# All the leaves are falling off my stem plants



## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

I don't get it. It's 3 month old Eco Complete, dry ferts, 2*21w T5 and a 30w T8 as well as pressurized C02. The tanks is a 46g Bow.


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

Got some pics dude, new tank, fert schedule, light schedule, etc, need more info???


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## johnny313 (Apr 15, 2011)

what kind of lights? 6.5k? 10k?


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

Two reasons leaves fall off of the bottoms of stems. Not enough light or not enough nutrients in the soil. Are you supplementing you Eco with something? If not theres your answer. I recommend frozen dirt balls.


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## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

chad320 said:


> Two reasons leaves fall off of the bottoms of stems. Not enough light or not enough nutrients in the soil. Are you supplementing you Eco with something? If not theres your answer. I recommend frozen dirt balls.


Tank has been going for 4 months. Everything was fine. Nothing regarding ferts, CO2, lighting, or anything else has changed. My dirt tank are thriving, so I'll try some frozen dirt. I'll get a pic up when I get home.


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

When was the last time you trimmed them. Are they being shaded out by their own height?


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## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

chad320 said:


> When was the last time you trimmed them. Are they being shaded out by their own height?


It's almost like all the leaves are just falling off. There are some still on by the surface that I wanted to grow over. I trimmed about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I'll try the dirt balls and a trim.


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## vespers_ (May 6, 2011)

The Dude said:


> It's almost like all the leaves are just falling off. There are some still on by the surface that I wanted to grow over. I trimmed about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I'll try the dirt balls and a trim.


this happened to me as well. it was from lack of light. i would trim your stems frequently and keep them going only to the surface height. mine were starting to grow along the surface of the water and blocking light for the lower parts.


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## JSA (Jun 3, 2011)

@Chad-
Please explain frozen dirt balls.

Julia


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

JSA said:


> @Chad-
> Please explain frozen dirt balls.
> 
> Julia


Water weeds dont frequently grow on rock. They grow in dirt. Planting plants in an aquarium in plain gravel or Eco doesnt provide needed root ferts. If you didnt use anything to supplement the substrate your plants are essentially starving growing on rock. If you take a small amout of dirt, and make a mud ball out of it, you can freeze it so it doesnt come apart while shoving it down the the plants root system. Hope this helps you


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## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

chad320 said:


> Water weeds dont frequently grow on rock. They grow in dirt. Planting plants in an aquarium in plain gravel or Eco doesnt provide needed root ferts. If you didnt use anything to supplement the substrate your plants are essentially starving growing on rock. If you take a small amout of dirt, and make a mud ball out of it, you can freeze it so it doesnt come apart while shoving it down the the plants root system. Hope this helps you


I trimmed the tips so most of the plants have no leaves and stuck quite a bit of potting soil in there (clumps). But I don't know how I would make frozen dirt balls... do you stick some soil in an ice cube tray, add a little water and freeze them? I don't have any ice cube trays so this didn't come to me last night.


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## johnny313 (Apr 15, 2011)

chad320 said:


> Water weeds dont frequently grow on rock. They grow in dirt. Planting plants in an aquarium in plain gravel or Eco doesnt provide needed root ferts. If you didnt use anything to supplement the substrate your plants are essentially starving growing on rock. If you take a small amout of dirt, and make a mud ball out of it, you can freeze it so it doesnt come apart while shoving it down the the plants root system. Hope this helps you


thats why I never clean the substrate!


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Just mix up whatever concoction of dirt you like then wet it and put it in the freezer in ice cube trays. Let sit over night and your good to go.


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