# rotala wallichi problems



## plantman25 (Aug 17, 2014)

I'm trying to figure out what is wrong with my wallichi. I have a 175w 10k mh 32" from substrate, injecting co2, dosing npk, csm+b via ei. It was pearling and putting off new stems until I switched lighting(was using 23w 6500k CFLs) so I'm wondering if its from to much light. My AR is looking brownish on the top too. After all the work/$$$ I've put into the tank I'm very unhappy with it and is quit embarrising, makes me wanna go back to low tech. Any help is appreciated, thanks.


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## Underwater (Jun 25, 2012)

How old is the MH?

Did you change anything else when you switched lights? Increase ferts or CO2?

My R. wallichii does well as long as I give it lots of CO2 and micronutes.


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## plantman25 (Aug 17, 2014)

Bulb is new and I'm dosing as much co2 as possible and just got my nutrients dialed in. My only other guess is the leaves getting covered after WC(even though I try to clean it afterwards). This is one of my favorite plants so I don't want to lose it. My macranda is growing fine so I know its not to low of light. I haven't changed anything except increase csm+b and mgS03.


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## Xiaozhuang (Feb 15, 2012)

Too much magnesium can melt plants ? 
Its not about CO2, wallichi grows fine in a low tech setup, even though it may not get the best color...
If the ARs are not doing well also, they may benefit from a richer, less coarse substrate

In a low tech setep...


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## plantman25 (Aug 17, 2014)

Xiaozhuang said:


> Too much magnesium can melt plants ?
> Its not about CO2, wallichi grows fine in a low tech setup, even though it may not get the best color...
> If the ARs are not doing well also, they may benefit from a richer, less coarse substrate
> 
> In a low tech setep...


I'm only dosing mg cause I have other plants with curled leaves, and was advised that it should help. I'm only dosing half the recommended dose of 1/2 tsp. I recently put osmocote tabs throughout the tank specifically by the two plants mentioned.I guess I'll move the wallichi to another tank and see how it does if dosing mg is melting it. Thanks.


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## Xiaozhuang (Feb 15, 2012)

I think your dose is reasonable.. Som rotalas are also sensitive to high kh ranges,


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## plantman25 (Aug 17, 2014)

My kh is around 9-10 last I checked. I don't understand how it looks like this but I still am getting new growth? I also thought macranda was a more sensitive/demanding plant but its doing better than the wallichi. I'll move it to try and save it then possibly try it in here again after I switch to sand substrate.


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

It looks like you have very little plant mass. How much EI are you dosing?


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## plantman25 (Aug 17, 2014)

Solcielo lawrencia said:


> It looks like you have very little plant mass. How much EI are you dosing?


1/4 KN03, 1/16(dash) KH2P04, 1/4 csm+b, 1/4 mgS03. I dose seachem K and Fe according to label when needed.


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

plantman25 said:


> 1/4 KN03, 1/16(dash) KH2P04, 1/4 csm+b, 1/4 mgS03. I dose seachem K and Fe according to label when needed.


In ppm's please.


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## Rainer (Jan 30, 2011)

Xiaozhuang said:


> Too much magnesium can melt plants ?
> Its not about CO2, wallichi grows fine in a low tech setup, even though it may not get the best color...
> If the ARs are not doing well also, they may benefit from a richer, less coarse substrate
> 
> In a low tech setep...


 That's amazing. I have rotala Vietnam, which I'm told is very similar to the wallichi, in a high tech tank. It arrived looking a lot like yours but started growing offshoots that were leggy and light green. Apparently it's necessary to restrict nutrients to achieve the dense, reddish look; EI results in this:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=793066


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

More than likely, R. wallichii requires higher concentrations of iron than typical. Iron deficiency results in leggy, short, and dark leaves.


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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

What size tank? I ask because the 1/4 CSM+B seems high since you're dosing 1/4 KNO3 also. I dose 1/2 tsp of KNO3 and 1/8 tsp of CSM+B. My tank is a 48g. 

