Might be too much light. Can you tell us more about the lighting, and what size the tank is?
Plants growing low
Ive been working on a planted tank for a few months now, its an osaka 155. Ive gone through a few different plants already, trying to see what works. A trend ive noticed with some plants is they start off taller and gradually grow wider and shorter instead of up. My amazon sword has done this and id really like it to keep getting taller for a better background plant. My crypt parva all did the same too, which is fine in their case.
So im just wondering if the reason for the lower growth would be not enough light or just the opposite because they have plenty of light and are not growing up towards the light? i have the hagen T5O lights that come with the tank, a few inches above the water.
Also eco complete substrate, and i dose flourish once a week. No more excel because im trying to get val to grow.
So im just wondering if the reason for the lower growth would be not enough light or just the opposite because they have plenty of light and are not growing up towards the light? i have the hagen T5O lights that come with the tank, a few inches above the water.
Also eco complete substrate, and i dose flourish once a week. No more excel because im trying to get val to grow.
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I've always heard that high light will tend to cause shorter/bushier growth and low light will tend to make plants leggy. But I don't have direct experience with your plants.
Crypt parva is a low growing variety anyway. Amazon swords normally grow to the top of the tank, and spread out wider and wider at the same time, as new leaves grow in. I wouldn't be surprised if it were possible to have so much light the plants don't all grow towards the light, but more horizontal. I don't know how much light that would take.
That tank is 24 inches high, so a pair of T5HO bulbs should give you very reasonable high light, which shouldn't adversely affect the plants.
You say you dose Excel, but you didn't mention dosing NPK and trace elements, which are essential for high light tanks. If you aren't dosing them the plants will be nutrient limited, and stunted. And, of course, CO2 is the most important nutrient, so you do need pressurized CO2 with that much light and that tank size.
That tank is 24 inches high, so a pair of T5HO bulbs should give you very reasonable high light, which shouldn't adversely affect the plants.
You say you dose Excel, but you didn't mention dosing NPK and trace elements, which are essential for high light tanks. If you aren't dosing them the plants will be nutrient limited, and stunted. And, of course, CO2 is the most important nutrient, so you do need pressurized CO2 with that much light and that tank size.
Thanks for the replies.
Hoppy- Yes, i do remember reading some threads on this tank before i got it and i realized that it had pretty high light. I had the lights a little higher before and i decided to lower it a couple inches to see how it would go. The nutrient deficiency makes sense. I have a crypt wendtii in there thats growing like crazy, so just depends on the plant obviously.
I definitely want a low tech tank because i plan on leaving home eventually and will leave it to my dad to take over with it. So without co2 i guess i should raise the lights back up a little. That should help right?
If i make it lower light, is it beneficial to just dose flourish for simplicity sake or is that pointless? And as i mentioned i was dosing excel carbon before i got vals, and may try that again once theyre established to see if they can take it.
Hoppy- Yes, i do remember reading some threads on this tank before i got it and i realized that it had pretty high light. I had the lights a little higher before and i decided to lower it a couple inches to see how it would go. The nutrient deficiency makes sense. I have a crypt wendtii in there thats growing like crazy, so just depends on the plant obviously.
I definitely want a low tech tank because i plan on leaving home eventually and will leave it to my dad to take over with it. So without co2 i guess i should raise the lights back up a little. That should help right?
If i make it lower light, is it beneficial to just dose flourish for simplicity sake or is that pointless? And as i mentioned i was dosing excel carbon before i got vals, and may try that again once theyre established to see if they can take it.
I was told in the past that it was the color that made the difference, red for height and blue for bushy, something to investigate.I've always heard that high light will tend to cause shorter/bushier growth and low light will tend to make plants leggy. But I don't have direct experience with your plants.
Anyone got any thoughts on just dosing flourish?
Would you be happy if your chef only served you olives? That's what just dosing Flourish would be like to the plants.Anyone got any thoughts on just dosing flourish?
I actually really like olives...but i see your point.
Dont really want to get involved in doing a lot of fertilizing though, so guess ill just see how the plants do.
Dont really want to get involved in doing a lot of fertilizing though, so guess ill just see how the plants do.
You can always get a macro, micro and root tabs from Root Medic or GLA. You'll spend a bit more but there already mixed and very easy to use. L
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