# sagitaria subulata melting



## hornedtoad1 (Jun 24, 2011)

i've got a 10-gal npt, set up last month. most of the plants are doing well, but there's some sagitaria subulata in the corner that's starting to decay a couple of inches above the roots. it's possible the base of the plants are not getting enough light, because the leaves are laying on the surface and shading the roots. the leaves get lots of light, wouldn't that nourish the parts of the plant in the shade? should i trim back the stems? is something else going on? these plants have been doing really well, i'd hate to lose them. anybody have any ideas?
thanks.


----------



## Nowherman6 (May 1, 2006)

If it's only been a month it could just be the plant adjusting to its new habitat. Depending on where you got them it's possible they were grown partly out of the water at the nursery and are adjusting to submerged conditions. Had that happen with some dwarf sag from a website a few years back. That doesn't seem to be the case from your pic, but just throwing it out there.

In any case I think I would trim the dead leaves as close to the base as possible. No sense letting them rot and foul the water.


----------



## hornedtoad1 (Jun 24, 2011)

thanks for the input, that makes sense. the plants had actually been doing well, until they started to rot. best to trim them, i guess.


----------



## Nowherman6 (May 1, 2006)

Is everything else in order? How much light/ CO2/ dosing?

I assume this isn't your first planted set up so you have the basics covered.


----------



## hornedtoad1 (Jun 24, 2011)

well, actually, it is my first npt aquarium, altho i've had "high-tech" tanks before. nothing the plants ever grew in, tho. there's a 23w cfl clamped on the light pole next to the tank, no co2, no dosing, light aeration--no filtration. pretty basic, i guess.
when they're cut off at the base, will they come back, send out more leaves?


----------



## Nowherman6 (May 1, 2006)

Oh, I see. I've never done the NPT thing, but that's where you use soil as a base and just leave everything be, right? No water changes, dosing, filters etc.?

If that's the case then they may be reacting to a nutrient deficiency. If I remember right, the yellowing and thinning of old leaves suggests a N deficiency, or lack of trace elements as well. It could be that the old plants are not adjusting to their new environment while the new ones will, so maybe continue to keep an eye on it and see if new growth is affected. In the mean time I'd still trim the dying leaves as close to the base as possible. I don't think those will grow back but if they're dead anyone I wouldn't risk them fouling the water.


----------



## hornedtoad1 (Jun 24, 2011)

yeah, the idea is that the mulm, dead plants, etc go back into the soil and replenish it, so you don't need to do those other things. 
if it is an n deficiency, maybe i could use more tap water. i've been using a mix of distilled water and tap water, i'm in the desert and the tap water's unbelievably hard. the problem's just in that one spot, everywhere else is doing ok. it may just be the light (or the shade) in that one spot in the tank; maybe i could put another light at that end of the tank. but in any case those dead leaves probably should come out.


----------



## hornedtoad1 (Jun 24, 2011)

i removed the dead sag leaves; not as many as i'd thought, glad about that . there was a mat of sag leaves lying on the surface; i cut that off and now there's much more light getting to the plants. hopefully that will take care of the problem. i'll post the results.


----------



## hornedtoad1 (Jun 24, 2011)

a week later--update on the melting sag.
trimming the floating mat did the trick; the remaining plants are growing back very nicely; it's hard to tell where the dead leaves were.


----------



## Nowherman6 (May 1, 2006)

Awesome, now post some full tank shots


----------



## hornedtoad1 (Jun 24, 2011)

update on the melting sag. subulata--here are a couple of pictures from this afternoon; the sag is doing much better. that's either it growing along the front of the tank, or it's the pygmy chain sword plant. (i hope it's the sword plant.)


----------

