I Just Can't Do Plants !

[re_hashed]

I'm even killing my java moss - surely I'm the only one able to do that!

Everywhere I read it always says something along the lines of "Oh Java moss, that grows like a weed, you can grow it in pretty much most temperatures, most lighting, people even grow it in caves.

Well I can't. I've got mine on some drift wood, pretty much centeral in my tank, at about 78 degrees, under light for about 10 hours (2 x 18w bulbs) in my 23 gallon tank.

Here: I've taken a few piccies this morning so you can see exactly what it's like.

This is a relative close-up of one of my pieces of driftwood, here you can see how scraggly it is (I know it's got some hair alge) but from this picture you can clearly see that it's dying.

Most of my other plants are doing ok, sprouting new shoots and are generally surviving:

one of them (can't remember the name, got too much on my mind at the moment) stared in a far corner and has shot runners off all over the place is is starting to fill the tank

This is a piece of my driftwood from more of a distance so you get the full idea of what's going on.

Here are some of my 'tank stats' off the top of my head

Dimensions: 30 x 15 x 12 inch (=23 gallon?)
Lights: 2 x 18w growlux tubes on for about 8~10 hours a day
Temperature: 78 degrees
I've just started again DIY Co2 with a nutrifin ladder thingie
Fish stock: 3 neons, 'some' male guppies (4ish), 'some' female guppies (6ish)

Please help me. Not necessarily with my moss, but my plants in general ain't that great.

Thanks for any time that you are prepared to give me.

Regards

 

[ShoC]

Diy Co2 will make a difference but the main problem with it is the Co2 wont be consistent,
making algae blooms possible.

are you adding Ferts?
Dry or liquid?

If you want it easy add something Like Floraboost (I'm using it)
but you will save $$$ if you use dry ferts.
although its not necessary as your lights are not that power full

do you have a nutrient substrate?
if not get some root tabs

the plants in your last plant I have myself!
how long you had them in your tank? as they do take time to acclimatise mine spent 3/4 days just looking at me then on the 4th day it gained about 1/2 inches and now 2 weeks down has 6 of shoots

 

[re_hashed]

Thanks for the quick reply ShoC, I'll try and answer some of your questions.

are you adding Ferts? Dry or liquid? - no, I'm currently not, but I do however have a bottle of Sechem Flourish Excel that I was given from my uncle, I've yet to use this as I was thinking that adding ferts would encourage the alge to grow. I have since discovered that the main cause of agle is too much light, so I've reduced the length of time the lights are on for. The only problem is that I'm rubbish at remembering to put the firts in, but once I get into a routine then I'm sure that I'll manage. I have got another bottle of something (I'm currently hard at work so I'm not sure what it's called). I'll have a look tonight and if this thread is still 'active' then I'll post the name here


do you have a nutrient substrate? - yes. I'm using Eco-Complete, 1 bag, with some smallish gravel topping it to a total depth of around 2 inches. You can just about make out some of the rogue particles on my last 3 pictures.

the plants in your last pic I have myself! how long you had them in your tank? - Ohh I would say somewhere in the region of 6 weeks ish. They've gone a little pale so that's why I started Co2'ing to try and get them back on track again.

I can't really think of anything fundamentally that I'm doing so wrong. I've read pages and pages of various forum posts before I started planting and what kinda thinking that I was going along the right lines for success. I know that I've not got the most powerfull lights so I've chosen what I beleive to be the correct plants, and I know that I'm only using DIY Co2 and that a pressurised system would be much better but the £'s were getting a little tight, but again I thought that I chose the plants that would at least survive without a pressurised system.

I just can't get my head around my inability of the Java Moss - some people can grow the stuff in jam-jars with little light and nothing else. Mines in a pretty stable tank set up and the flippin stuff is still failing.

 

[ShoC]

I have had no luck with java moss myself (I'm aware it take a long time to establish)

Correct me if I'm wrong anyone.

Light>Co2>Nutrients


Light drives the plants Co2 uptake and Co2 uptake drives the Nutrients uptake..

Adding the Ferts might be a good idea if your plants are going pale.
Algae occurs when your plants are not using the nutrients,
Now assuming your lights/Co2 is fine your plants will use the nutrients
My tank is the same size as yours and I add 20ml of Flora boost once a week

I hope that helps

EDIT: My lights are on for 12hours.. (give that a try)
EDITid you trim your roots a little before planting to encourage their growth?

 

[re_hashed]

Thanks for the help. I've found some pretty good info about adding ferts that I'll read through and try and get to grips with them as that seems to be my downfall. [URL="http/www.rexgrigg.com/ferts.htm"]http/www.rexgrigg.com/ferts.htm[/URL]

I'll try increasing my lighting, but I'm worried about having another outbreak of hair alge. I'll increase the time and keep a close eye on things and if it looks like the alge is taking hold then ......... expect another thread from me asking for help as my tank is full of alge

Did I trim my roots - nope, the stems I just whacked in as they came and crossed my fingers. The java moss I just seperated into little bits, put them on my wood and tied them on - again with fingers crossed.

Hmmmm this planting lark is a little bit more than just crossing your fingers and hoping for the best.

 

[RadaR]

Are the tubes old? The intensity might have gone. Should change the tubes every year or so.

 

[ShoC]

Java moss should be planted VERY thin else the undergrowth that receives no light will die...

RaDar is correct with the tubes the older they are the worse they get.
any chance of showing us what spectrum they cover?

 

[Rubix]

i agree with the above, it's all great advice. however, based on my experience, my initial thought was too much light. java moss is a simple and basic plant that requires little light to thrive. sure java species can thrive with high light and co2, but ive always thrown java moss in my low light low maintenance tanks to make it thrive, i use no co2

 

[SuperColey1]

I would say that this tank is low light from the WPG given in the first post.

I wouldn't trim the roots now to encourage growth as it will just lead to ammonia spikes from the substrate and give you more algae problems.

If you are disturbing the substrate (the rogue particles comment) then try not to any more. Algae loves ammonia that is released from the substrate when it is disturbed.

Shoc is right with his comments on the moss. A lot of people try and fill out the moss so it looks like the tanks they see (which are often show tanks setup for a short time, pics taken and then taken apart again)

If the moss is too thick the bottom layers received no light and then start to rot which again gives the ammonia for the algae.

Don't worry too much about it. I have this every time I put moss in my tank and have to wait for it to subside. (and it can take a long time)

Andy

 

[Rubix]

sorry, i was not considering his 1.5-1.6 wpg to be low light. i suppose it is a medium-low. i guess i was commenting off my experience - none of my tanks have wpg that high except my quarantine, which grows java moss worse than my main tanks.