Eleocharis Acicularis

[Bruben]

Hi all,

My plants doesn’t appear to be doing great. It’s “Eleocharis Acicularis” and the tips are going brown (as pictured).

Is it dying or is it algae growing in it?

It’s planted in sand and has a root tab next to it.

Any advice welcome!

cheers

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

It might be algae...
Mine's stayed the proper shade of bright green and it's in a sand substrate, but without a root tab.
...And that's in spite of kuhli loach making tunnels underneath it.
I have a neutral pH of bang on 7.0 and hardness is at GH60/KH40.
Lots of fish and shrimp, but no ammonia or nitrite and, currently no nitrates either.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

It might be algae...
Mine's stayed the proper shade of bright green and it's in a sand substrate, but without a root tab.
...And that's in spite of kuhli loach making tunnels underneath it.
I have a neutral pH of bang on 7.0 and hardness is at GH60/KH40.
Lots of fish and shrimp, but no ammonia or nitrite and, currently no nitrates either.

Plus...forgot about the light...it's at the front of the tank, getting an hour sunrise, a whole 12 hours daylight, followed by an hours sunset, an hours 'night' and nine hours lights out.

 

[Bruben]

It might be algae...
Mine's stayed the proper shade of bright green and it's in a sand substrate, but without a root tab.
...And that's in spite of kuhli loach making tunnels underneath it.
I have a neutral pH of bang on 7.0 and hardness is at GH60/KH40.
Lots of fish and shrimp, but no ammonia or nitrite and, currently no nitrates either.

Plus...forgot about the light...it's at the front of the tank, getting an hour sunrise, a whole 12 hours daylight, followed by an hours sunset, an hours 'night' and nine hours lights out.

Mines 7.5PH, 5KH & 11GH using NT Labs kit - not sure how that compares to your GH & KH of 60/40? 10 Nitrate 0 ammonia 0 nitrite from my test earlier.

It’s also at the front of my tank and gets about 10 hours light per day from the tank LEDs.

As long as it’s just algae I’m not too fussed as the gouramis, corys and shrimp like to nibble on the algae I’ve got growing on other plants

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Mines 7.5PH, 5KH & 11GH using NT Labs kit - not sure how that compares to your GH & KH of 60/40? 10 Nitrate 0 ammonia 0 nitrite from my test earlier.

It’s also at the front of my tank and gets about 10 hours light per day from the tank LEDs.

As long as it’s just algae I’m not too fussed as the gouramis, corys and shrimp like to nibble on the algae I’ve got growing on other plants

How many (-ish) shrimp?
I ask because I've got a lot and my tank is relatively algae-free, with even my feathery Limnophila bright green and clean.
I did notice some algae growing on another plant, so I fasted the tank.
The following morning, that algae had gone.

 

[Bruben]

How many (-ish) shrimp?
I ask because I've got a lot and my tank is relatively algae-free, with even my feathery Limnophila bright green and clean.
I did notice some algae growing on another plant, so I fasted the tank.
The following morning, that algae had gone.

7 Amanos at the mo. Open to adding more if it would help!

Does fasted mean not feeding? I think I probably do feed too much as I like to make sure everyone gets a share

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

7 Amanos at the mo. Open to adding more if it would help!

Does fasted mean not feeding? I think I probably do feed too much as I like to make sure everyone gets a share

Fasted meant that I didn't feed the tank for a day.
If you feed them, why would they bother with algae?

Obviously, they're looking for food all of the time, but if you haven't put food in the tank, then they're more likely to eat the algae.

 

[Bruben]

Fasted meant that I didn't feed the tank for a day.
If you feed them, why would they bother with algae?

Obviously, they're looking for food all of the time, but if you haven't put food in the tank, then they're more likely to eat the algae.

Sounds like a fantastic idea and one I will give a bash tomorrow!

Would neon tetras and zebra danios also eat algae if hungry? I’ve seen the gouramis, corys and obviously shrimp going at it but never noticed the others doing it.

Also, I was reading your thread earlier on fast growing plants - would more plants mean less algae?

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Sounds like a fantastic idea and one I will give a bash tomorrow!

Would neon tetras and zebra danios also eat algae if hungry?

Not really...and remember that you can easily leave your fish for at least a week without food, if ever you wanted to go away on holiday.

Also, I was reading your thread earlier on fast growing plants - would more plants mean less algae?

Yes.

 

[Bruben]

Since not feeding this morning (which is when I usually feed them) even the neons and zebras are picking at algae!

Fantastic idea, cheers @Bruce Leyland-Jones

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Since not feeding this morning (which is when I usually feed them) even the neons and zebras are picking at algae!

Fantastic idea, cheers @Bruce Leyland-Jones

Was it definitely algae and is it all gone now?

 

[Bruben]

Was it definitely algae and is it all gone now?

Still there