My Stunted HC

**greenie** · 10th Feb 2007, 11:33

Considering that I'm using EI method, 5w/gal light for 12hrs, unlimited CO2 via diffuser and twice weekly water change at 25% each time for the last 3 months - this is how much my HC grown.

My rotala macrandra growing well and rotala sp.creeping on gravel. Wonder why it's difficult to get it right with HC.

Any suggestions? And yes my only bioload is an OTO plus snails and some kind of critters pictured below.

**KeIgO86** · 10th Feb 2007, 11:38

How deep is your tank? The gravel line seems to be very dimly lit. Perhaps you should change to T5HO lights if you are getting troubles for the light to penetrate to the bottom of the tank.

**grey_fox** · 10th Feb 2007, 11:44

Hi greenie,

What sort of lighting do you have, T5HO, PL, FL?

Just to ask, for your H.C, are you constantly having to replant them back to the substrate or has it been there, untouched for the past 3 months? Normally, for H.C, as long as its untouched and with your 5WPG + E.I, they should spread rather quickly.

Perhaps, you can furnish us with more details of your tank?

As for that critter, it looks like "flat-worms" or planaria. You can read the following link to find out how to get rid of them. How to get rid of planaria (flat worms). thread.

**greenie** · 10th Feb 2007, 16:03

No, it's brightly lit. I use 4x36w PL and 3x24w T5HO so it's 216w.

My tank is 2ft deep and from light source to the HC is 21inch. I fill up the tank to almost the brim(my preferance). Left them there for 3 months already, never moved them since.

The pic doesn't represent the intensity of the light source as I used a circular polarizer at the front end, which darkens the image. The 3x24w T5 sits directly above the HC.

There's another cluster still in the pot since I bought, also became stunted like the ones on the gravel. I use that as a comparison.

**grey_fox** · 10th Feb 2007, 16:45

Judging from your lighting, its pretty intense for your tank. I assume your tank is a 3 footer? With E.I & that intensive lighting, your H.C should be spreading evenly.

One concern about your lighting that I have that it may cause your water temperatures to rise. Any idea what your temperature of your tank is? As with most other plants, H.C will have difficulties growing in warmer waters, say anything above 29 degrees.

**kitkat** · 10th Feb 2007, 17:14

sorry .... would like to ask .... what is E.I ?

**grey_fox** · 10th Feb 2007, 17:27

E.I is estimative index.

You can do a search on "estimative index" on the boards.

**greenie** · 10th Feb 2007, 21:00

Originally Posted by grey_fox

Judging from your lighting, its pretty intense for your tank. I assume your tank is a 3 footer? With E.I & that intensive lighting, your H.C should be spreading evenly.

One concern about your lighting that I have that it may cause your water temperatures to rise. Any idea what your temperature of your tank is? As with most other plants, H.C will have difficulties growing in warmer waters, say anything above 29 degrees.

Uumm, been thinking of the water temp lately, I've don't use a thermometer but I guess it's hovering 29c or above. Didn't implement any cooling for my 2 footer.

Been thinking of a chiller for that solution but need to be very sure first. Yeah, can do with fan but more convenient with chiller. Coz I can practically grow almost everything if temp can be constant 25c. Not sure about the fauna though.

**KeIgO86** · 10th Feb 2007, 23:55

Perhaps bad feng shui? Not very scientific but I tend to take comfort from that reason when things still go wrong when I find that I've already done everything right. I blame feng shui my inability to keep rams alive in my perfectly habitable planted tank (to cardinals, shrimps, corys etc.) too! I'm kind of resigned to my fate.

Furthermore its so hard to find non-balloon rams in the market these days.

Jokes aside, where have you got your HC from? LFS or from a local hobbyist. Those from LFS are usually emersed and will take a long time to start growing. Mine took almost 3 weeks to start to grow into submersed form, and after 3 weeks I lost about 75% of the plant mass due to the emersed parts dying away.

If you got it in submersed form, it should be spreading like wildfire with your kind of tank conditions within the first week.

How about floating a bunch just below the water surface to get EXTREME lights. If your floating HC still remains stunted, then its not a problem with the lights anymore.

**kadios** · 11th Feb 2007, 09:47

Is your tank newly setup? I suspect your water has not stabilized yet, and as a result, the HC is still trying to acclimatise to your environment. IMO, HC takes a longer time to adapt and thrive in more matured tanks.

Another possibility is that the plants were shaded. They need direct lighting to grow well.

What I suggest you to do is to leave a few floating on the water surface to let it adapt itself and grow. Once that happens, transfer it back to the gravel. Try it!

Cheers!

**greenie** · 11th Feb 2007, 11:24

Thanks guys with replies.

My 2ft tank is 1year plus. Intend to grow only HC lawn but had to grow some stem plants to check if my EI method is ok since my HC stunts.

FYI, I also have a 4footer of hairgrass lawn almost end to end using EI method.

216w of lighting in 150ltrs of tank should be more than enough for this 2ft one.

**grey_fox** · 11th Feb 2007, 11:30

Its more of a temperature issue I believe, not so much on the acclimatizing.

Your fauna can survive the temperature. I had my 5 footer running a chiller then at 26 degrees with discus in there and no casualties.

**kadios** · 11th Feb 2007, 21:39

I have been growing my HC in the range of 27C to 28C using 2 fans on my 3 footer, 2ft deep tank, using 150Watts MH. So it is possible to grow them without a chiller. You may wish to check on your fertilisation. My feel is that nitrate must be sufficient for it to grow well because my Taiwan moss does not grow as well after I introduced HC, probably due to the nitrates.

Cheers!