Is my hair grass dead?

[wetfarticus]

I planted hair grass 2 weeks ago. Most of it is brown now. Dont know if it is dead and I should pull it or if it will come back. If it is dead, I can't imagine what I am doing wrong.
55 gal long tank
Seachem Complete substrate
Seachem Root Tabs
Seachem Flourish ferts (3x/wk)
Co2 injection
Finnex 24/7 light
Finnex Fugeray (8 hr/day)
PH 6.9
Amonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 10-20
KH - 3
GH - 5
TDS - 110

 

[ReefDudes]

Its still alive, it turns brown or white when its dead dead

 

[wetfarticus]

Its still alive, it turns brown or white when its dead dead

Most of it is brown.
Harder to see in the larger pic but both corners of the tank are planted with hair grass. Its harder to see because its mostly brown.

 

[wetfarticus]

Most of it is brown.
Harder to see in the larger pic but both corners of the tank are planted with hair grass. Its harder to see because its mostly brown.

From everything I have read, hairgrass is an easy plant to care for. Can't understand what I might be doing wrong. It gets plenty of light, Co2, ferts. I don't have any fish that mess with it. Was looking forward to that bright green lawn like look.

 

[Sharmon]

I would give it time. At 2 weeks it's still adjusting to your tank and growing roots.

 

[Bert2oo1]

Have u trimmed it at all? I'm pretty sure u need to be ruthless with hairgrass or it goes bad

 

[wetfarticus]

Have u trimmed it at all? I'm pretty sure u need to be ruthless with hairgrass or it goes bad

I trimmed it good when I planted it. The few green pieces that are in there have grown a bit but the brown stuff is just the same

 

[Bert2oo1]

I trimmed it good when I planted it. The few green pieces that are in there have grown a bit but the brown stuff is just the same

Seachem flourish might not be enough ferts with high light and pressurised co2, how are the other plants?

You might want to look into dry ferts like PPS pro or EI?

I've also heard hairgrass takes a long time to adjust and then explodes. People has seen no growth for 2 months and then it takes off

 

[wetfarticus]

Seachem flourish might not be enough ferts with high light and pressurised co2, how are the other plants?

You might want to look into dry ferts like PPS pro or EI?

I've also heard hairgrass takes a long time to adjust and then explodes. People has seen no growth for 2 months and then it takes off

Hadn't even given a thought to not having enough ferts. Assumed the root tabs and Flourish would be adequate.
I have 2 Anubias Nana plants, Java moss, Amazon Spears and Giant Hair Grass also. With the exception of some of the Giant Hair Grass turning brown recently, all the rest are doing good.
Now that you mention it, I have had a few other background plants that I tried. They all failed. I figured I didn't have adequate lighting or that I just didn't know what I was doing was the reason. Though I still don't know what I'm doing, I wonder if a lack of fertilization was a factor there too.
I will look into the ferts you specified above.
Thanks.

 

[Bert2oo1]

Hadn't even given a thought to not having enough ferts. Assumed the root tabs and Flourish would be adequate.
I have 2 Anubias Nana plants, Java moss, Amazon Spears and Giant Hair Grass also. With the exception of some of the Giant Hair Grass turning brown recently, all the rest are doing good.
Now that you mention it, I have had a few other background plants that I tried. They all failed. I figured I didn't have adequate lighting or that I just didn't know what I was doing was the reason. Though I still don't know what I'm doing, I wonder if a lack of fertilization was a factor there too.
I will look into the ferts you specified above.
Thanks.

Yea I'd say it's a ferts issue. Your fixtures would put u in high light category and with pressurised co2 your plants would be using more than the flourish daily I'd imagine. Co2 and high light really does make them drink the nutrients

Let me know if u get confused with the PPS pro or EI dosing and I can steer u in the right direction

 

[wetfarticus]

Yes the PPS does look confusing. Im hoping I can get a grasp on it.
Thank you

 

[Bert2oo1]

Yes the PPS does look confusing. Im hoping I can get a grasp on it.
Thank you

Basically u need 4 key ingredients. kno3, kh2po4, kso4, chelated micro mix.

