# Trouble with my HC



## lycaon (Aug 5, 2009)

So i planted my new dwarf baby tears the other day and i planted them one start at a time, i'm dosing excel, and i have 50 watts of fluorescent light in my 10 gal. I noticed that its all darkening and appears to be dying off. i know it could be just from the shock of replanting.My question is, why does it all appear to be dying off? My substrate is eco complete mixed with tahitian moon sand and i have nothing in the tank with them except for 3 dwarf puffers and 3 otos. Can anyone please tell me why my HC appears to be dying off. Thanx!!!


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Your HC is missing the acidic pH of the soil. The Eco is buffered to keep it at 7.4. Yes you can grow HC in it but only after the HC adapts. Until then you have to be patient. Chances are all the HC will die. But even if 2-3 leaves stay green you have a shot at a full blown "carpet".

There is nothing you can do to make the Eco become acidic fast. Over time the mulm (fish waste) settling among the grains of Eco will lower the pH and that's when you will have better results with HC and many other plants. But with only a few fish (your case) that will take much longer than the normal 3-5 months.

You don't mention CO2. If you don't have CO2 then forget HC. It can grow (slowly and ugly but not die) only if it's floating on the water surface.

--Nikolay


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## lycaon (Aug 5, 2009)

Ok. Well i haven't set up any co2 but i'm planning on doing that today with a 2 liter bottle, sugar, and yeast. i might do two of them. i was told that excel was going to be good enough to grow HC until i get co2 though it doesn't appear to be doing much. i didn't know about the buffer, that's very, very helpful. is there any way to test the PH of the soil? i've only had the tank set up for about 3 months


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

It's wise to forget that tests even exist. Don't worry too much about the pH of the substrate. HC is a very fast grower and a very fast.. die-er, haha. It will show within 2 days if you are doing things right. Or wrong.

It's also a plant that prefers to grow outside of the water. The only reason everyone wants to try it is the good looks. But the good looks lasts only a few days if the HC really loves the tank. Then it starts to form a thick mat and it's hell to maintain. Keep that in mind.

I suggest to first do only 1 bottle of the DIY CO2. These things are very unpredictable and 2 bottles may release too much CO2 in your tank. It will kill your fish.

Also make sure you have a good way to disperse the CO2. The main goal is to have consistent supply of CO2. Read this:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...s/44053-tiny-super-efficient-co2-reactor.html

So make sure you use the CO2 efficiently and don't wait for the bubble rate to slow down to mix a new batch of yeast. This may sound like an overkill but just mix a new batch every 4 days even if the bubbles are still going strong. Once again - consistency is VERY important.

--Nikolay


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## Vadimshevchuk (Jul 5, 2009)

can i grow hc with 2wpg and diy co2 or no


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

I think you can. Especially if your tank is not too tall.

Also it helps to get bulbs that actually do something for the plants. Giesemann Midday T5HO - that's what I will always say 

--Nikolay


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## lycaon (Aug 5, 2009)

So HC will only live a short while if it's grown submersed?


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## lycaon (Aug 5, 2009)

Well it all died anyway. Does anyone know what the easiest plant to grow is that could give me a full "carpet" in my aquarium?


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Moss.

--Nikolay


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## lycaon (Aug 5, 2009)

Well i do like flame moss. I read that glosso was also pretty easy but i don't know very much about it yet


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

lycaon said:


> Well i do like flame moss. I read that glosso was also pretty easy but i don't know very much about it yet


You need CO2 on these too.


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

lycaon said:


> Well it all died anyway. Does anyone know what the easiest plant to grow is that could give me a full "carpet" in my aquarium?


beside moss, hair grass. There is a really short one from Japan would do. Less CO2 requirement.


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

Vadimshevchuk said:


> can i grow hc with 2wpg and diy co2 or no


like niko said you can but you are going to have hard time with it since DIY co2 is not very consistant. Even I use pressurized CO2 are sometime would have little trouble w/HC.


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## lycaon (Aug 5, 2009)

since i started using co2 I noticed a few strands are green which hopefully means that It'll grow in more. Is glosso or marselia easier to grow? I was considering micro sword also. I really want a carpet in my 10 gal. I have two 25 watt incandescent bulbs is that too much light?


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## murdocmason (Aug 17, 2009)

incandescent?? hmm those are pretty low quality light for glosso, personally I ould go for atleast a compact florescent or florescent of some degree, I believe incandescents are mostly for initial light for fish I havent ever had any luck with plants in water or out with only incandescent lighting, I dont believe it is the right spectrum of light although it may produce some growing in low light species I dont think glosso,HC, or other demanding plants would thrive very well muchless grow a carpet although it sounds like your on the right track to identifying problems before they arise =) questions are the only way to get answers also if I'm wrong armedbiggiet plz elaborate I'm still kinda a newb myself so just trying to help out with what knowledge I have =)
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