# Tips for growing lush crypts



## PortalMasteryRy (Oct 16, 2012)

Do you have any idea of your water parameters? Crypts are very easy to grow. Dirted with root tabs? Could be too much of something in the water.


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## Patriot (Dec 22, 2010)

I tested the water and everything seemed normal as far as I can tell. 

My crypt retrospiralis is stunned. It hasn't grown any since I put it in the tank. Other crypts are dropping leaves. Not melting, just leaves fall off the mother plant. 

I don't want to add too much fertilizer. I thought root tabs every 4 months would be enough.


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## BDoss1985 (Sep 15, 2011)

The trick is. ..... nothing. What type of crypts are you growing? 

I grow many varieties of crypts and the biggest issue is usually they have to get started. Once they get adjusted they will usually grow like weeds. Crypts do not like changes. ... water chemistry, lighting, being moved in tank even temp fluctuations can cause melt or stunt growth.

Depending on your crypt selection water hardness may or may not be an issue. 



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## Patriot (Dec 22, 2010)

BDoss1985 said:


> The trick is. ..... nothing. What type of crypts are you growing?
> 
> I grow many varieties of crypts and the biggest issue is usually they have to get started. Once they get adjusted they will usually grow like weeds. Crypts do not like changes. ... water chemistry, lighting, being moved in tank even temp fluctuations can cause melt or stunt growth.
> 
> ...


Most of the crypts are common that can be found everywhere. Cryptocoryne usteriana x walkeri is the hardest to find crypt I have.

I don't want to adjust water hardness in a attempt to fix it in fear of a meltdown of whole tank.


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## BDoss1985 (Sep 15, 2011)

Some adjust slowet than others unless you're seeing time id just give it time. Any pics of your x walkeri? Ive seen a couple different looking leaf variations.

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## Patriot (Dec 22, 2010)

BDoss1985 said:


> Some adjust slowet than others unless you're seeing time id just give it time. Any pics of your x walkeri? Ive seen a couple different looking leaf variations.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


I'll take a picture when I get home. It hasn't got its colors yet. I believe it is stunned too.


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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

What levels of fertilisers are you dosing? Even then Crypts tend to go pretty easy breezy so I would just give them time. I doubt water softness would be the issue either, as I'm pretty sure they are from soft water habitats. Also, a lot of people, including myself keep them in soft water tanks and they do well.


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## Patriot (Dec 22, 2010)

Opare said:


> What levels of fertilisers are you dosing? Even then Crypts tend to go pretty easy breezy so I would just give them time. I doubt water softness would be the issue either, as I'm pretty sure they are from soft water habitats. Also, a lot of people, including myself keep them in soft water tanks and they do well.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I use osmocote root tabs every 3 or 4 months. I add liquid fertilizers every 2-3 days. 

Since they are slow growing I don't add too much.


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## Boreas (Jan 24, 2016)

I've noticed that they take quite a while to get acclimated. There was leaf melt as well as very slow growth for months and then they exploded in growth.


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## Patriot (Dec 22, 2010)

I'll give them more time then. The tank as been set up for about a year now.


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

Patience mostly. 

But what kind of dirt are you using? If you're afraid of the sudden melt of crypts, gradually raise the hardness of your water every time you do a water change. You can also add some crushed coral in a mesh bag to your filter to help gradually bring up the hardness if your water is very soft. I know that feeling of having super-soft tap water.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Patriot said:


> I use osmocote root tabs every 3 or 4 months. I add liquid fertilizers every 2-3 days.
> 
> Since they are slow growing I don't add too much.


 Is this the 80 gal tank of crypt's in your signature?
If so,then the tank with plant's is still very very new.
Crypt's take time and are slower growing.
I'm confused by the root tab's every three month's if tank is only couple week's old,(previous post's) and your statement that the tank has been running with the crypt's? for a year.
In any event,it is likely to be month's before the crypt's develop to lush mother size plant's.
Under my thread's,see..(300 litre low tech).
The crypt in the foreground was nearly two year's in the tank before reaching the size that appear's in the photo .


