# Roots growing out of the middle of the stem plants



## rstewart8 (Apr 19, 2013)

I have a quick question for everyone. My stem plants seem to all grow these root like structures out of the middle of their stems. I'm wondering if I am doing something wrong with my fertilizer or CO2 or lights.

IMG_0471 by Ryan Stewart, on Flickr

Tank Info:

50 Gallon 
Lighting: 1 Dual T540 & 1 Finnex Planted Plus 24/7
Lighting Period:7 hrs
Fertilizer Regime: EI Dosing for 55 gallon tank (Plant guy's dry ferts)
KH & GH Buffer 2.5 teaspoons of Seachem Equilibrium on sunday after water change
CO2: 5 lb CO2 tank with a reactor run off of a Fluval 204
Drop Checker: Always lime green using a 4 DKH solution - Assumed approx 30 PPM CO2
Main Filter: FX4
PH is about 7.6 out of Tap and by end of the lighting period is around 6.6-6.8.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!


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## MCFC (Feb 12, 2017)

I'm pretty sure those roots are normal. 

The one point I'd make is that with your CO2 and pH, you want to aim for about a 1.0 point drop by the time the lighting period STARTS. To get a measure of your starting pH you should take a cup of tank water and let it sit for 24hrs, then test it. Once you get a 1.0 point drop and your fish aren't gasping for air at the top of the tank, you can begin to increase it even more if you'd like it maxed out.


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

Excellent way to propagate extra plants!:grin2:

Many stems are notorious for this and some not so much.

They are roots, trim, plant, and grow!


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## rstewart8 (Apr 19, 2013)

MCFC said:


> I'm pretty sure those roots are normal.
> 
> The one point I'd make is that with your CO2 and pH, you want to aim for about a 1.0 point drop by the time the lighting period STARTS. To get a measure of your starting pH you should take a cup of tank water and let it sit for 24hrs, then test it. Once you get a 1.0 point drop and your fish aren't gasping for air at the top of the tank, you can begin to increase it even more if you'd like it maxed out.



Ok so I should have the CO2 come on before the lighting period starts then? Say an hour or so before hand? I'll take a cup of water out of the tank tonight and let it sit until tomorrow night and test it and see what it looks like. I do have a second timer I can put my CO2 tank on to bring it on earlier. I'll give that atry as well

Thanks!


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## JusticeBeaver (Oct 28, 2017)

What's your substrate? I find that stem plants tend to send out aerial roots when they're low on nutrients in the substrate.


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## rstewart8 (Apr 19, 2013)

Maryland Guppy said:


> Excellent way to propagate extra plants!:grin2:
> 
> Many stems are notorious for this and some not so much.
> 
> They are roots, trim, plant, and grow!


So where would you cut this then? Right below the roots and then plant these roots in the substrate?

Bump:


JusticeBeaver said:


> What's your substrate? I find that stem plants tend to send out aerial roots when they're low on nutrients in the substrate.


Its seachem flourite black sand. I do add root tabs, but only under my swords and crypts


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

JusticeBeaver said:


> What's your substrate? I find that stem plants tend to send out aerial roots when they're low on nutrients in the substrate.


IMO this is myth, I use capped Miracle-Gro and this still continues on certain species.



rstewart8 said:


> So where would you cut this then? Right below the roots and then plant these roots in the substrate?


I would cut 1/4" above that node, the main stem.
Cut the two largest leaves from that node.
Cut about 1/2" below the node and plant as a pair.
Constantly doing this with ludwigia species.


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## MCFC (Feb 12, 2017)

rstewart8 said:


> Ok so I should have the CO2 come on before the lighting period starts then? Say an hour or so before hand? I'll take a cup of water out of the tank tonight and let it sit until tomorrow night and test it and see what it looks like. I do have a second timer I can put my CO2 tank on to bring it on earlier. I'll give that atry as well
> 
> Thanks!


I think most people have it come on about an hour before the lights. I know that's how I run my setups.


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## Aquarium_Noob (Dec 9, 2017)

MCFC said:


> I think most people have it come on about an hour before the lights. I know that's how I run my setups.


You'll have to play with how long your CO2 comes on before your photoperiod to determine when the 1.0 pH drop occurs. Each tank CO2 system, CO2 rate is a little different depending on your set up.

Bump: Too much growth is never a bad thing...unless your growing algae. Your tank and plants look very clean and healthy!


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## rstewart8 (Apr 19, 2013)

MCFC said:


> I'm pretty sure those roots are normal.
> 
> The one point I'd make is that with your CO2 and pH, you want to aim for about a 1.0 point drop by the time the lighting period STARTS. To get a measure of your starting pH you should take a cup of tank water and let it sit for 24hrs, then test it. Once you get a 1.0 point drop and your fish aren't gasping for air at the top of the tank, you can begin to increase it even more if you'd like it maxed out.


Ok I took some water out of my tank let it sit for 24 hrs and tested it tonight. Its PH was between 7.2 and 7.4. I tested my tank PH and noticed that it was only at about 7 after a full day of CO2 injection. Its odd since I was seeing a higher drop then that before. The only thing I have done differently was recently adding GH booster after a water change. I'm guessing I need to up my CO2 input? I don't think I'm getting enough into the tank to maintain the 30 ppm I'd like. My drop checker isn't as lime green as it has been either.


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## MCFC (Feb 12, 2017)

I'd definitely bump up the CO2. But do it slowly, and make sure to monitor your fish fairly closely. If they start gasping at the surface, turn it down a bit and try and increase surface agitation for a little bit.


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## rstewart8 (Apr 19, 2013)

MCFC said:


> I'd definitely bump up the CO2. But do it slowly, and make sure to monitor your fish fairly closely. If they start gasping at the surface, turn it down a bit and try and increase surface agitation for a little bit.


I think I might not be putting enough flow through my reactor. I was just looking at the specs again and it says that it requires a minimum flow of 250 gallons. I have a fluval 104 running it right now, it has media in it as I am still seeding my new FX4. Once its seeded I'm going to replace the 104 with an extra API Filterstar XP-M it has a flow rate of 300 gpm with no media in it. I'll run it empty and see if that gets more CO2 into the water


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