My plants arent growing

[needmorecowbell]

I have wisteria, java moss, anacharis, and cabomba. The java and wisteria arent growing at all. They aren't dying though. The others are growing really fast. I have two 10k bulbs and 2 actinics. It is in a 30 gallon tank. Total wattage is 159 I think. Any advice, suggestions, etc?

 

[needmorecowbell]

The mollies also eat it a little but not enough to make it not grow.

 

[meegosh]

The actinics are not helping your plants at all. I would subtract their wattage from your total wattage. What are your parameters? Do you have any nitrates? Java moss is extremely slow growing and you will probably not notice its growth if comparing it day-by-day.

 

[needmorecowbell]

The actinics are not helping your plants at all. I would subtract their wattage from your total wattage. What are your parameters? Do you have any nitrates? Java moss is extremely slow growing and you will probably not notice its growth if comparing it day-by-day.

I didn't know that actinics will hurt the wattage, I just thought they looked cool. I know that they wont help though. And my nitrates were 5. I thought that java moss was a super fast growing plant?

 

[meegosh]

They don't hurt the wattage. The plants just cannot use the light. If you had 4 25w bulbs and two were actinics then it would be like your plants are getting 50w of light, not 100w. Actinics are really only good for bringing out the colors in fish/decor - in freshwater tanks. SW, that is a whole different animal.

 

[needmorecowbell]

Oh that's what I thought. I am switching to sw in the summer and that's why I bought the light. Should I change the bulb?

 

[fort384]

Something else is at play here. You should have more than enough lighting even with the actinics if it is as you have described.

 

[needmorecowbell]

I don't have co2.

 

[fort384]

You don't need co2 to get plants to grow. It helps, but the plants you have will grow readily without it.

What kind of bulbs are they? Can you double check the wattage. Again, even if you have 2 actinics, you still are saying you have 80w of usable 10000k bulbs. Not sure how you got to 159 though with 4 bulbs.. Should be an even number. Something is off.

 

[needmorecowbell]

Here's the info..

 

[fort384]

ok, so 156W. That makes a lot more sense.

It still should be way more than you need to get your plants growing.

How long has the tank been established, how long have the plants been in there, how long per day are you lighting the tank?

 

[needmorecowbell]

ok, so 156W. That makes a lot more sense.

It still should be way more than you need to get your plants growing.

How long has the tank been established, how long have the plants been in there, how long per day are you lighting the tank?

The tank has been established for 6 months now, the wisteria has been there for 2 months, anacharis 1 month, cabomba 1 1/2, java moss 1/2 month. The lighting is on 6-8 hrs. I usually forget to turn off at the exact time so closer to 8

 

[fort384]

And are there any issues with the tank? Any algae problems at all?

 

[needmorecowbell]

Just green dust algae, but my pleco takes care of it. He never sucks on plants either. I do weekly water changes. The fish in the tank are a pearl gourami, 1 black Molly, 1 red wag Molly, 1 small common pleco (trading for a bristle sometime), a crayfish (molted today), and black Molly fry(about 11).

 

[fort384]

Are you testing your nitrates by chance? What was your latest nitrate reading?

 

[needmorecowbell]

10

 

[fort384]

Ok... so we know your tank is not limited by Lighting or Nitrogen.

Are you dosing any fertilizers at all? Has this fixture been on the tank since the plants have been in it?

 

[needmorecowbell]

Ok... so we know your tank is not limited by Lighting or Nitrogen.

Are you dosing any fertilizers at all? Has this fixture been on the tank since the plants have been in it?

No ferts, and the fixture has been on it since the second plant was added.

 

[fort384]

And the N test of 10 ppm, this was recent?

I am going to suggest you start off by dosing a trace/k mix like API leafzone or tetra florapride.

Are the plants showing any signs of deficiency or distress? Any yellowing of leaves, pin holes, spots, rotting? Have any of the plants grown at all since adding, or have they stopped growing in the last few weeks or so?

 

[needmorecowbell]

It was tested last week and the plants aren't showing any bad signs. I am not sure what that dosing you said is but can I buy it from a chain store? The cabomba is what is growing really fast. I cut it in half once a week.