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## Patriot (Dec 22, 2010)

Monster Fish said:


> Patience mostly.
> 
> But what kind of dirt are you using? If you're afraid of the sudden melt of crypts, gradually raise the hardness of your water every time you do a water change. You can also add some crushed coral in a mesh bag to your filter to help gradually bring up the hardness if your water is very soft. I know that feeling of having super-soft tap water.


Miracle grow potting soil. I'll try bump up the hardness slowly.

Bump:


roadmaster said:


> Is this the 80 gal tank of crypt's in your signature?
> If so,then the tank with plant's is still very very new.
> Crypt's take time and are slower growing.
> I'm confused by the root tab's every three month's if tank is only couple week's old,(previous post's) and your statement that the tank has been running with the crypt's? for a year.
> ...


It is the same tank. I've add more plants since then and some have spread out. 
If I stated that it was a couple weeks old then that was a mistake. I was typing on a phone with one hand(other hand is broken).
I wasn't really expecting super huge plants. Just a bit more filled than it is now. 

Unfortunately for me my better half wants to move into a home. I'm trying to stall her until a few more years because of this tank.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

My bad,I just saw where the dates for the start up was 2015 rather than a few week's ago.
Is possible the miracle grow has been exhausted of nutrient's and fresh dirt may be needed after a year.
Root tab's alone may not be enough without new soil.
Most claim you can get about a year's growth from the soil which is why some mix cat litter or clay or peat that have the ability to hold nutrient's for a bit longer.
Deeper dirt substrate also help's.
Would like to see today photo of the tank with crypt's.


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## Patriot (Dec 22, 2010)

roadmaster said:


> My bad,I just saw where the dates for the start up was 2015 rather than a few week's ago.
> Is possible the miracle grow has been exhausted of nutrient's and fresh dirt may be needed after a year.
> Root tab's alone may not be enough without new soil.
> Most claim you can get about a year's growth from the soil which is why some mix cat litter or clay or peat that have the ability to hold nutrient's for a bit longer.
> ...


Don't mind the dirty glass. Haven't clean it yet this week.


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

Your crypts look healthy. Just give them more time to grow. You can't rush crypts to become mother-sized plants even with CO2.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Is a lot of crypt's feeding primarily from soil unless your also dosing the water column.
Would not be hard for me to imagine the soil as maybe time to re-dirt, make deeper.
Just re-dirted my own 80 gal tank after two year's.
I capped the dirt with safe-t-sorb that will help hold nutrient's longer.
I also add 3/4 tsp of macro/micro package from aquariumfrtilizer.com to the water once a week. 
Has only been about three week's since I re-dirted but new plant's placed in the tank two week's past are doing well save for a few leaves dropping from crypt blasii.


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## Patriot (Dec 22, 2010)

Some are dropping leaves. Whole healthy leaves are found floating every few days. Trying to figure out if my tank is missing a nutrient or not. 

I'll give them more time and add some root tabs tomorrow.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Do look into the macro/micro package of dry fertz I mentioned if it is truly lush growth you want to see.$20.00 or threreabout's for a year's worth of dry fertz for your tank.
Many of the root tab's are comprised largely of iron and I would want full range of macro and micro nutrient's finding their way to the plant's.
The crypt's in the photo are numerous, but having grown them for some time in my low tech affair's ,they should be much larger after a year in your tank than photo represent's.


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## Patriot (Dec 22, 2010)

roadmaster said:


> Do look into the macro/micro package of dry fertz I mentioned if it is truly lush growth you want to see.$20.00 or threreabout's for a year's worth of dry fertz for your tank.
> Many of the root tab's are comprised largely of iron and I would want full range of macro and micro nutrient's finding their way to the plant's.
> The crypt's in the photo are numerous, but having grown them for some time in my low tech affair's ,they should be much larger after a year in your tank than photo represent's.


Thank you. I will do that.


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