# Eleocharis Acicularis not growing



## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

Hi all, this is Alcest, I'm new to planted aquariums and i'd like to start with something "Easy" almost "newbie-proof", so I decided to go for Eleocharis Acicularis (Dwarf Hairgrass), so I set up my tank for like 3 weeks, then I planted the Hairgrass, it has been two weeks since I planted them and the plants looks like they are dying or something like that, not sure if I should give them more time, or what should I do.

This are my Tank Specs:
30GAL
Seachem Flourite Black
24C - 26C
CO2 100 bubbles/minute
NO2 0
NO3 0
PH 6.5-7
KH 40
GH 60
6 hours a day of 60w 6500k 2700lm floodlights

Here are some photos of what the plants looks like (Photos like a little bit greener than they really are)









































I hope anyone can help, and I'd be grateful for your opinions.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Are you dosing ferts?

Are your bulbs 60watt equivalent or actual 60watts?


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

houseofcards said:


> Are you dosing ferts?
> 
> Are your bulbs 60watt equivalent or actual 60watts?


Not dosing ferts

60watt equivalent (a pair of 30w floodlights)


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

What is the actual wattage on the floodlights?


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

houseofcards said:


> What is the actual wattage on the floodlights?


Havent meassured it yet, the box said 30W, i have two of them.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

I'm not sure what lights you have, but it's unusual to provide co2 and not dose ferts. The plants the need ferts either way, but with co2 dosing is usually a necessity.


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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

Agree with House, they may need to be fed with some nutrients.


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

houseofcards said:


> I'm not sure what lights you have, but it's unusual to provide co2 and not dose ferts. The plants the need ferts either way, but with co2 dosing is usually a necessity.





Opare said:


> Agree with House, they may need to be fed with some nutrients.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


So should I dose some ferts?
What should I try?


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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

Look at the EI dosing regime and PPS-Pro. Realistically you would be giving much more than what your plants would require if you went those routes. So, I would just do like a 1/4 EI or something and it should be fine.
Always remember plant growth is determined (mainly) by 3 things light, CO2 and nutrients. You were only providing 2 of those things that's why you were having problems. I would recommend having some more plants, stems in particular, to battle algae and stuff as well.
Hope this helps!


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

Opare said:


> Look at the EI dosing regime and PPS-Pro. Realistically you would be giving much more than what your plants would require if you went those routes. So, I would just do like a 1/4 EI or something and it should be fine.
> Always remember plant growth is determined (mainly) by 3 things light, CO2 and nutrients. You were only providing 2 of those things that's why you were having problems. I would recommend having some more plants, stems in particular, to battle algae and stuff as well.
> Hope this helps!
> 
> ...


Would it be OK if I start dosing with Seachem products?


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Alcest said:


> Would it be OK if I start dosing with Seachem products?


Seachem is fine. At the end of the day it's the same stuff essential to the plants. Liquid ferts are just more expensive in the long run. Do yo have Seachem N,P,K and Seachem Flourish Comp.


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

houseofcards said:


> Seachem is fine. At the end of the day it's the same stuff essential to the plants. Liquid ferts are just more expensive in the long run. Do yo have Seachem N,P,K and Seachem Flourish Comp.


Just got Seachem P and K, gettibg the Nitrogen asap.

Forgot to say that i use RO Water, i was reading that some ppl recommend to use tap water (with antichlorine), what do you guys use?


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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

Depends how hard you water is. If you are using RO water you need to remineralise it or else it lacks some stuff that plants need. You can do this using products or by mixing it with tap water (dechlorinated). I would look into this as this may also be causing issues.
By the way off topic but finally realised your profile picture and name is in referance to the band LOL. The Kodama album cover is very nice.


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

Opare said:


> Depends how hard you water is. If you are using RO water you need to remineralise it or else it lacks some stuff that plants need. You can do this using products or by mixing it with tap water (dechlorinated). I would look into this as this may also be causing issues.
> By the way off topic but finally realised your profile picture and name is in referance to the band LOL. The Kodama album cover is very nice.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yesterday made a 30% water change, added TAP water, ill start doing this weekly ^^ hope it helps to my plants.

Also, your name reminded me the song Opale from Shelter ^^


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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

Alcest said:


> Yesterday made a 30% water change, added TAP water, ill start doing this weekly ^^ hope it helps to my plants.
> 
> 
> 
> Also, your name reminded me the song Opale from Shelter ^^


You sort of need to find a ratio of tap to RO that gives you the kH and gH (this depends more on the livestock you want to keep rather than the plants) you want. So you'll need test kits for that.
My name is actually the name of a relatively unknown football/soccer player that became a cult hero between my friends.


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## Bananableps (Nov 6, 2013)

Your mystery snails are looking particularly mysterious.

In my experience, hairgrass loves nutrients at the root. I use dirt and I can hardly contain the growth. Seeing as you aren't using dirt and it will be awhile before you accumulate enough fish mulm, try root tabs. Would not worry about light - hairgrass does not need much.


