# HC Not Growing



## tirtha1979 (Sep 28, 2007)

Hi, now it's been 3 weeks I put HC in my 1 feet cube (7G). But the growth rate is really slow. In last 2 weeks the growth rate is hardly seen. What I am doing wrong? Please take a look at the tank spec below.

Size: 7G
Light: 23 watt CFL with reflector
Photo Period: 6Hrs (4+2 with a 2 hrs cutoff in between)
Ferts: Dosing KNO3, K2SO4, Micros daily. Phosphoric acid after every water change.
CO2: Dosing 1ML Excel every day
Temp: Water Temp is 25 degree

Changing 40% water after every 4 days. What I need to do to shoot up the growth rate? Please help.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

23watts of CF light over 7g with at least 12" height isn't really that much light for HC. So that is a challenging condition right there. I would remove the siesta with that kind of light you don't need it, just run your lights for 8 hours straight. 

HC from my experience will not grow that fast with Excel. It will grow, just not very fast. I also believe trimming the HC (even if it doesn't need it) will help it grow faster as well.


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## tirtha1979 (Sep 28, 2007)

Thanks Cards for the Inputs. Then am going to do 2 changes,

1. Instead of 1 23watt CFL will add 2 15 watt. Need to tweak the reflector a bit.

2. Will stop giving the siesta. And make the photo period to 6 hrs and gradually will pick it up to 8 Hrs.

Anything else do you want me to tweak?

*[Added Later with edition]* Isn't excel is sufficient as the carbon source in a 7G?


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

I think your changes will help. I would as suggested clip some of the "taller" stems. HC is a stem plant so when you clip the top of a stem plant it sends out more shoots. 

The excel will work, but nothing grows plants like co2.


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## Jeff.:P:. (Nov 20, 2007)

Increase CO2. 
The 2"x2" patches you sent me "houseofcards" have already doubled. I'm at 35ppm, growing very quickly.


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## jazzlvr123 (Apr 29, 2007)

IME adequate co2 is the biggest thing with HC it can be grown fine in the fixture you explained however you need adequate co2 distribution throughout the entire tank for it to do so (20-30 ppm)


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## JustOneMore21 (Mar 19, 2007)

I agree. HC just doesn't do as well with Excel as it does with co2 (what plant does?).  Get some DIY CO2 going in the tank and you'll start to see more growth. Especially with more light.

Another question, what is your substrate? I've noticed that HC doesn't grow as well in Eco Complete as it does in Aquasoil (from my HC experience). I have high light, co2, ferts in both, but the Eco tank just doesn't grow HC like my other one does.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Jeff P.
Glad to hear the HC is growing well. Tank looks great! Yeah as I and others have said it will grow lusher and quicker with C02 compared to Excel. But it can certainly grow fine with just excel.

If you look at this pic of my Excel-based Mini S. You could see how thick the HC is higher up (closer to the light) than it is further down. The light is limiting because it's only 18watts on about 3 gallons. Same issue this poster will probably have. BTW - The HC in the pic has been in there for about 4 months.


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## jmontee (Feb 7, 2008)

So does anyone think that 2.6wpg of Coralife 6700K bulbs is enough to grow HC. I have been having so many problems with mine too. I have started to see some new growth recently but after 5 weeks it is minimal. I am injecting DIY in my 50 gallon tank keeping the drop checker just about green with a 4dkH solution. Probably between 20 and thirty parts per million.

Jorge


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## jazzlvr123 (Apr 29, 2007)

jmontee said:


> So does anyone think that 2.6wpg of Coralife 6700K bulbs is enough to grow HC. I have been having so many problems with mine too. I have started to see some new growth recently but after 5 weeks it is minimal. I am injecting DIY in my 50 gallon tank keeping the drop checker just about green with a 4dkH solution. Probably between 20 and thirty parts per million.
> 
> Jorge


DIY co2 in a 50 gallon? you must be running 4 bottles or something if your drop checker is green or your drop checker is right above the diffuser because more often than not DIY is only sufficient for a 20 gallon tank max after that it is damn near impossible to get even Co2 distribution throughout an entire 50 gallon tank with a DIY setup. it kinda bothers me when people keep saying "you need more light" thats NOT true im sorry but its just not Hc can grow as low as 25 micromoles/sec Tom Barr and i have tested this many times you just need adequate Co2 and ferts for good growth. if you ever go overseas and see the dutch aquarists grow their plants (including HC) you'll notice they use about half the amount of light us in the united states use with just as good if not better results. its becuase they know that lighting isn't the only thing plants need for good growth


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## jazzlvr123 (Apr 29, 2007)

JustOneMore21 said:


> I agree. HC just doesn't do as well with Excel as it does with co2 (what plant does?).  Get some DIY CO2 going in the tank and you'll start to see more growth. Especially with more light.
> 
> Another question, what is your substrate? I've noticed that HC doesn't grow as well in Eco Complete as it does in Aquasoil (from my HC experience). I have high light, co2, ferts in both, but the Eco tank just doesn't grow HC like my other one does.


I agree HC grows better with actual co2 rather than the organic form provided in excel however HC can be grown in plain sand or sms if you make their nutrients available in the water column. I have grown HC in substrates like this many times before, the goal is to make what normally is in aquasoil available to the plant in the water column


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Jazzlvr123,

In prinicpal I don't really disagree with you, but let's look at the context of the post. tirtha1979's tank is 7g with 23watts of CF. That is pretty dim lighting and you just can't bleed that much intensity out of it. There are minimums in my opinion to light and depth. He also doesn't have co2 on his tank he's using excel, so I'm trying to address his issue based on what he has. I know that HC will grow with excel if given sufficient light. If you look at my tank pic the HC is growing fine, but it grows better up to the right where the light is stronger. To the left it grows weaker where the intensity of my 18w cf light doesn't reach as well. All other tank perimeters are the same from left to right. The only difference is the intensity of the light. So you could look at it from a Co2 issue or from a lighting issue. Either one will probably make your HC grow better.


