Droopy plants :(

[Brendanpat]

Hi could someone help me with my plants . These are called bacopa caroliniana. They are planted about a week and a half now . They have got very droopy ,and think they mite be dying . I use tropica plant feed once a week . I keep my light on 9 hours a day . Its covered in algae now to . I'm afraid to cut my lighting down incase it needs more . And the algae is getting out of control... any help appreciated ...

 

[Brendanpat]

Any help !?

 

[BoomerXIV]

I'm not expert, is this a new tank? Did you use root tabs?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I'm sorry, not a plant I've kept and I'm not very knowledgeable on algae either. @mbsqw1d or @Ch4rlie ?

 

[Brendanpat]

I'm not expert, is this a new tank? Did you use root tabs?

Hi . Yes new tank and substrate. I didn't put in root tabs cause I thought these plants take the nutrients from the water column ? So I'm using the liquid fertiliser. Should I put a root tab in aswell ?

 

[mbsqw1d]

How did you go about planting it? Did it come with rock wool around the roots which you have removed? The roots should've been slightly trimmed and any leaves removed from the base (so leaves arent submerged below the substrate). Looks like it could do with spacing out a bit

 

[Brendanpat]

How did you go about planting it? Did it come with rock wool around the roots which you have removed? The roots should've been slightly trimmed and any leaves removed from the base (so leaves arent submerged below the substrate). Looks like it could do with spacing out a bit

Yes it came with rock wool . Which I removed and I trimmed the roots too .So thought I had done all correct . Do you think it needs a root tab aswell as the liquid fertiliser I'm using ?

 

[mbsqw1d]

Yes it came with rock wool . Which I removed and I trimmed the roots too .So thought I had done all correct . Do you think it needs a root tab aswell as the liquid fertiliser I'm using ?

Root tabs will help. Looks like there's about 5 individual plants there, id look at spacing them out a bit more

 

[Brendanpat]

You mean like pull that one up and divide it up ? How about the algae growth? Is the liquid fertiliser causing it ? Would a root tab do on it's on or should I keep using the liquid?

 

[BoomerXIV]

From what i know algae is very common in new tank, especially since your plant havent established. If i remember correctly you should reduce your light time, or add some fast growing plants to absord all the excess nutrients

 

[mbsqw1d]

Which fertilizer do you have? I would still use liquid ferts but dose it at about a third of what the bottle suggests. The instructions on the bottle consider that you have a heavily planted tank. My tank has quite a bit of plants and I dont dose at the full rate, probably half.

Ferts goes hand in hand with co2 and lighting, so if you're not injecting co2, and you dont have a super duper plant growing light, you wont need the full dose of ferts. Its all just a balancing act and algae will let us know if we're going wrong.

Plants need good circulation both in the water column and under the substrate, so try and space them out seeing as you have some room to do so
As you'll be uprooting them in order to replant/space them out, it'll give you a chance to scrub off any algae. A soft bristle toothbrush is useful, using some of the tank water

 

[Brendanpat]

Which fertilizer do you have? I would still use liquid ferts but dose it at about a third of what the bottle suggests. The instructions on the bottle consider that you have a heavily planted tank. My tank has quite a bit of plants and I dont dose at the full rate, probably half.

Ferts goes hand in hand with co2 and lighting, so if you're not injecting co2, and you dont have a super duper plant growing light, you wont need the full dose of ferts. Its all just a balancing act and algae will let us know if we're going wrong.

Plants need good circulation both in the water column and under the substrate, so try and space them out seeing as you have some room to do so
As you'll be uprooting them in order to replant/space them out, it'll give you a chance to scrub off any algae. A soft bristle toothbrush is useful, using some of the tank water

Good idea thanks .Its tropica premium nutrition plant care . And I've been giving the full dose . So that's probably part of my problem. See the large cryptocoryne x willisii to the left of picture? I left it in one large plant . It seems to be doing ok . Is it ok like that ?

 

[Brendanpat]

From what i know algae is very common in new tank, especially since your plant havent established. If i remember correctly you should reduce your light time, or add some fast growing plants to absord all the excess nutrients

Ah ok . Its seem like I've been giving to much fertiliser and there is too much nutrients. So I'll cut down it . How about the lighting ? 9 hours at the moment. Will the plants be ok with less ?

 

[mbsqw1d]

9 hours sounds ok, could probably go down to 8 and then bring back up when plants are established. Whatever changes you make, try and stick to it for a couple of weeks and be consistent.

Yes I would look at splitting the crypt plants up too as i expect you may see them struggling to establish their roots being clumped together.

Don't be alarmed if the crypts die back to begin with, or most plants for that matter. They take a bit of time acclimatising to new conditions

 

[Brendanpat]

9 hours sounds ok, could probably go down to 8 and then bring back up when plants are established. Whatever changes you make, try and stick to it for a couple of weeks and be consistent.

Yes I would look at splitting the crypt plants up too as i expect you may see them struggling to establish their roots being clumped together.

Don't be alarmed if the crypts die back to begin with, or most plants for that matter. They take a bit of time acclimatising to new conditions

Sounds like a plan . I'll do some gardening later . Thanks for help .