# Need help with stargrass



## DBTS (May 10, 2007)

Hey guys.. near the tips of my stargrass there's this banding. Don't know if its the correct term for it. My rotala rotundifolia also has these on the leaves located from middle stem going down to the base of the plant. New growth of the rotala doesn't have them. Would anybody happen to know what this is? And what do I need to do about them? Appreciate any help you guys could give me.


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## DBTS (May 10, 2007)

By the way tank specs. below.

-35gals 
-3.2wpg @ 10hrs
-EI dosing per week
NO3 = 10ppm 
PO4 = 3ppm
CSM+b = 1.5tbs dilluted in 500ml dosed 10ml 3x a week
CaCO3 (dry) 5grams 
Epsom salt (dry) 5grams
-CO2 currently DIY


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## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

I see those lines after replanting mine too, sometimes. My best, educated guess is that it is due to a lack of iron and lighting if they are in the shade of each other or another plant, or "bruising" if they went through a rough replanting. I'm fairly certain that mine is from lack of lighting, and at times, my potato-crusher-like hands lack a delicate touch when I replant them.

I'm sure that someone here from the "nerdery" D....I kid!) could tell you a more exact cause though.


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## DBTS (May 10, 2007)

I planted them when they were still in emersed form with the use of tweezers and never touched them since. I'm not sure if its lack of lighting since i just recently lowered my lighting from 3.8wpg to 3.2wpg. As for iron just started dosing csm 2 weeks ago. Previously I was dosing florapride red for iron. Thanks for the reply donald.


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## Peteman (May 28, 2007)

I'll ditto the trace. Stargrass I find is one of my more trace sensitive plants. Those bands usually go with a lighter green in the new growth for me. Careful as sometimes they don't recover and go into a meltdown if you don't catch it quick enough.

But on a transplanting note, I've had individual ones melt down when others are fine after a transplant. Not sure if I bruised a stem or what, or maybe they really like their roots. I now try and plant stem tops with at least one aerial on the stem. 

Beautiful plant, a little fragile.  

Pete.


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## DBTS (May 10, 2007)

Last sunday I removed all the leaves which had those bands and replanted carefully and after 2days the banding showed up again. Still dosing the same amount of micro's. As for melting I've read somewhere that this plant prefers high amounts of NO3 and would melt if it's on the low side. Haven't verified if it's true though. :mrgreen:


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