Get to the root of the problem.

**sakuras** · 3rd May 2013, 18:36

Hi I've been lurking around here for quite some time and now I am the one who seems to have the problem. Lately, I have been observing that the roots of my plants ( HC , Micorswords and hairgrass ) have somehow rotted. My substrate is only dennerle shrimp substrate and i use both seachem excel and flourish. According to the web, root rot comes from the anaerobic gasses that build up under my substrate. But when i stir it up, there is no bubbles. What seems to be the problem?

**AQMS** · 3rd May 2013, 20:39

It could be a lot of factors relating root rot.
what is your set up tank spec?

**sakuras** · 4th May 2013, 15:12

Diy co2 with ceramic diffuser. Just a 1 feet tank and 2 clip on lights one led and the other from aquazonic with 9w in total. 1 ft tank with 2 balloon rams. Dolphin HOB filter.

**Urban Aquaria** · 4th May 2013, 15:25

The dennerle shrimp substrate is the inert gravel which has very tiny grains right, almost like sand?

I experienced something similar when planting rooted plants in sand substrates. Over time, the fine grained substrate got packed together too closely so the roots can't oxygenate or "breathe" and the dosed nutrients in the water column can't get into the packed substrate (sand has very little or no cation-exchange capacity/CEC).

If i read correctly, the dennerle shrimp substrate is supposed to be layered over a base fertilizer substrate (ie. dennerle deponitmix), so that the plant roots can draw nutrients from the bottom layer... maybe that's one of the reasons why you are encountering issues, due to just using the inert top layer only.

**AQMS** · 4th May 2013, 16:16

yup, urban have a case there, it could be your sand, if that is the case, you can try to put root monsters near the plant that you are planting.
Why not post a picture so that urban can confirm what kind of sand he meant.
I myself never ever try dennerle shrimp substrate.

**sakuras** · 5th May 2013, 19:10

Yupp he's right. Did more research and am going to buy some root tabs. What is your experience on root monster?

**sakuras** · 5th May 2013, 19:27

By the way is OceanFree root monster available at y618? That is where i mainly get my stuff.

**AQMS** · 5th May 2013, 21:37

root monster should be available at Y618....
i used this
http://www.coxwellaquatics.co.uk/jbl...geln-788-p.asp

**sakuras** · 5th May 2013, 21:42

Wow. Thanks. I dropped by y618 today but they were closed due to urgent family matters. I am going to get some root tabs and a few MTS if they have any.