# Dry start plants turning brown?



## Mistral (Oct 12, 2011)

Hi,

Here is my latest scape which as you can see involves a pretty steep slope in order to create a mountina range effect meeting a valley of HC. I've had it set up and growing for around 4 weeks now and the plants are still growing but just not as fast as they were in the first 3 weeks. I now have tiny brown spots and some of the HC turning mushy at the front of the tank where the water collects.

I was thinking that the tank is too damp at first but now I'm wondering if my lights are too strong, although if the plants were growing well in the beginning you would think this would not be the case. I have 24WX4 T5 over a tall 25 gallon keeping in mind that the plants at the top of the slope are closer to the lights so I moved the lights more forward.

Could it be too moist or too much light perhaps causing burning of the plants? The substrate is ADA aqua soil which is rich in nutrients for a dry start method but I have also been spraying a diluted water and flourish comprehensive solution. I have stopped this fertilizing out of fear that the plants may be burning becasue of the this fert spray even though its pretty diluted. 

Any suggestions please?

Thanks.


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## frrok (May 22, 2011)

i've dry started a nano cube and moved some emersed dwarf hairgrass(parvula) and it has some brown dying leaves as well. would like to know why as well.


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## CrazyMidwesterner (Oct 19, 2006)

Were the plants emersed before? 

Often times when moved from emersed to immersed and vice versa they melt and then grow back. Also in my "dry" setup lack of moisture will take out plants quick. They turn brown and shrivel up if I leave the container cracked for days on accident and don't keep the plants moist.


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## Mistral (Oct 12, 2011)

The plants were all submerged at the store I picked them up at, but regardless of how they were grown it's strange how some of them are doing well and others are turning brown and mushy. Im thinking its now related to too much moisture or the diluted ferts Ive been spraying them with.


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