Star Grass not growing well

**juggler** · 6th Apr 2002, 11:03

My Star Grass was growing fine and lately become like this:

Any ideas? My light is about 4.5W/g. Tank condition: 2 dkH, ~ 6.8 - 7 pH. I add about 20ppm K, 5ppm Mg weekly and daily dose of trace elements. Substrate is cocopeat. Temp 27C.

**hoppinghippo** · 7th Apr 2002, 01:18

koah fong: I don't follow such stringent fertilizing like you but my stargrass seem to flourish tho there are occasional melting leaves, but never had blackened leaves. I have about 3.5W/gal light and 4dkh and ph 6.4, temp don't know but should be 27 I think (got fan). do your stargrass still grow runners, and do they bubble? if so then at least the conditions in your tank are still ok for at least some of them. I wonder if it's cuz you are overfertilizing? that's why you get blackened leaves? I personally fert using JBL ferropol about 2/3 times a week, one capfull.maybe you could experiment and not fert for a week and see how it affects? and do you have substrate fert?

**CK Yeo** · 7th Apr 2002, 09:25

Stargrass is very easily bruised. You have ottos in your tanks? Their rasping action on the leaves will cause it to become like that, especially if you have a smallish tank and have a few ottos.
It is not a nutritional problem.

**juggler** · 7th Apr 2002, 09:58

Thanks! Could be the Otos then. I also notice the SAE nibbling on the Rotola wallichi. But couldn't catch the bugger.

I only have cocopeat in the base topped up with some gravel.

**gchoo** · 7th Apr 2002, 19:26

----------------
On 4/7/2002 9:58:12 AM

Thanks! Could be the Otos then. I also notice the SAE nibbling on the Rotola wallichi. But couldn't catch the bugger.

I only have cocopeat in the base topped up with some gravel.
----------------

You probably need to setup a trap to get the SAE

**hoppinghippo** · 8th Apr 2002, 09:20

I have 10 ottos in my 72L tank and I don't have the same condition for my stargrass?

**CK Yeo** · 8th Apr 2002, 19:25

YMMV.

**juggler** · 4th Jun 2002, 10:13

It's been two months since I encountered the above problem. Check out the grass now!

What I did:
1) I stopped fertilising with Mg two months back. The growth improved somewhat. Seems that too much Mg is no good.
2) I washed the filter (which has not washed for more than 6 months) two weeks back. And over the first weekend, the growth seem to increase by a third! It seems there is excessive biological filteration causing some nutrients to be depleted quickly. In fact I noticed sudden spurt of growth in all other plants after the filter washing.

**peterkoh** · 4th Jun 2002, 16:08

Hi Koah Fong,

That's great news !

Is star grass a creeper and how tall does it grow ? Hope it is not so dependent on temp. like hair grass. where can i buy it ? Thks.

**juggler** · 4th Jun 2002, 16:27

Peter: The plants creeps sideways as well as grow upwards. You get a mountain-like effect after a few months. Got them from Gen-X @ Clementi. If you like, I can try spare some cuttings.

**DEA** · 4th Jun 2002, 18:55

nice, kf
how tall is it growing?

**hwchoy** · 4th Jun 2002, 19:19

KF, looks great! how do you trim it to get a bush? I am thinking of making a small bush against a corner, the rest of the tank to be hairgrass and blyxa.

**loupgarou** · 5th Jun 2002, 00:55

I've tried star grass 4 times already.. given up... (notice they fall under the easy category in tropica catalogue . rofl)

**juggler** · 5th Jun 2002, 09:27

----------------
On 6/4/2002 7:19:20 PM

KF, looks great! how do you trim it to get a bush? I am thinking of making a small bush against a corner, the rest of the tank to be hairgrass and blyxa.
----------------

I started with a few strands in the centre of the tank 4 months back. No trimming so far. It tends to grow sideways and upwards (about 6&quot; so far). So I guess it is good to start at the centre or back of the tank to get a good effect.

**Simon** · 5th Jun 2002, 09:31

koah fong, but wouldnt the center melt away from the lack of light?

**juggler** · 5th Jun 2002, 09:46

----------------
On 6/5/2002 9:31:09 AM

koah fong, but wouldnt the center melt away from the lack of light?
----------------

Simon: So far the core of the bush seem OK because it is growing loosely. But I think the core may slowly lose leaves due to lack of light eventually. But you still get a bushy effect at the surface. I saw that effect at Gen-X.

**YES** · 5th Jun 2002, 09:47

wow..very nice stargrass..
my stargrass also got the same problem u faced last two months.. not growing very well and my yamatoes like to nibble it

.. guess it time to wash my external filter also.. [:

]

**toshi** · 6th Jun 2002, 07:27

At a glance, classic signs of phosphate deficiency - try amping via KH2P04 and monitor for consistent nitrate availability. Heteranthera is a voracious grower and will burnout first &amp; easily. Surround it with fast growers and a very competitive situation arises...

Cheers,

---
toshi
http://Toshir0.tripod.com/