Bacopa Issues

[rcsguy]

I'm having some issues with my bacopa monnieri. The bottoms of the stems have turned a very dark green, but new growth is a nice bright green. I have 120 watts of T12 6500k lighting over a 55 gallon tank. I dose Flourish Comprehensive as well as Osmocote root tabs and API leaf zone every other week. Other plants are doing good.

 

[Dallascowboys16]

I'm having some issues with my bacopa monnieri. The bottoms of the stems have turned a very dark green, but new growth is a nice bright green. I have 120 watts of T12 6500k lighting over a 55 gallon tank. I dose Flourish Comprehensive as well as Osmocote root tabs and API leaf zone every other week. Other plants are doing good.

View attachment 285839View attachment 285840

They need some more light. I love this plant and it was one of my first ones back when I first started my tank up. I struggled with it until I upgraded my lighting and then I had too much! Look into this fixture: Amazon.com : Finnex FugeRay Planted+ Aquarium LED Light Plus Moonlights, 48-Inch : Pet Supplies , it will definitely be a major upgrade over your current lighting.

 

[rcsguy]

They need some more light. I love this plant and it was one of my first ones back when I first started my tank up. I struggled with it until I upgraded my lighting and then I had too much! Look into this fixture: Amazon.com : Finnex FugeRay Planted+ Aquarium LED Light Plus Moonlights, 48-Inch : Pet Supplies , it will definitely be a major upgrade over your current lighting.

I really would love to have some better lights, but unfortunately for right now I cannot afford any upgrades, although I will be able to in the future. For now, would adding another 40w bulb suffice?

 

[rcsguy]

Update: looks like the black rubs off the plant, so it must be some sort of algae. Anything I should do besides continually scrubbing?

 

[KingKoopa512]

Not enough light

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[Caliban07]

I really would love to have some better lights, but unfortunately for right now I cannot afford any upgrades, although I will be able to in the future. For now, would adding another 40w bulb suffice?

Maybe, or perhaps some reflectors might concentrate more light down to the substrate. It does look pretty dark down there but I would be wary of switching light at the drop of a hat because one plant is suffering. If your other plants are doing well it would make more sense to remove the bacopa and seek an alternative plant. Adding light especially without co2 may create more problems.

What other plants do you have?


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[rcsguy]

Maybe, or perhaps some reflectors might concentrate more light down to the substrate. It does look pretty dark down there but I would be wary of switching light at the drop of a hat because one plant is suffering. If your other plants are doing well it would make more sense to remove the bacopa and seek an alternative plant. Adding light especially without co2 may create more problems.

What other plants do you have?


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I'll have to try it out. I have an Amazon sword (throwing out new leaves every few days) , rotala rotundifolia sp. green, lots of ludwigia repens (which are growing like crazy and have a nice red/pink to them) and Italian Vals, which are doing good but still acclimating as I got them recently (they have sent out multiple runners already)

Edit: I also have hornwort, which of course grows like mad, and anacharis, which too is doing very well.

 

[Caliban07]

I'll have to try it out. I have an Amazon sword (throwing out new leaves every few days) , rotala rotundifolia sp. green, lots of ludwigia repens (which are growing like crazy and have a nice red/pink to them) and Italian Vals, which are doing good but still acclimating as I got them recently (they have sent out multiple runners already)

Edit: I also have hornwort, which of course grows like mad, and anacharis, which too is doing very well.

All sounds well then apart like from the bacopa. If new growth on the other plants is healthy and they are not shedding old growth to compensate then I'd hang fire at the moment and probably remove the bacopa as its not suited to your current set up.


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[rcsguy]

All sounds well then apart like from the bacopa. If new growth on the other plants is healthy and they are not shedding old growth to compensate then I'd hang fire at the moment and probably remove the bacopa as its not suited to your current set up.


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Alright sounds great, thanks.

 

[Caliban07]

Alright sounds great, thanks.

Out of curiosity, what is the Kh of your source water?


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