# Bacopa not growing properly



## Django (Jun 13, 2012)

meheytavel said:


> Hi Everyone
> I'm new to the forum, so thanks to all of you for the knowledge and good tips...
> My low-tech planted tank is 3 months old. The story is long, but the bottom line is that I have some black, fine (1mm) gravel on top of a courser gravel (~1cm). I've had a val for a while, which is growing fine and sending of runners. I have an anubias, which is full of algae (as expected  ). I have algae problems, which I'm trying to control by covering the tank during the day to stop excess sun light from entering. I planted some bacopa a month ago (I planted it in the course gravel. This was before I added the fine gravel). It was beautiful when I got it but then it shed it's leaves and the new leaves growing at the top are small and covered with algae (see pic).
> 1. Does anyone have an idea why the bacopa isn't growing faster with bigger leaves, since it's supposed to be a fast plant.
> ...


It would be helpful if you could take a picture of the tank with the lighting on. Looks very dark. Any way you can get a test kit? Can you specify more the kind of lighting it is (manufacturer, type of bulb)?

I don't think covering the tank during the day is helping the plants. You might try raising the lighting to reduce the algae.

Are you using any fertilizer or additives. The gravel is inert and the plants need food - probably more than the fish food can provide.

Sometimes when you see algae on plants, it means that some part or parts of the aquation is wrong and the plants aren't growing well. So it's like giving you a message.


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## meheytavel (Nov 6, 2014)

Hi
The lamp is a eurolux PL-36WD
There are very few plants, so I assumed the fish waste would suffice. I have a NO3 test kit, I'll take a reading later on and post in.
I took out the infested bacopa this evening. I will try disinfecting it with some potassium permanganate and replanting.
A friend gave me a stash of water sprite. So that is floating on the surface and hopefully will do some good to the nutrient balance in the water.

Attached is a photo of the current setup with the lights on 
I'll keep posting updates...


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## Django (Jun 13, 2012)

Hi. I'm assuming the lighting is 36 Watts. And you said that the tank dimensions are 60X40X30 cm. 60cm is the length, and I think from looking at the picture that the height is 40cm. That's 15.748in, which is taller than my 12in height tank. I have (see below) two 10W Compact Fluorescent Lights in very good reflectors about 18 inches above the top of the tank, with 2 inches of substrate, so real light depth is about 28 inches from the bulbs to the substrate. You might want to compare your light to mine - of course my light is too strong, that's why I put the lights up so high. But the plants are doing very well - the substrate is potting mix (soil) and has fertilizers in it. I am going to start 1/4 of the fertilizer dose for high tech (IE) on Saturday. Maybe the plants will do even better. Or maybe I'll get an algae bloom.

Picture below:


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Starved for light is my guess.


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## meheytavel (Nov 6, 2014)

Django, that's a beautiful tank! 
My volume is app 50 litre, which makes the light almost 1W per litre which is not bad, I think. 
I tested for no3 and po4 last night. Got almost 0 in both. I'll start adding ferts according to the instructions, and hope I dont get an algae bloom


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

I have always struggled to grow bacopa in a low tech. It really isbt a low tech plant IMHO.

Hygro polysperma is!! It the fastest growing plant I have ever seen. I have tried almost 50 different plants in my tank and this one is crazy fast grower.


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## meheytavel (Nov 6, 2014)

I think I read bacopa should be good for low tech as well. I dipped my bacopa in 5% bleach and left them to floating on the surface together with the sprite, hoping theyll send out roots. I'll keep you posted on the results.


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## meheytavel (Nov 6, 2014)

Oh, and I've been looking around for hygrophila of any kind, but no one here seems to sell them :-(


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## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

Post some up close pictures of the plant damage. They are too far away to tell what is wrong.


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## Django (Jun 13, 2012)

meheytavel, what do you think about the lighting - is it sufficient? What kind of reflector do you have - white plastic?

The tube's model number is printed on the tube near one end. If you can post it it would give some information about the tube.

Also, with things as they stand with your tank, I don't think fertilizer will help at this time because the plants are not growing enough to use it. I really, having thought about it, have to agree with burr740's assessment. But it's hard from a picture - I'm used to a lot of light so I may be wrong. So look around at better lighting and finding out about what's available. Over here, a single T5 bulb might do it. A T5 high-output tube is narrower than the T8's but with greater output and more efficient. T5s are referred to as T5HO (high output) and T5NO (normal output).

