon tall with a crappy 1 bulb power compact fixture. It grows incredibly slow but never dies off. No ferts or CO2.

 

[Bettacrazy]

20 gallon long

 

[sampster5000]

I would look into a different light if you want to see noticeable growth. CO2 will help but is not necessary.

 

[JRMott]

From what I've read (which is quite a bit as I tried DHG previously and am trying narrow leaf microsword now), these plants take a long long time to get situated and start sending runners.

Different light may, or may not help. IMO, Root tabs should, as would CO2 and NPK + Micros.

If you planted the whole pot in one spot, pull it up, cut it into many many smaller portions, and replant all over the tank in the areas you're looking to cover.

Hang in there, I gave up too soon the first time.

 

[gordonrichards]

MTS soil for the win!

 

[Sharkfood]

It grows very well with CO2 injection, and can struggle without.

Root tabs aren't necessary if you are dosing the water column, but can only help. It grows like a weed once established, but often times it is grown emersed if you buy from the LFS and the old growth will brown off in the a couple of weeks.

I've done a couple of carpets with DHG but it will need trimmed all the time once it fills in, or torn out and replanted every few months. If you don't trim, it will get taller and taller, up to maybe 6-7" as it gets more and more dense.

 

[Abrium]

yes, you will want to buzz cut the DHG before you plant it to help expedite the growth. Without it you are truely waiting for the emmersed growth to die off and the plant become fully aclimated to submerged growth. In my opinion it is just better to cut it way low, plant it, and watch it start growing within a couple of days.

 

[happi]

once i grew hair grass just in 100% peat moss, but in very high co2, this was just an experiment on my little 2 gallon tank.