Stems Turning Black On Water Wisteria

[new2fishes]

I had some water wisteria (hygrophila difformis) that seemed to be doing well, then the stems started turning black at the substrate (sand) and the black kept spreading all the way to the top of the plant when I finally gave up. I tried cutting off the black to see if that would help, but they just kept gettting shorter and shorter. I finally pulled all of them out except the 1 that has no black. When I pulled them out, I saw that the area below the substrate, by the roots was green.

I just started doing the CO2, and have plenty of light (was 40 wats per gallon, now 50 although it is incandesant and not one of the other types). Added Flourish, tanks not completely cycled. I also had some vallisneria that died off, but I was thinking maybe it was the bubblewand that I had planted them against.

As for the water, it is very soft with a high Kh and high ph.

I am at a loss on what it could be. Any ideas?

Christi

 

[Themuleous]

My first guess would be the lights, incandescent bulbs are rubbish. Could you not just switch to a fluorescent bulb? You could probably just switch the bulbs over in the desk lamp.

BTW 40w per gallon? Do you really mean that? That's a hell of a lot of light! I'm guess its a small tank? Also you have soft water with high KH? That seems a bit wrong the way around?

Sam

 

[new2fishes]

My first guess would be the lights, incandescent bulbs are rubbish. Could you not just switch to a fluorescent bulb? You could probably just switch the bulbs over in the desk lamp.

BTW 40w per gallon? Do you really mean that? That's a hell of a lot of light! I'm guess its a small tank? Also you have soft water with high KH? That seems a bit wrong the way around?

Sam

I have a hood on it that will only take the incandecent, since its not sheilded. I am working on trying to fix that, but not sure what I am going to do.

Oops I meant 4- 5 watts per gallon (10 gallon tank).

As for the water hardness/softness, the only tests I can find for that in my area is the strips and just haven't ordered the drops yet. The strips show soft water (Gh) and off the charts high Kh. I suppose it could look off the chart high and be very low. I know in general, these aren't accurate, but I would think it would at least close-ish.

 

[Themuleous]

Rightho