# My plant meltdown.



## kimcadmus (Nov 23, 2008)

Well it has finally happened. Despite my past luck or successes with aquatic plants I have had a giant melt down.

Here is what it looks like









Here is what the plants looked like before the move









I decided to downsize this tank when I had the room it was in carpet. Long story short the tank took 6-7 days longer to arrive than anticipated so the plants sat and waited.

You can see a healthy new blyxa I stuck in there next to the transparent curly melting variety!









Plants that are holding on are ranunculus and hygro bold, bacopa carolina. Some other plants have a tiny inkling of hope where I can see maybe a centimeter or sprout of new growth.









I obviously need to yank the melting tissue but am concerned about some of the plants with small amounts of new growth, to small to really replant. What should I do?

Just thought you could all appreciate my dismay. Uhhhgg.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

What you have now is a HUGE source of organics which will bring algae and especially the best kind - BBA.

So remove all plants immediately, before you finish reading this post!  Best way is to use a hose and suck them out and into a bucket. If you try to pull them or net them or whatever they will fall apart and enough organics will stay in the tank to make you happy for weeks on end.

Then mercylessly pick ONLY the green parts of plants. Replant only what's healthy, even if it's 1/8".

And of course do a 30-40% water change after the whole exercise. Once again - you are fighting organics.

Lastly that lush tank had AquaSoil I think. The new one has... something else. It will take a little longer for the plants to start to take off so expect that.

--Nikolay


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## kimcadmus (Nov 23, 2008)

Thanks Niko. I'm on it.


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## Ben Belton (Mar 14, 2004)

What Nikolay said 

Your plants are probably healthy at the base. They will just have to grow out again. All is not lost. Look on the bright side... you won't have to trim for maybe at least 6 weeks!


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

So sorry Kim! I know you must be sick! I'm sure I have some clippings that you might be able to use. I'll have to take inventory and shoot you a pm.  I owe you some mini ricci anyway!


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## kimcadmus (Nov 23, 2008)

Tex Gal said:


> So sorry Kim! I know you must be sick! I'm sure I have some clippings that you might be able to use. I'll have to take inventory and shoot you a pm.  I owe you some mini ricci anyway!


Thanks Drinda, I know you understand. 3/4 of those plants started from your clippings.
lindernia
micranthum
staurogyne low grow
ludwigia senegalensis
limnophila sessiliflora
all from you!

It is heartbreaking. Some of them do have tiny tiny growths but of course I worry they might be overtaken if I get any algae out breaks. Oh the guilt!

I know some will recover but it will be slow. Keep your fingers crossed


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## kimcadmus (Nov 23, 2008)

Thanks Ben! I like that your looking on the bright side!


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## MacFan (Jul 30, 2006)

Generally, I've found it best to pick off the bad leaves/stem as much as possible. Use sharp scissors to cut the stems rather than breaking them as it's easier for new growth to come from that (I admit I often break them though.) 

Even if the plant looks bad, but hasn't melted, don't worry about placement, just plant it with plenty of space around it, provide good water circulation, and let it grow. The base of the plant will continue to look bad, but hopefully you'll get new growth. Once that new growth is 2-3" long, you can cut it off, plant it, and discard the main plant. Even before the new growth is big enough to replant, you can remove bad leaves from the parent plant. You need to have some good leaves to collect light and nutrients, but there is no point in the plant trying to support leaves that are a lost cause, so you can focus it on the new growth. 

I had some plants like that in my 60g... I had removed the algae covered leaves from the base stems and each had two good stems growing out from it. In a week or two, I'll cut them off and replant them. Many of my plants aren't grown in very well at the moment because I've been cutting the good growth off and planting it in place of the old yucky stuff that resulted from a period when I wasn't as active in tank maintenance. In time it should be good though. 

Frequent water changes and consistent (if reduced) fertilization and lighting will get you back on track. I assume you moved the filter over? Did it sit closed up with water for the 7 days also? Or get rinsed in tap water? If so, your beneficial bacteria probably died off... and if you switched substrate too, your tank is struggling to re-establish bio-filtration. You could get a used sponge from another tank filter and squeeze it into your filter/tank to get bacteria back quicker. Heavy planting will help in the meantime. I have an unhealthy amount of Anacharis growing into a nearly solid mass in a 10g tank. You could have a bunch of that to soak up excess nutrients. I also have Jungle val which would be good for that. But in either case you can't use Flourish Excel in the tank or those plants will melt and release tons of organics you don't need. But you could use them temporarily, and just dump them once things are going again. (Just be sure to dry out/freeze the anacharis before disposal.)

As others have said, there are no shortage of free plants from local club members so don't worry! 

Michael


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## kimcadmus (Nov 23, 2008)

Texgal- i pulled the najas I had in my shrimp tank and put it in the new tank. I had more but gave it to my friend that was cycling a tank a few weeks ago.
Thanks for the pm regarding plant donations - I'm sending you a reply.

Macfan- I plucked all dead leaves and cut away mushy stems to get back to sound and new growth. I have 1/10 of the original plant matter in there now. I did a 50 water change to syphon as much dead matter out as possible and keep up with organics. The filter is a healthy culture of bacteria (eheim canister) that was 1 year old and I am confident it can handle the ammonia/nitrogen load. 

Thanks for the advice and encouragement.

I'll keep posting the tank status.


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## Tex Guy (Nov 23, 2008)

Welcome to my world. It's miserable.

Tex Gal got rid of all the najas we had in my tank. However (!) there was some hiding around and we have a small amount that you can have. If your tank works like mine, it will take over in about 72 hours.


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## kimcadmus (Nov 23, 2008)

thanks for the comradery texguy. That najas is a great plant. Looking forward to the plants texgal is sending. What life saver! The tank looks ridiculus as it is now. Barren...and waiting for an impending algae outbreak.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

The impending algae break will not happen. You have many stems on the way that will not let that algae have even a spec of nutrition. I was able to stir up an entire baggie if Najas sp 'Roraima' with what Bill had in his tank. Hopefully they will arrive tomorrow.


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## king oz (Jun 27, 2007)

sorry to hear that, but you know what to do, get back up on that horse!


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## kimcadmus (Nov 23, 2008)

absolutely king oz. Texgal filled my tank back up with plants so I'm already there. Keep your fingers crossed.


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## kimcadmus (Nov 23, 2008)

Texgal sent me plants! Of course they are beautiful and many. The tank has gone from sad to happy in a matter of hours. Keep your fingers crossed. Looks good so far.
I have pre and post texgal plant pictures below. The first is from having removed all the dead and melting plants. You can see I wasn't left with a whole lot.








Then comes Texgal to the rescue. Hurrah!








Not sure how I got so lucky. Thanks for all your help. I'll keep you posted.


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## supersmirky (Oct 22, 2008)

Kim...that was a huge transformation! I feel the pain. Hope the new stuff fills out nicely for you and judging by your past experience, you should have a beautiful tank again in no time!


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## kimcadmus (Nov 23, 2008)

thanks supersmirky, the transformation feels good, i am very lucky. I've got plants now that I have never seen and always wanted. When are you going to list _your_ plants on niko's new thread?


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## supersmirky (Oct 22, 2008)

I been absent for awhile...but my tank has gone through a transformation as well...mine all melted just like yours so now I got to do the same thing you just got done doing.

Nikos new thread?? I missed something I think!


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## kimcadmus (Nov 23, 2008)

it is entitled "come play" find it here http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/dallas-ft-worth-aquatic-plant-club/61199-come-play.html


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## supersmirky (Oct 22, 2008)

Got it ...thanks Kim!


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