# Stargrass (Heteranthera zosterifolia) problem



## grafalski (Feb 25, 2006)

I'm having problem with my stragrass. Pls take a look at the picture. All older leaves are getting "cracks" that spread and finally those leaves die. New leaves are fine for a couple of days. 

My tank:

29 gallon
2x65W coralife PC. I keep one 65w for 10 hours/day. The second one is on for 6 hours/day
I used EI method in my tank adding
1/4 tspn KNO3 3 x a week
1/16 KH2PO4 3 x a week
TMG 5 ml 3 x a week
C02 30 ppm
Gh 8-8
Kh 3-4
I change 50% of water every week

I gave up EI and lately I add 1 ppm of KNO3 daily, 0.12 KH2PO4 daily and I add 1/2 tspn of K2SO4 a week.
TMG 5 ml a week 3 x a week.

I also placed tropica plant nutrition capsules in the gravel layer.

I don't have problems with blyxa, swords, christmas moss, HC, Hydrocotyle leucocephala but stargrass and some red plants like Alternanthera reineckii.

What could cause this problem?


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## Avalon (Mar 7, 2005)

HZ can be finicky, but it makes for a great indicator plant. The above dosing regimen could use these adjustments:

1. A little more KNO3, somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 depending upon your plant mass and plant choice.

2. A little more P, not much, but a little.

3. Dose K2SO4 (1/4 tsp once a week should work). Under high light and high growth applications, you'll need to dose K.

4. Increase your TMG to 15mL per dose.


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## grafalski (Feb 25, 2006)

Thanks for your response Avalon. 

I'm going to start with adding 10ml of TMG 3 times/week. I played with +/- KNO3, KH2SO4, K2SO4 dosing before and there was no improvement so I'm leaning toward micros. Maybe 5 ml of TMG 
3x/week when I keep Co2 at 30ppm and 130W of pc for five hours is not good enough.
We'll see what happens.


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## grafalski (Feb 25, 2006)

After one week of TMG dosing (3 x 10ml/week) my stargrass looks much better. 
It looks like suggested EI dosage of 5 ml of TMG 3 times/week for 29 gallon tank is sometimes not enough.


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## grafalski (Feb 25, 2006)

OK. I add 5 ml of TMG daily + 2 ml of Flourish Iron/day. The problem with my strargrass is gone.


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