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

Bananableps said:


> Your mystery snails are looking particularly mysterious.
> 
> In my experience, hairgrass loves nutrients at the root. I use dirt and I can hardly contain the growth. Seeing as you aren't using dirt and it will be awhile before you accumulate enough fish mulm, try root tabs. Would not worry about light - hairgrass does not need much.


So you are sayin that i should have waited a little bit more to plant it? 0:


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Hairgrass couldn't care less whether the nutrients come from the water column or the substrate. I've grown it countless times. I have it growing literally out the box in inert sand.


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

houseofcards said:


> Hairgrass couldn't care less whether the nutrients come from the water column or the substrate. I've grown it countless times. I have it growing literally out the box in inert sand.


Looks like they are still dying 

I took more pictures of week 3 (since planted, not the tank), the plants still going yellow/brown-ish and not sure whats goin on, the tank is getting algae on the top of the substrate and on the walls.

Most of them looks like the first photo.

































































ALBUM


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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

That brown algae is quite normal in the start up of new tanks it's called diatoms.
Patience is the name of the game though it's still too early too see whether your DHG is going to bounce back.
What changes did you make between then and now?


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

Opare said:


> That brown algae is quite normal in the start up of new tanks it's called diatoms.
> Patience is the name of the game though it's still too early too see whether your DHG is going to bounce back.
> What changes did you make between then and now?
> 
> ...


A 30% water change, from RO to TAP water.

Started dosing with seachem products Potassium and Phosphorus.

Reduced light cycle from 6 hours to 4.

Im tryin to get Nitrogen (from seachem) asap.

So plants arent dead yet, right?


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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

Alcest said:


> A 30% water change, from RO to TAP water.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Green means there is hope! Yeah get some N and fingers crossed you should start to see improvement. I would recommend like I said previously to get more plants or hardscape and go crazy with the scape as with just DHG algae growth becomes more favourable. Also you may become bored with just a mat of underwater grass [emoji23].


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

Opare said:


> Green means there is hope! Yeah get some N and fingers crossed you should start to see improvement. I would recommend like I said previously to get more plants or hardscape and go crazy with the scape as with just DHG algae growth becomes more favourable. Also you may become bored with just a mat of underwater grass [emoji23].
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Want to start with DHG, the start hardscaping, but not so hard, just simple, some dragon rocks and i'd like to build a mossy tree ^^.
So I hope DHG start growing.


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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

Alcest said:


> Want to start with DHG, the start hardscaping, but not so hard, just simple, some dragon rocks and i'd like to build a mossy tree ^^.
> 
> So I hope DHG start growing.


It's usually easier to hardscape etc. first so you have more space and things don't get tossed about as you experiment. Just something to keep in mind for next time.


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

Opare said:


> It's usually easier to hardscape etc. first so you have more space and things don't get tossed about as you experiment. Just something to keep in mind for next time.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yeah im sure that is easier, but i wasnt sure about whats what I wanted to do, so Im trying to make a DHG carpet, then I guess I'll try to do some hardscape.

Just got my Nitrogen, now Im dosing NPK, hope it helps.

Ill take parameters tomorrow to see whats goin on my tank and I'll keep you updated guys, thanks c:


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

UPDATE,

Im not sure if the plants are getting better, 10 days since started the complete NPK dosing with Seachem products.
Todays photos.
































































Album

What do you guys think?
Maybe the plants are getting covered with some algae, should I add something to help them? shrimps? or any kind of fish?


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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

Maybe some sort of shrimp? RCS or something.


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

Opare said:


> Maybe some sort of shrimp? RCS or something.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Do you think they'd help ?

I have two adult zebrafish, do they eat adult RCS?


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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

Alcest said:


> Do you think they'd help ?
> 
> 
> 
> I have two adult zebrafish, do they eat adult RCS?


Well there isn't a lot of cover them so they might get stressed out.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Are you measuring co2? Do you have a picture or a link to the bulbs your using?


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

Opare said:


> Well there isn't a lot of cover them so they might get stressed out.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Was thinking the same, I have a small Shrimptank, but dont want to get them eaten haha.



houseofcards said:


> Are you measuring co2? Do you have a picture or a link to the bulbs your using?


I use the DIY Yeast CO2 system (since here in Mexico is hard to find good quality + good price equipment), working at 1 bubble per sec or so.

These are the bulbs, a pair of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CY348ZO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
As far as i know these plants doesnt need high ligth requirments.


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

Update guys, I think I found what was the problem with my eleocharis growth, almos at week ago I made DIY a CO2 reactor and the plants are getting greener and greener every day c:, hope this works.

Ill update with photos soon (week 5).

Im thinking getting a circulation pump, what do you guys think?


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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

More flow and circulation is usually always good.


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

Week 5 since DHG were planted.

From week 4 to 5 reduced the NPK dosing dose, and the diy CO2 reactor with CO2 Yeast recipe looks like its doing a great job!
Also the brown-ish dots/algae on the walls is now green-ish, so I think this is something possitive!
Added a small portion of Java Moss iside a breeder box.
Now leaving the time do their job and dosing NPK once a week and cleaning algae from walls occasionally.


Here are some pictures!


































































Album


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## Alcest (Sep 28, 2016)

Updating... Week 9.


































Album


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