Crypt shoots melting?

[XnSdVd]

My C. griffithi seems to be sending up new shoots once every week or so. And yet after about a week 75% of those new shoots melt leaving only 1 or 2 from the pervious 10.

Is this normal? My water chemistry has remained a constant
pH: 6.5
kH: 3
Temp: 24 - 26
with no fert doses or water changes or CO2 for the last 3 months.
And I've been using natural light + 0.5wpg of FL lighting.

Also, is there any way to force plants to propagate?

As for other plants in my tank... 45% growth in the last 3 months? Only a problem with the crypts.

[Xema]

Are you tell us about a submerged C. griffithi?... I don know many success submerged attempt with that plant. But I think, if you are keeping a low pH, mainly in the soil, and soft, acid water... it should grow more or less.

Melting in Cryptocoryne is a symptom of a big change in the eviroment condition. It are adaptating to the new condition.

Have you any picture about that new shoots melting?

[|squee|]

Check on your Yamatos, whether they might be running out of algae to consume.

[XnSdVd]

When I bought them they were in a nice big healthy submerged bunch. And if I'm not wrong budak has some growing in his tank as well... As for changes to the environment... Doesn't the growth of new shoots signal the end of the acclimatization period?

And no, I don't have any yamatos. And I'm pretty sure nothing's eating them. They just become progressively transparent and eventually fall off.

[Goondoo]

When I bought them they were in a nice big healthy submerged bunch. And if I'm not wrong budak has some growing in his tank as well... As for changes to the environment... Doesn't the growth of new shoots signal the end of the acclimatization period?

And no, I don't have any yamatos. And I'm pretty sure nothing's eating them. They just become progressively transparent and eventually fall off.

I can't confirm but sounds like lack of N. Whats the size/population in your tank like?

[valice]

Actually, after looking at your Hiroshima scape, it does sound like there is a lack of nutrients... The rationale is that your tank is a 6-ft... And your bioload for such a big tank is kinda low... So if wanna depend purely on the bio-waste for NPK, it might be a problem...

Although you have base fert, but heard that you have anerobic substrate problem also right? So maybe you might wanna try to add a few drips of NPK and see what's the result?

[XnSdVd]

My chem's a little rusty, what's NPK? potassium? If so, any brands to recommend? remember, it's a low tech natural light tank.

Also, spoke to Thio from biotope the just now. He tells me my kH is too high and that I should bring it down to 1. Which kinda makes sense considering griffithi is normally found nearer the source of rivers and in areas with plenty of leaf-litter(tannic acid)