[mheat]

I planted the dhg more than 4 months and it is still not growing or grow very slowly. It's root is going downwards instead of horizontal and seding runners. The rest of plants in the tank is doing pretty well. The DHG is just sit there with some algae on the tip, not growing and not dying either.

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This is the whole tank.
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Here is my fertilizer dosing:
1.5ml ADA Brighty K daily (potassium)
1.5ml ADA Green Brighty Step 2 daily (trace)
0.5ml pfertz Nitrogen 2 time weekly
0.2ml Seachem Phosphate 1-2 time weekly
2 drops ADA ECA (Iron) twice a week
3/4 teaspoon Seachem Equilibrium daily to maintain 6gH
CO2 1 BPS 1 hours before light on, and 1 hr before light off, ADA drop checker light green at 30 ppm
Light on 7.5 hours every day (on a timer).
Temp: 74F
Water Change: 30% on each Wed & Sunday

Water tested by API test kits:
pH: 7.6 (in the morning before CO2 injection)
pH: 6.8 (at middle of photo period with CO2 on)
gH: 6
kH: 4
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20-40ppm
Phosphate: 0.25ppm

Fish: 4 Emerald tetra
Shrimp: 4 Amano, 8 red cheery
Feed every 2nd day


This is the DHG from LFS. Even it is cover by BGA, the DHG is still look healthy and strong.
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[mheat]

The light is ADA AQUASKY361 LED light. I think it is too bright and I need to cover up some LEDs to dim it a little. When I check the review of this product, almost everyone agree that it is very bright. If I don't cover some of the LEDs, algae will grow like crazy unless I turn the CO2 injection to 2 bulbs per second. If I do so, the pH swing will be too much for my shrimps to survive. Now I move the light a little foward because rotala at the back do not need too much light.

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[mheat]

I agree with The V, my plants are a little yellow, especially the DHG. But what kind of fert that I need to does more? My Nitrate is over 20 ppm most of the time (I test it every 2-3 days with API kit). I am not sure if I need to does more Nitrogen. My tank is a little 5G tank, so not too much margin for error.

The root pattern seems not right. It is going down instead of horizontal like others. Here are some close up pictures. How should I fix it?

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By the way, I started to use Flourish Tabs since last Dec. I added 5 pcs into 4 corners and 1 at center. Then I just added another 3 tabs early March.

 

[mheat]

I did not plant it too deep. It's root system grows downward by itself, so there is no new shoots come out from the substrate. I wonder why and try to find out how to fix it.

 

[mheat]

Does this weird DHG growth relate to nutrient: lack or excess? I have some hair algae on the tip of the hairgrass. I use Excel to spot treat them, but that should not make the DHG grow like this. Because the runners are moving deeper into the substrate, that is why there is no new grow on the carpet. What is the next thing should I try? Double does the all the fertilizer for 2 weeks and see?

 

[mheat]

But I inserted my 3 root tabs just below the ADA soil in a triangular position at the front, knowing that stem plants at the back don't need root tab.

 

[mheat]

any more advice or suggestion?

 

[mheat]

Some clarification:
- Use Seachem Equilibrium to raise GH to 6 (tap water is 0) during water change
- Use 2 drops of ADA ECA (iron) 2 times per week as recommended
- ADA soil is 10 months old, so use some root tab to boost DHG growth
- API Phosphate test kit is not very accurate, maybe I should increase it a bit.
- I am using the ADA CO2 bottle which last about 3 weeks, very expansive. I have no space for the 5lb tank

As you see my picture, the DHG is already very short. It had some hair algae on the tip, and I trimmed it 4 weeks ago. It just stay the same, not growing, not sending runners, and not dying. I pulled a few DHG up last night, and I see the root are healthy. Rotala at the back are growing very fast. Strange.

 

[mheat]

This is the cell tissue cultured DHG that I bought and planted 8 months ago.
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I pull out some of my DHG and found out the root is very compact on each grass, and they are not sending runners as normal. Why is that while other stem plants are doing fine except the Blyxa Japonica? I need some help.
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[mheat]

Substrate is ADA Amazonia II and it have been used for 1.5 years. Tank parameter can be found in the first post. Just wonder after 8 months of growth, my DHG is still so thin and short. I found that the growth at the front which is under the outlet of my AC30 filter is much slower then those at the back of the tank. Does DHG not like strong current?

 

[mheat]

Many people said they don't even need CO2 to grow DHG.

 

[mheat]

XiaoZhunang: Your DHG root system looks normal, but my DHG root system is complete different. I am thinking it is some kind of nutrient deficiency too, but just don't know which one.

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[mheat]

I pull out more DHG. Most of them do not send out runners, and have large root system. Only one of them looks normal

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[mheat]

My substrate is ADA Amazonia (normal). I see many people get good result with this one, and no need to use the powder one. I am thinking it could be phosphate deficiency, but even I use flourish root tab every 3 months, and I still not get a good result. Now I am pulling out my DHG and try the glosso as carpet plant. I have more luck with stem plants.