Try to get more fast-growing plants in there when you get the lighting straightened out. And when you fertilize, I'd start out at 1/4 or maybe 1/3 of the dose unless the fertilizer is specifically intended for low tech planted tanks.


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## meheytavel (Nov 6, 2014)

Hi Django
Sorry for not responding earlier. Some kind of connectivity problem...
I can't find my type of bulb on the internet. Maybe it's no good. It says it's a 36W, 2900 lumen lamp. I've got a spare Osram lamp, so maybe I'll try that one.
The reflector is white plastic. Would it help covering it with some tin foil? The lamp is pretty much built into the tank, as you can see from the pictures, so I can't really change things all that easily. I'll see what it takes to replace the lamp with a T5. Maybe that will solve my summer temp. problems, too.
I've been fertilizing every two days. On Thursday, I'll check the nitrate again and cut down the ferts if the level is ~10ppm. 
As for plants, I'm trying to get some hygrophila, but it's not easy to get a hold of where I live. Hopefully I'll get a bunch in a couple of weeks.
Another Q. The filter is quite powerful for the size - 1500L/h. Could that be driving the CO2 out of the water or something? Did you ever hear of a strong pump head causing plant problems?
Thanks a lot


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## BHolmes (Aug 23, 2012)

Bacopa loves light. I'm growing it in my QT/fry tank with tap water and light. It is also my 24 inch tall background plant in my 90g high tech tank. If you can, find some mirror film for your light instead of tin foil. Or you could buy a better light that would make life a lot easier in the long run. I would also only dose ferts once a week with the plant mass that you have and just a little.


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## Django (Jun 13, 2012)

Good growing, BHolmes!

meheytavel, the 1500 l/h filter has a 10x maximum of a 150l. tank. The plants like it better at around 5x, suit to taste. Sorry, I still haven't figured out what 60cm x 40cm x 30cm. is. Wait. 60 x 40 is 2400cm^2, x 30 is 72000cm^3. Am I right? 72 l. about 19 gal.

I kinda think the lighting ought to be a bit more intense, because of the height of the tank. But I have tended to overdo it with the lights. Other opinions, please?

Please get a liquid test kit like API Master Test Kit. Then at least we can know what the pH is, and a General Hardness test (GH) so we can see what that is. Hope we are getting somewhere here.


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## meheytavel (Nov 6, 2014)

Hi. I checked today and I dont have room for a double t5 fixture in my hood. Instead, Ill install a 55w PL lamp, and hope for the best. I'll also try getting ph and kh readings from an lfs. Will keep you updated. Thanks.


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## meheytavel (Nov 6, 2014)

Ok, I'm ready for an update! 
I installed a PLL 55W lamp, and replaced the filter with a 800 lph head. 
Then, I planted 4 new plants : two hygrophilas, ludwigia repens and what looks like a cabomba. The otos look happy with the change. I'll try getting some snails, also, to help with the algae. Attached is a pic. 
No Chemistry yet. Haven't got around to it. I hope these plants survive and thrive.


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## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

Things are looking good, keep up the good work!


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## meheytavel (Nov 6, 2014)

OK, I'm ready for an update!
Attached is a recent photo. I hope the plants grow well and the algae stays under control...
Details: Vol ~17G. Lighting PLL-55W 6500K. Filter 800lpm but choked for lower flow. 
Plants: Vals (growing and spreading from 2 plants to about 6 or 7 now), hygrophila angustifolia, tiger hygrophila, limnophilia, ludwigia repens, java moss and microsorum (java fern?). 
Fauna: 10 danio zebra. 5 neon tetra, 6 otos (1 died yesterday  ) and 2 amano shrimps
What do you think? I wish to just sit back and enjoy it now...


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## micheljq (Oct 24, 2012)

philipraposo1982 said:


> I have always struggled to grow bacopa in a low tech. It really isbt a low tech plant IMHO.
> 
> Hygro polysperma is!! It the fastest growing plant I have ever seen. I have tried almost 50 different plants in my tank and this one is crazy fast grower.


Agreed +1


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## Django (Jun 13, 2012)

I just took a pic of my 10g. tank. After I put in a soil substrate + sand cap, the plants started growing like crazy. Some of them, like the Sword and Crypts benefit greatly from a Seachem Root Tab under the roots. The Crypts were never like this.

However, my tank is kind of sick after a month of no water changes or ferts up until the other day. I will work harder to take care of the tank better.

Hope your tank continues to do well. Oh, I got some Chain Link Swords last week, in the middle front of the tank. I'm hoping they do well.

Steven


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