# Glossostigma growing issues



## scags (Sep 22, 2003)

Anybody?


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

It needs a fair amount of nitrate, which I don't see mentioned in your dosing. I saw some of the new growth take on a pale yellow-green appearance, and hints of stringiness during a time when I was dosing lightly on nitrate. Adding more greened it up in just a few days.

Plus make sure your flow is good at the substrate where the glosso grows. Poor flow reduces nutrient availability.


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## scags (Sep 22, 2003)

Hmmm, thanks DarkCobra. I will look into adding more. I assumed the Potassium automatically contained the nitrate I needed but now I just read the back and it's only potassium. 
Where can I find a good source of nitrate?


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## scags (Sep 22, 2003)

Aha! Stump remover!!!!!! Found it, awesome!


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

Verify the ingredients or post the brand before using a stump remover. Green Light and Grant's are adequately pure KNO3 (potassium nitrate), but Stump Out and possibly other brands are not KNO3 at all.

You can also mail order pure KNO3 from places that cater to planted tank folks, like Green Leaf Aquariums (just to name one). The KNO3 itself is cheap, but shipping will add to the cost; so it's better if you stock up and order other things too. Something like the "Green Fertilizer Package" for $20 includes KNO3 and all other nutrients. That will last most people for years and can replace the Flourish and LeafZone, saving you a lot of money in the long run.


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## tuffgong (Apr 13, 2010)

I have grown two really nice glosso carpets and both times I used root capsules. The glosso seems to creep to areas where I placed root caps.


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## SuperWen (Mar 24, 2011)

Maybe glosso shaded with other plants? Glosso very loves high light rather than high CO2, opposite with cuba. Cuba can grow well in medium light with med-high co2. My friend made a glosso carpet with highlight but only supply with liquid carbon.
once shaded or lack of lights glosso will grow tall. And for me 24Wx4 for 29G its not enough for glosso. I'll go with 24Wx5 or 36Wx4


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## scags (Sep 22, 2003)

SuperWen said:


> Maybe glosso shaded with other plants? Glosso very loves high light rather than high CO2, opposite with cuba. Cuba can grow well in medium light with med-high co2. My friend made a glosso carpet with highlight but only supply with liquid carbon.
> once shaded or lack of lights glosso will grow tall. And for me 24Wx4 for 29G its not enough for glosso. I'll go with 24Wx5 or 36Wx4



Wow, 36wx4 seems insanely high. You're right about the HC though, mine is doing great with high co2 and it's partially shaded.
My glosso is in a non shaded area, at least most of it is. Maybe my lights are too high? They sit about 10 inches above the water, did have them lower but raised them because of the algae.


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## scags (Sep 22, 2003)

DarkCobra said:


> Verify the ingredients or post the brand before using a stump remover. Green Light and Grant's are adequately pure KNO3 (potassium nitrate), but Stump Out and possibly other brands are not KNO3 at all.
> 
> You can also mail order pure KNO3 from places that cater to planted tank folks, like Green Leaf Aquariums (just to name one). The KNO3 itself is cheap, but shipping will add to the cost; so it's better if you stock up and order other things too. Something like the "Green Fertilizer Package" for $20 includes KNO3 and all other nutrients. That will last most people for years and can replace the Flourish and LeafZone, saving you a lot of money in the long run.



Yeah I did some research online not all stump removers are created equal. I went out looking for spectracide's stump remover but came up empty handed at lowes and home depot. Although it's slightly out of season here in michigan.

I'm going to go check out green leaf. I was really hoping to get it today. Guess my glosso will have to be patient.

I defintely want to switch to a fert package with everything. I hate going out and buying stuff every couple months, seeing that I have to planted tanks they eat up alot of ferts.


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## scags (Sep 22, 2003)

Would the KNO3 help my Java ferns as well? They seem to constantly be turning brown and getting poor growth overall.


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## SuperWen (Mar 24, 2011)

scags said:


> Wow, 36wx4 seems insanely high. You're right about the HC though, mine is doing great with high co2 and it's partially shaded.
> My glosso is in a non shaded area, at least most of it is. Maybe my lights are too high? They sit about 10 inches above the water, did have them lower but raised them because of the algae.