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## tirtha1979 (Sep 28, 2007)

Thanks a lot everyone for the valuable inputs. Based on your comments I have came up with the below points,

1. Light is not enough. Will raise the amount upto 30watt over the weekend.

2. HC does not do well in Excel. I will start a 2 ltr. DIY in the tank.

3. Will raise the photo period to 8 hrs.

and I forgot to mentioned before. I have another limiting factor. As commertial substrate is not so available in india and if you can find any it's gonna be too costly, I am using Laterite with River Sand as the substrate.

Let me fix the light and CO2 part. I will come up with result.

Thanks again.


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## jazzlvr123 (Apr 29, 2007)

houseofcards said:


> Jazzlvr123,
> 
> In prinicpal I don't really disagree with you, but let's look at the context of the post. tirtha1979's tank is 7g with 23watts of CF. That is pretty dim lighting and you just can't bleed that much intensity out of it. There are minimums in my opinion to light and depth. He also doesn't have co2 on his tank he's using excel, so I'm trying to address his issue based on what he has. I know that HC will grow with excel if given sufficient light. If you look at my tank pic the HC is growing fine, but it grows better up to the right where the light is stronger. To the left it grows weaker where the intensity of my 18w cf light doesn't reach as well. All other tank perimeters are the same from left to right. The only difference is the intensity of the light. So you could look at it from a Co2 issue or from a lighting issue. Either one will probably make your HC grow better.


good point, I didn't mean to talk against you i do agree with what your saying it all really matters on how much light is actually reaching the substrate however in theory 23 watts should be good since the tank is only 7 gallons. but if your using only an organic form of carbon via excel and no gas form of CO2 more light will definably help.

All I am trying to do is debunk the widely know rumor that hc needs 4 WPG to grow which IME isn't true.


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## jmontee (Feb 7, 2008)

jazzlvr123 said:


> DIY co2 in a 50 gallon? you must be running 4 bottles or something if your drop checker is green or your drop checker is right above the diffuser because more often than not DIY is only sufficient for a 20 gallon tank max after that it is damn near impossible to get even Co2 distribution throughout an entire 50 gallon tank with a DIY setup. it kinda bothers me when people keep saying "you need more light" thats NOT true im sorry but its just not Hc can grow as low as 25 micromoles/sec Tom Barr and i have tested this many times you just need adequate Co2 and ferts for good growth. if you ever go overseas and see the dutch aquarists grow their plants (including HC) you'll notice they use about half the amount of light us in the united states use with just as good if not better results. its becuase they know that lighting isn't the only thing plants need for good growth


My drop checker is on the other side of the tank but I am putting CO2 into the intake of a venturi pump which pulverizes it into thousands of tiny bubbles. So far this is working but I think that maybe as my plants get bigger I will need to go to pressurized. I just don't have the money right now.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

jazzlvr123 said:


> good point, I didn't mean to talk against you i do agree with what your saying it all really matters on how much light is actually reaching the substrate however in theory 23 watts should be good since the tank is only 7 gallons. but if your using only an organic form of carbon via excel and no gas form of CO2 more light will definably help.
> 
> All I am trying to do is debunk the widely know rumor that hc needs 4 WPG to grow which IME isn't true.


All opinions are welcome. I just wanted to put what I was saying in the proper context. I do agree with your statement. HC is not a highlight plant, but when we are talking nanos there is a minimum of intensity needed IMO.


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## holocron (May 29, 2005)

i'm with you tirtha1979... I have a 5g tank with eco-complete, 24w, and dosing with excel and flourish. My HC is nadda. One patch melted and the other patch is growing slower than finger nails.

Thanks for posting this, I'm going to try the CO2 route myself.


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## jmontee (Feb 7, 2008)

jmontee said:


> My drop checker is on the other side of the tank but I am putting CO2 into the intake of a venturi pump which pulverizes it into thousands of tiny bubbles. So far this is working but I think that maybe as my plants get bigger I will need to go to pressurized. I just don't have the money right now.


Here is are pics showing my venturi pump and the other is the drop checker. The pump is just behind the crypt on the left. The drop checker is on the right end of the tank.


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## Afyounie (Aug 10, 2007)

I am planning to setup a 10g with a 32W coralife fixture, aquasoil, and paintball pressurized co2. I will be dosing nutrients as well. I want to know, will this be enough to grow a nice HC carpet?


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## jazzlvr123 (Apr 29, 2007)

should be fine


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## insomniaclush (Jan 14, 2008)

How long should one wait after initial planting of HC for trimming? I'm looking @ just around a mo. sence I planted my HC. I myself am experiencing somewhat slow growth in my 30cube. I've been dosing w/ excel and ADA's Green Brightly, and Brightly K. DIY co2 (2 large bottles) w/ glass diffuser and a Current 36w PC fixture running 12 Hr. One other plant I'm seeing slow growth as well is my Riccia too.


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## jazzlvr123 (Apr 29, 2007)

you should wait a little longer. you know when its trimming time when you can see a good amount of the Hc literally spreading runners on top of itself. if left untrimmed for too long it will loose its root system in your substrate. but trimming too early can also have a negative aftermath so let it grow out and fill in a bit more before you trim. BTW what are those white rocks in the foreground? zeolite or powersand? whatever it is you should chuck it


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## insomniaclush (Jan 14, 2008)

jazzlvr123 said:


> BTW what are those white rocks in the foreground? zeolite or powersand? whatever it is you should chuck it


Powersand that had made it's way up when I was planting the HC. Just been lazy about picking it put of the tank.


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