plants not growing

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Kent2991

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jul 30, 2017
Messages
33
why arnt my plants growing?? im using root tabs, dosing flourish, iron, and potassium.


1502829816525.jpg
 
full spec. led and a t8 standard buld, the plants are green but its like there growth is stunted
 
The combined lighting may be insufficient for proper plant growth despite being a full spectrum LED, especially in a tank that deep.
 
Make sure your tank is cycled (which I believed it is). In growing plants, you have to consider CO2 and lighting besides fertilizer. CO2 is essential for plants to grow (does not matter if they are slow or fast growing plants). Your sources of CO2 (your fishes and the atmosphere) may not be enough. But as long as neither of your plants is melting, they are good.

In addition, consider your lighting. Never use watts as rule of thumb for measurement. Watts is energy per time - its the amount of energy usage per amount of time. Many light bulbs/lamps nowadays are energy saver. So, they will have low watts, but will have proper lumen for growing aquarium plants.
 
ok thanks, i order a co2 solenoid should be here soon will start injecting co2 and hope for the best
 
ok thanks, i order a co2 solenoid should be here soon will start injecting co2 and hope for the best



Co2 is only part of the problem and may even make your problem worse to be honest.
I'd look into getting a finnex lighting fixture or a chihiros a series of your getting into co2.

I'd also look into PPS pro fertilisation with dry salts (kno2,kh2po4,kso4,trace etc etc)

PPS pro: https://sites.google.com/site/aquaticplantfertilizer/home/pps-pro

Ferts needed: http://nilocg.com/dryfertilizer/

Finnex fixture: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/s/ref=is_s?k=finnex+planted+plus+se

Chihiros fixture: https://www.ebay.com.au/ulk/itm/181821973215

Your fertilisers won't be strong enough if you begin injecting co2. I think your biggest problem would be lighting.

But remember the golden rule, more light = more co2 = more ferts.

Hope this helps [emoji106]
 
wasent lookin to spend a crap ton on lighting just want plants to grow. im only 15
 
wasent lookin to spend a crap ton on lighting just want plants to grow. im only 15



How old is the t8 bulb? You could replace it with a new one to make it brighter (they generally burn out after 8-12 months) [emoji106]

Lighting is your main restriction, however it should grow the plants you have. Plants like anubias and crypts etc are very slow growing in a low tech environment so it could take weeks to start growing new leaves etc.
 
These aren't pretty but they inexpensive and produce a good amount of light. Depending on your hood/canopy setup, you might be able to add these as supplemental lighting.
Clamp on dome lights plus 6500k twisted CFLs.IMG_3608.JPGIMG_3609.JPG
 
thats what i was gonna buy, 3 of those with 6500k bulbs
 
IMG_2538.jpg

I have that setup but I would invest in a Finnex Lighting, The CFL setups does grow plants and it's perfect lighting but I would go with an actual aquarium light. There much slimmer and take up less space.
 
Your aquarium looks fairly new. How long have you had these plants? Most plants take a lot longer then most people expect. From your photo they look quite healthy.
I also noticed that your substrate isn't very deep. I would recommend 2-3 inches.
Something to think about.
 
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