If you refer to *THIS* 120W is minimum for 29G.
What type of bulbs do you use? I'm using 4x15W CFL for 10G and hanging 8inch from water surface, and glosso did well:


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## scags (Sep 22, 2003)

SuperWen said:


> If you refer to *THIS* 120W is minimum for 29G.
> What type of bulbs do you use? I'm using 4x15W CFL for 10G and hanging 8inch from water surface, and glosso did well:


Wow SuperWen, you are one of the first people to tell me I don't have enough light. Usually everyone tells me I have too much light. Honestly though I am leaning more towards your assessment- I simply need more light (combined with some KNO3).


The bulbs I am currently using are Life-Glo 6700k T5HO 4 x 24w. That gives me 96watts total over my tank, about 3.3 watts per gallon.

Which I had read that 3 watts per gallon was ideal. But if you go by Amano's chart 3w/gal is just not enough. 

So maybe I should add another light fixture to the tank?

You have a beautiful tank btw.


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## SuperWen (Mar 24, 2011)

scags said:


> Wow SuperWen, you are one of the first people to tell me I don't have enough light. Usually everyone tells me I have too much light. Honestly though I am leaning more towards your assessment- I simply need more light (combined with some KNO3).
> 
> 
> The bulbs I am currently using are Life-Glo 6700k T5HO 4 x 24w. That gives me 96watts total over my tank, about 3.3 watts per gallon.
> ...


Thanks for your compliment 

Try to add another 24W, or longer lighting period with 24Wx4.... and you will see the difference 

Or maybe something wrong with your planting technique?
Check out THIS thread


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## scags (Sep 22, 2003)

SuperWen said:


> Thanks for your compliment
> 
> Try to add another 24W, or longer lighting period with 24Wx4.... and you will see the difference
> 
> ...


For some reason I cannot register on the forums to view the link. I believe I am planting the glosso correctly. I have one of the ADA books that shows how to plant it. I used it as my guide. I did get a little lazy though and planted some in small clumps. Either way, all of the glosso turned pale and thin. Most of it is about 4 inches tall now, kinda ugly when it grows upwards. 

Some of my other plants are kinda bad looking too. My java ferns get very little growth and the growth they do get turns brown and gets holes in the leaves. I figured it was fern disease and trimmed most of the leaves...but the new growth just ends up the same. Thinking it might be a KNO3 deficiency like Dark Cobra said.

Thanks for the lighting tip SuperWen. For now I am extending my photo period to 10 hours, and I also removed the splash guard to let more light in. Thats just until I can get my hands on another strip.

Plus I ordered some KNO3 from GLA, should be here in a few days.

If all goes well I will post some pics soon.


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## SuperWen (Mar 24, 2011)

Copied from that thread:


> *A guide to Glossostigma elatinoides - by aeon *
> 
> *Introduction *
> 
> ...


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## SuperWen (Mar 24, 2011)

Continue:


> *Carbon dioxide*
> 
> Glossostigma must be grown with pressurized systems. High CO2 levels must be maintained to ensure healthy growth and algae inhibition. When dealing with high concentrations of CO2, pH swings become a concern, especially when you have livestock in the aquarium. The DIY system will fail in this case. CO2 levels of 25-50ppm is ideal. While 20-30ppm is what people do to avoid harming the livestock, I have never observed abnormal behavior or casualties in my tetras and Yamato shrimps at levels of around 47ppm for weeks. High CO2 promotes higher photosynthesis levels which enrich the water with oxygen which will benefit all living organisms in the aquarium.
> 
> ...


Hope will help


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## scags (Sep 22, 2003)

Wow, thats awesome SuperWen! That should be a sticky in the plant forums! 
Thanks, this will definitely help, going to bookmark!


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## Justshoe (Aug 17, 2008)

Ive been troubled by a similar problem lately. Yellowing of old leaves and not all are growing horizontal. Its a 57G tank that is 20" deep with the fixture about 1' over the tank. I think most of my problem is the nitrates not being high enough. I have MTS as substrate and do not EI dose but i think i may start. Just wondering if i should drop my light by a few inches?


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