[agro]

How old is substrate? I get this when using inert. Or flourish tabs, work fine with osmocote tabs.


Not lights either, i have a tank with a ray 2 like 6 inches over vsubstrate and its growing fine

 

[Bananableps]

I'm not sure if I buy the fert/light inadequacy story. Hairgrass is a hardy plant that thrives in even the lowest tech tanks. Increasing water flow is the only thing that really makes sense to me. Other than that, just have patience! Owning plants != owning a pet.

 

[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?

 

[Hoppy]

You probably don't have 30 ppm of CO2, but closer to 20 ppm. A .8 drop in pH means an increase in ppm of CO2 by a factor of 6.3. Assuming the CO2 ppm drops to about 3 ppm overnight, you would have about 20 ppm with the CO2 on. The drop checker isn't nearly accurate enough to tell you you have 30 ppm. At best it can tell you you have between about 15 and 45 ppm. I don't know if this is keeping the hairgrass from growing well, or not.

 

[mheat]

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

 

[Bananableps]

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

Yes, this is completely true.

 

[Okedokey]

Im suggesting an iron deficiency.

 

[Xiaozhuang]

If you have a coarse substrate above a fine substrate, the DHG may use the lower, finer substrate as a base instead. Other than being slower to spread, I find it not that picky when it comes to fert or CO2, so not sure what to suggest in your case.

(Grown in dirt w/o CO2)

 

[BruceF]

Does make you wonder if it is the substrate particle size.

 

[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.

View attachment 368521

View attachment 368529

 

[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

View attachment 373418

View attachment 373426

View attachment 373434

 

[vinizuh]

Your top layer of substrate is too large. I have flourite black and black sand and my DHG carpeted fast in the sand. Once it reached the flourite black, the runners had trouble getting a hold on the substrate and took longer to carpet.

 

[Italionstallion888]

think about it, the plants need to get established before they can send out runners. I would think having a large root mass is a good sign. I agree on the top layer being to big/thick for them to spread as well.

 

[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.