Dwarf Hairgrass issues

[Mebbid]

I seem to be having an issue with my dwarf hairgrass. Any of the runners that it sends off seem to disconnect and float away which gives me the distinct pleasure of getting to replant them in my substrate. I thought switching from gravel to sand would help (which it has with the larger clumps) but the runners still appear to be growing above the substrate. Aside from that there doesn't seem to be much growth altogether from it.

I dose the macro micro mix from aquariumfertilizer.com, fleet enema for phosphates, and flourish excel for my carbon source. I also run dual T5ho lighting which should put the light at substrate level into the high end of the spectrum.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

I never planted DHG in sand before. However, even though it's planted in Eco Complete in my tanks, I still get an occasional runner that wants to grow outside the substrate. I just take my planting tweezers and shove it back down.

Where did you get the DHG from? Was it grown emersed and sold in those cardboard/plastic containers with a gel medium for its roots?

Either way, in my experience, DHG went through a melt or stalled growth when I replant it, move it to another tank, and especially when I bought it emersed (at Petsmart). After a while, when it looks like its dying off, it will bounce back after it has acclimated and grow nice a green -- so long as all its basic requirements are met (ferts, lights, and carbon).

 

[Mebbid]

Either way, in my experience, DHG went through a melt or stalled growth when I replant it, move it to another tank, and especially when I bought it emersed (at Petsmart). After a while, when it looks like its dying off, it will bounce back after it has acclimated and grow nice a green -- so long as all its basic requirements are met (ferts, lights, and carbon).

I did originally buy it from pet smart in that gel crap there was just no other place to get it around me. It has melted a little bit since I re planted it, it's actually the only plant that has gone through that phase surprisingly. I guess I will just have to keep at it.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Yeah that's what I kinda figured hearing your description of the problem. My DHG, labeled as E. Parvula at Petsmart, melted to the point I almost gave up on it and then it just bounced back beautifully. This is something quite common when you buy plants grown emersed. Once you start growing them immersed, they usually go through an acclimation period and shed all their old leaves to grow new ones better suited to their new environment.

Here's a quick time lapse I threw together. The second photo shows a bit of the browning, but it got much worse than that before it became the third pic.

 

[Mebbid]

Wow, very nice carpet. I can only hope mine will look that good. How long did it take to fill in like that?

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Thanks... about 2 months.

 

[aqua_chem]

What size tank do you have and who made your fixture? Unfortunately, DHG is more light demanding than some foregrounds and much less Excel tolerant than say HC or Staurogyne, so you might get limited success without co2. Brian's tank is co2 dosed.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Yes, my tank is injected with co2. Good point! I just don't know nowadays what can or cannot get by with co2 versus liquid carbon -- considering Rivercats' methodologies.

Maybe consider taking the plunge into a pressurized co2 system? Although liquid carbon has been proven to work (in some / most?) planted applications, actual co2 injection is several notches above IMO.

 

[Mebbid]

Yeah I am using liquid carbon and have had quite a bit of success with it so far aside from a val that died from it. The vast majority of my plants are growing like crazy from it. The pressurized co2 system is part of the exceedingly long list of stuff on my aquarium shopping list.

 

[thursyanna]

Brian, I'm glad you posted pictures of you DHG. That looks great! I just bought some and planted in my sand tank. I'm glad to know it will eventually look good. I still need to get some more plugs and a CO2 system set up though. Next paycheck!