# HELP! Dwarf Hair Grass Turning Yellow



## Nick Lewis (Sep 12, 2018)

I just got my first 10g aquarium and decided to make it planted. I just finished adding everything and it’s moderatly planted(5 packages of culture plants from PetSmart). The tank has been cycled with nitrate/nitrite both near0 and I added some type of lava rock type plant medium they recommended. Now after about 2 weeks all 7 clumps of DHG has begun turning yellow while the other different types of plants haven’t changed. Does anyone have any suggestions? I’m using a 18w 7500k led on for 10 hours a day and have just added seachem flourish today.


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## kashif314 (Oct 11, 2017)

Do you add any fertilizers? You don't need much. Just dose seachem potassium and iron and they will start to turn green.


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## The Algae Farm (Aug 24, 2018)

Unfortunately, it's probably not going to make it. Sorry. I went through the same thing myself. 

What I learned through that process is DHG doesn't like to be planted in clumps without a substantial root structure you simply don't find in chain store culture plants.

I think the best thing to do with DHG in those little bags is to rinse the gel off and let it all float in the tank (or tie it to a rock with the base exposed) until it has established some roots. Then pull it apart and I plant in smaller sections. 

It does *much* better with >10ppm nitrates and the other nutrients to match, including liquid carbon.


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## Surf (Jun 13, 2017)

> Do you add any fertilizers? You don't need much. Just dose seachem potassium and iron and they will start to turn green.


While fertilizers will help just adding iron and potassium will probably not work. Other than iron and potassium there are 12 other elements needed for plant growth. There are multiple things that can cause poor plant growth. You stated Earlier your Nitrate was zero. Plant need nitrogen to grow and if you have zero nitrate that could be your problem. 

You probably need a good complete fertlizer like Nilocg.com Thrive. The plants may or may not recover (it depends on what they need and how much damage was done to the plant). 



> What I learned through that process is DHG doesn't like to be planted in clumps without a substantial root structure you simply don't find in chain store culture plants.


The clumps will grow provided the water has the nutrients it needs. Yes it will take time for the plant to develope a good root structure. I would place it on the subrate and place a stainless steel wire screen over it. The screen will hold it in place allowing it to develope a good root structure. And then when it is established just lift the screeen off.


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## The Algae Farm (Aug 24, 2018)

In my experience, even with enough nutrients, the outer leaves of larger clumps effectively outcompete the inner leaves when they're planted, unless you have *significant* water flow aimed directly at it. Even then I still found they did better when left to float (or tied to/pinned under something) so they would spread out and get better flow through the centers. 

Once the central leaves die off the rest of the leaves struggle to produce more roots.


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## kashif314 (Oct 11, 2017)

I am not a plant expert but yellowing leaves i very successfully dealt with adding seachem potassium and iron twice a week and seachem flourish comprehensive once a week. I also had very low to almost nill nitrates. Mostly the most important fertilizer for me is potassium for plants. My pearl grass got so yellow and damaged that i was told it can't be good again but by dosing above mentioned fertz in a week i see change and in two weeks i was having lush green leaves again. 

Again i am not a plant expert and know very little about them but just sharing my experience.


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