Need help with Cryptocoryne parva

[williamng]

Hi

I bought some Parva and plant into my nano tank. However, I observe that their leave starts to melt. I hope someone with experience planting Parva can help?

Are they changing leaves from emerse to submerge?

Thanks!

[lyh]

Hi

I bought some Parva and plant into my nano tank. However, I observe that their leave starts to melt. I hope someone with experience planting Parva can help?

Are they changing leaves from emerse to submerge?

Thanks!

Yes they are changing their leaves and do snip off those melting leaves

[valice]

After snipping off the leaves, don't touch them. Even when you don't see anything happening, don't pull out the roots. They will come back to life if the substrate is to their liking, i.e., good fertile one.

[williamng]

Thanks bro! I will be do that. I am using GEX soil, I wonder it is fertile enough?

[lEddyl]

it doesn't need fertile soil. i plant mine in sand without base ferts

[uklau]

it doesn't need fertile soil. i plant mine in sand without base ferts

Really? I thought sand are inert & crypts are heavy root feeder. Don't mind sharing your secret of keeping them growing healthily?

BTW, how old is this setup? Thanks.

[lEddyl]

Really? I thought sand are inert & crypts are heavy root feeder. Don't mind sharing your secret of keeping them growing healthily?

BTW, how old is this setup? Thanks.

i'm not sure about other crypts. My tank only has c.wendtii, c.undulata red, c.willisii, c.parva.
I'm just a plant noob. there's no secret, just plain dennerle sand. 1yr old 3ft tank.

[valice]

It is possible to grow them with plain gravel. I have done it before with the plants you have as well. The difference between plain gravel and fertile substrate is the size of the leaves you get.

And with a 1year old tank, there is enough mulm and decomposed stuff in the gravel to keep them growing.

Add root monsters or root tabs, then you get the bigger leaves.

[leeruisheng]

I also had some crypts (not sure of which variant but it's very greenish though) planted in just normal lapis sand. All the leaves have melted and new leaves sprouted. No liquid fertilizers, no CO2 and no lights. But however this tank was placed beside a lighted tank.