# Hygrophila corymbosa shedding



## OVT (Aug 26, 2010)

I decided to try corymbosa (green variety) couple of months ago in 2 of my tanks. The plants look healthy, showing new leaves and good root system.

BUT, almost every day, I find 1-3 leaves floating on the surface. Is this normal or should I start looking for a problem?

Both tanks are at the higher end of the recommended temperature: 80-82F, pH 6.5 - 7.0, good light, everything else seemingly within "normal".

Thanks!


----------



## timwag2001 (Apr 15, 2009)

are there little holes in the leaves?


----------



## OVT (Aug 26, 2010)

On some leaves (attached and floating) there are little holes, on most leaves there are no holes.


----------



## timwag2001 (Apr 15, 2009)

i bet you have a K def. try dosing extra K


----------



## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

Are the plants being converted from immersed to submerged? A lot of LFS sells HC in immersed form. So, when the plants are being transferred to submerged environment, they may start to loss the old leaves. I have never kept HC personally but I see this pretty often among other plants. I could be wrong too.


----------



## Jane in Upton (Aug 10, 2005)

Yep, I ditto both of the above. 

Many hygrophilas are grown emersed. I've even gotten ones from other aquarists which will lose a few bottom leaves as they transition to the new tank parameters. 

Also, Hygrophila are potassium hogs, since they grow so quickly. I have seen pinholes in my own H. corymbosa, and a little potassium helped. The pinholes won't heal up, but you won't see new ones on new growth. 

Best of luck!
-Jane


----------



## OVT (Aug 26, 2010)

Thank you all. No, the plants have been immersed for about 2 months now. I started dosing extra K+ and, as the result, no pinholes on the new leaves. I'm still loosing some leaves here and there. I'll (slowly) increase K and see if it helps. Cheers.


----------



## Ekrindul (Jul 3, 2010)

If this is still current: 4 x 65W CF 6700K (~3.47 w/g), no CO2

... then you are starving the plants most likely. Light drives photosynthesis. The more light you have, the higher the photosynthetic rate will be, the higher the nutrient demand will be. This includes carbon. The plants are losing leaves probably because they can't maintain them. You will probably see the plants trying to get to the surface as fast as they can to get at the CO2 in the atmosphere. If you haven't seen algae yet, you likely will soon.

If you are going to continue to run with that much light, you need to provide pressurized CO2 and a regular nutrient dose. The other alternative is to remove 2 bulbs from your lighting. You can grow any plant with half the light you currently have. Even then I would still suggest a regular nutrient dose to achieve the healthiest growth.


----------



## OVT (Aug 26, 2010)

Still current. Bastardized EI ferts + Excel + root tabs for swords and other heavy root feeders. That tank had those lights for 7+years now (changing bulbs, of course . The tank is 24" high. Circulation could be better, a single Eheim 2026 is going to get a brother soon.

But I do thank you for your advise.


----------

