# Why does my HC keep dying?



## Knotty Bitz (Mar 11, 2009)

A few times I have tried planting hc in my substrate but it eventually turns yellow and dies. I just bought a piece of driftwood covered in hc and I was hoping for some information on how to keep it alive. I have one t5 tube that produces 55 watts. I leave the other one off because once I add the extra light, algae growth increases and stifles the hc. I have co2 running in the tank, it isn't a lot so that might be a problem. 

And what would be the best way to plant the hc. Do I try to strip off a chunk with roots? Or do I take individual stems and plant them?


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

HC likes CO2 above all else.


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## TLe041 (Mar 20, 2010)

I'm in the second week of my HC dry start and so far all the individual plants that I've planted are all alive and growing. I separated each plantlet apart and planted each one separately. I did the same for dwarf hairgrass that I'm growing in the same tank and I've been successful with that as well.

This was all done with Aquasoil Amazonia. What substrate are you using?


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## Ekrindul (Jul 3, 2010)

Could be a flow issue, or a CO2 issue, or both. Take a good look at whether you are getting good flow to the area where the HC is growing. Try to slowly increase the CO2 and watch the fish for stress the first day, then wait a week and see if the plants improve. Only increase the CO2 again after at least a week of observation. 

Removing the other bulb is probably a good move, but you don't say what your tank size is, so I can't say for sure.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

If your conditions are less than ideal you're better off IMO planting individual stems. The spacing will allow extra light, flow, etc. I've always treated HC like any other stem. Plant individually or in groups of a few stems. and then trim to get additional horizontial growth. With that said, you didn't mention how big your tank is and co2 method.


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## Franzi (Dec 7, 2009)

What temp is your tank at? I got the high light, CO2, ferts, etc...but at 82+ temperature (discus), HC just doesn't work. The guy I buy my discus from said he never got HC to work either, but regular dwarf tears and glosso work well.


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## Knotty Bitz (Mar 11, 2009)

My temperature is about 76. I have taken the hc and divided it into individual stems and increased lighting and co2. We will see how it goes.


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

You still have not mention the size of your tank and the bbubble per second on the CO2 and so how would you know they are not enough? What is your PH?


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## Knotty Bitz (Mar 11, 2009)

My tank is 75 gallons and the i have about 10 bubbles per second. The ph is 6.8


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Knotty Bitz said:


> My tank is 75 gallons and the i have about 10 bubbles per second. The ph is 6.8


55 watts in inadequate to grow a good ground cover of HC. Even 2 bulbs really isn't that much for that size tank (height). You need to eliminate organic levels in your tank by water changes, more plant mass, organic removal media, etc. The more the better.


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

I agree, you need way more light to grow HC. 2x 55W is the minimum and it will probably barely grow untill you've at least 2W/G. CO2 sounds like overkill, but I tested it and plants (incl. HC) don't care for even 300ppm CO2, so improve you light!


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

HC likes acidic substrate. AquaSoil or the substrate in an established tank provide that. Your tank's substrate MAY not be acidic enough for the HC. Or the problem indeed maybe the light. 55 watts over a 75 gallon tank is too little for HC, that's true.

HC is a high speed plant - if it doesn't like something it goes yellow and makes small leaves the next day. If it likes the conditions it spreads like wildfire. So as long as you have it somewhat alive you have it - you will not lose it, you just need to find the right conditions.

Another thing to note is your bubble rate. 10 bps is a lot. But how do you disperse the CO2? And please don't try to read the pH and conclude you have enough CO2. Your pH meter maybe off. Make sure you disperse the CO2 well and don't worry about the pH reading.

--Nikolay


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## Knotty Bitz (Mar 11, 2009)

I do have reflectors on each individual light if that makes any difference and the co2 is that high because my hang-on filter creates a decent amount of turbulence on the tanks surface.


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