I was dosing 1/4 CSM+B and that was a toxic level of Iron I was told. My rotala vietnam looks like yours as a result. I dropped my dose down and it bounced back for the most part.

The sticky is a typo on the level of CSM+B is basically what I'm getting at. If you're also dosing Seachem Iron it's a real possibility this is a toxicity.


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## plantman25 (Aug 17, 2014)

bsantucci said:


> What size tank? I ask because the 1/4 CSM+B seems high since you're dosing 1/4 KNO3 also. I dose 1/2 tsp of KNO3 and 1/8 tsp of CSM+B. My tank is a 48g.
> 
> I was dosing 1/4 CSM+B and that was a toxic level of Iron I was told. My rotala vietnam looks like yours as a result. I dropped my dose down and it bounced back for the most part.
> 
> The sticky is a typo on the level of CSM+B is basically what I'm getting at. If you're also dosing Seachem Iron it's a real possibility this is a toxicity.


 Its a 40b but I'm running a 175w mh fixture and was advised by others in another post to dose those amounts sue to curling leaves of other plants. I'm gonna just tear the tank down and use dirt with blasting sand cap.


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## Red Cloud (Nov 11, 2014)

I would keep it simple, If the lighting was changed, and it was doing fine before, then it is the lighting. My wallichi doesn't like the higher kelvin lighting either. Mine grew like a beautiful weed until my 6500k bulb went out. I replaced it with a spare 50/50 6500/10000 and it started to go darker, lose leaves, and turn leggy. I switched that bulb with a 6500 from another tank and now I'm getting new bright green growth at the bottom. Everything was the same but the lights

Obsession is a matter of opinion


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## plantman25 (Aug 17, 2014)

Red Cloud said:


> I would keep it simple, If the lighting was changed, and it was doing fine before, then it is the lighting. My wallichi doesn't like the higher kelvin lighting either. Mine grew like a beautiful weed until my 6500k bulb went out. I replaced it with a spare 50/50 6500/10000 and it started to go darker, lose leaves, and turn leggy. I switched that bulb with a 6500 from another tank and now I'm getting new bright green growth at the bottom. Everything was the same but the lights
> 
> Obsession is a matter of opinion


I'm still getting new growth, and it really went downhill when I pulled up my s. Repens carpet. It wasn't in the best shape when I got it from my LFS but it was free so I took it.


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## supersilverado496 (Feb 10, 2015)

I just joined this forum, I have read many old post off google and finally decided to join in. I have been running a current usa 150w x 2 metal halide that I got off a reefer on Craigslist. I replaced the bulbs with 6500k grow bulbs and it's been doing a little too good on my daughters 55 gallon tall. I use a cheap current usa satellite led I got refurbished off ebay dirt cheap for most of the day and just run the mh during the noon period. I used to do some hydroponics back in the college days and I think your problem is in the bulbs. 6500k is what green plants need the most. 10000k is only going to grow ocean life accustomed to deeper water that the shorter wavelength light normally doesn't penetrate to....but I could be wrong because I am fairly new to large aquariums. However I have non aquatic experience with metal halide. I don't think I've ever even seen a 10000k bulb listed as a grow light.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Red Cloud (Nov 11, 2014)

10000k is at the upper end of what freshwater aquatic plants use. After that, you are right, you are getting into reefing territory. 6500 is just a safer bet, and I have always seen better results with it. Below 5000 and you are in algae loving red spectrum


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## AlanLe (Jan 10, 2013)

I had this thing really pink in my other tank. 








Not anymore in my 65gl










-Alan


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## plantman25 (Aug 17, 2014)

Well I switched my substrate to dirt capped with blasting sand so hopefully I can get this plant looking better. I'll be getting a 6500k bulb within the week as well.


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## mlongpre dxYh (May 24, 2014)

Any update? Did it help?


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