# Adding plants to Walstad Tank



## tomloebl!8 (Jan 24, 2018)

I just picked up some parva from the local store. Looking for tips on the best way to plant these small plants without too much dirt release.

Tom


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## 2Dogs (Mar 1, 2016)

I use aquarium tweezers - pick something that works for your depth
https://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Tweezer-Stainless-Straight-Tweezers/dp/B00UFIS554

Pinch the root - lightly! - near the base of the tweezers with the plant running in parallel to the length of the tweezers

Gently push tweezer and root down through substrate

Release pressure on tweezers and give slight wiggle as you slowly pull tweezers out of substrate


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

It’s a very slow grower also.


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## tomloebl!8 (Jan 24, 2018)

Thanks 2Dogs. I have several tweezers and I'll give that a go. I do know they are slow growers but that will fit into my plans.

Tom


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## tomloebl!8 (Jan 24, 2018)

The parva had been looking fine since planting them in December but about 2 weeks ago at least one or two original leaves have started to die off in each clump I planted. I know they sometimes die off after initial planting only to regrow leaves again later. Is it normal for the die-off to start happening 6 weeks after planting? I have been adding Excel and Flourish.


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## jrIL (Apr 23, 2005)

It's been my experience that all crypts just do that. Sometimes for no obvious reasons.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

It is normal for the oldest leaves to eventually die.


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## tomloebl!8 (Jan 24, 2018)

Thanks for that...they are indeed the oldest leaves turning yellow. I'll sit tight.


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## tomloebl!8 (Jan 24, 2018)

My parva has not died and I understand it's a very slow grower. 

It's a 10 gallon Walstad tank just over 2 years old with moderate lighting (2 led 7 watt floods suspended about a foot above the tank), a mix of rotala and crypts, with 1.5" MGOC covered by 1" of 3mm gravel that I probe every so often to release a minimum of gas which doesn't have any noticeable odor . As to chemistry, Ph is just under 8, kh=5 , gh=6.5 and zeroes for N2, N3, phosphate, ammonia. There are presently three amber tetras which may, or may not supply enough waste for the plants. I dose Flourish Excel daily and as per suggestion here, I have been dosing Flourish micro nutrients the past 6-8 weeks. The rotala has always done well so I assume they are getting enough food from the water column, however, the crypts are not doing well, They do send out new shoots from time to time but there are leaves dying which I try to fish out when spotted. I hate to strip the tank down and start again only to have to do it again in a couple of years. 

I am hoping there are options to help the crypts. There are two original plants with two additional shoots that have matured recently so the plants are viable. I assume they are pretty much totally feeding from the roots and before I start using root tabs I thought about changing to some sort of clay-type substrate but I have not done so since I don't care to tear down the present tank. Would more fish make a difference? I don't mind dosing some sort of ferts but I don't see how that would help the crypts. 

Looking for suggestions.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

If you are dosing fertilizers, Excel, it's not really a "Walstad Tank." I would read or reread my book.

The micronutrient fertilizers could be harming the Crypts via metal toxicity. Too much iron, etc can kill plants! Because you have so few fish, you would be better off just adding more fishfood to the tank and letting snails, shrimp, bacteria digest it. Fishfood provides ALL plant nutrients in a safe, slow-release mode.

I'd like to see a picture of your tank before commenting further.


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## tomloebl!8 (Jan 24, 2018)

Appreciate the information. I have only been using Excel recently after I ran into some algae issues. I only use it intermittently. You had recommended that I try Flourish in another post to remedy some fine tendrils of thin growth coming out of the substrate around the crypts. Following your advice I will stop using it and add extra fish food. I do have a great deal of iron in my raw well water that I "soften" for household use but I am using the pre-filtered water for the tank as the softening replaces iron with sodium. I may try using bottled water as I have no way of removing the iron.

The tank is in disarray since I have been thinning out the forest of rotala to make more room for the crypts to grow.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

That's a very good looking aquascape! A couple of different types of plants might look a little better.


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## tomloebl!8 (Jan 24, 2018)

Thanks Hoppy, My issue is keeping alive what I have now.


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## terryna (Mar 16, 2018)

2Dogs said:


> I use aquarium tweezers - pick something that works for your depth
> https://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Tweezer-Stainless-Straight-Tweezers/dp/B00UFIS554
> 
> Pinch the root - lightly! - near the base of the tweezers with the plant running in parallel to the length of the tweezers
> ...


nice share


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

tomloebl!8 said:


> I may try using bottled water as I have no way of removing the iron.
> 
> The tank is in disarray since I have been thinning out the forest of rotala to make more room for the crypts to grow.


Your tank looks nice, and the Crypts don't look that bad. Also, you could try adding C. wendtii, which is a terrific grower.

The iron in your tapwater comes raw. Once in the tank, it will quickly oxidize. Plants can't take up oxidized iron, so tapwater iron is not that harmful. Fertilizer iron, in contrast, comes with chelators so that plants can take it up. Thus, it can be toxic if levels are high enough. Bottom line: Your tapwater may be fine once you stop adding the Flourish.


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## tomloebl!8 (Jan 24, 2018)

Thanks Diana. I have discontinued both Flourish and Excel. I have a large rain barrel outside and I think I will start adding water from that source. The Ph is close to the well water. The tank Phosphate level is below 0.25 but I do have a small algae problem only on the surface of parts of the gravel that's not shaded by plants. That's why I was using the Excel, though I found I can pull up the chunks of algae periodically with my trusty turkey baster. I had planted groups of c.Wendtii in the foreground but it died out and I replaced it with parva which seems to be holding on.


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