These can be brought from nilcoG.com either separately or as an already made up kit.

You mix up a batch of micro mix and a batch of macro mix and dose on alternate days according the the dosing guide on the PPS pro website. 50% water change weekly and that's it pretty simple once u get going

 

[Caliban07]

Have you changed anything else lately. It seems like you have a lot of brown algae. If you rub the hairgrass blades does it wipe off? I see some new healthy green shoots coming up which to me says the hairgrass my be sending runners. I wouldn't trim the hairgrass until you are sure it's settled in you tank and is continuing to grow. This may have damaged it during acclimatisation.

Also there are different types of Eleocharis. Eleocharis Parvula is the most common and the one that is said to be fast growing and less demanding whilst Eleocharis acicularis is shorter and grows much slower. The are both called dwarf hairgrass so bare that in mind.

I would only be focussing on the new green blades coming up from the substrate at this point.

 

[wetfarticus]

Have you changed anything else lately. It seems like you have a lot of brown algae. If you rub the hairgrass blades does it wipe off? I see some new healthy green shoots coming up which to me says the hairgrass my be sending runners. I wouldn't trim the hairgrass until you are sure it's settled in you tank and is continuing to grow. This may have damaged it during acclimatisation.

Also there are different types of Eleocharis. Eleocharis Parvula is the most common and the one that is said to be fast growing and less demanding whilst Eleocharis acicularis is shorter and grows much slower. The are both called dwarf hairgrass so bare that in mind.

I would only be focussing on the new green blades coming up from the substrate at this point.

I bought it on line and it was advertised as Parvula, but who knows. I was told to trim it as I was planting. So that was wrong? Took me over 2 hours to separate, clean, trim and plant all the hairgrass. And I may have killed it in the process?

So that is algae?
I am assuming it is since it's all over my rocks too.
GREAT!
How do I get rid of that?
I have 2 Mystery Snails, 1 Nerite Snail, 2 Siamese Algae Eaters, 3 Amano Shrimp. Shouldn't they be eating that stuff? And assuming they are, and seeing how much there is, holy cow I have a problem.
Is it bad news, other than being unsightly, and obviously causing issues with the plants ability to take in light.... is it harmful to my fish?
Im running an Aquatop CF with UV. Isn't that supposed to help kill algae?
So the UV, all the algae eating stock, and weekly 50% water changes and I still have a ton of algae? I have to be doing something wrong. But what?

 

[Caliban07]

I think you have the basics pretty nailed down so I don't think it will take you long to get rid of it. Brown algae can come on go but usually appears after a small disruption to the tank or in a newly setup tank when the bacterial colony is still establishing. Usually it goes away on its own and yes the Amano shrimp and algae eaters should be going to town on the stuff assuming it is brown algae. Try to rub it off with your fingers. If it comes of easily then it's brown algae or diatoms and should subside in time. I have brown algae right now as I recently restarted my tank. Just this minute brought back 2 nerite snails. Those things are unrivalled at taking algae in my opinion. I could up their numbers. UV normally is only good for green water algae. You may not have killed the hair grass it's just I like to give my new plants time to adjust before I trim them. I have E.Acicularis from tissue culture and it's covered in brown algae. I'm not concerned about the algae hurting the hair grass (although it is possible) but I have some sensitive stems that I am keeping my eye on. My tank is less than half the size of yours though so two nerites may be enough. Ottos are a good shout too.

 

[wetfarticus]

I think you have the basics pretty nailed down so I don't think it will take you long to get rid of it. Brown algae can come on go but usually appears after a small disruption to the tank or in a newly setup tank when the bacterial colony is still establishing. Usually it goes away on its own and yes the Amano shrimp and algae eaters should be going to town on the stuff assuming it is brown algae. Try to rub it off with your fingers. If it comes of easily then it's brown algae or diatoms and should subside in time. I have brown algae right now as I recently restarted my tank. Just this minute brought back 2 nerite snails. Those things are unrivalled at taking algae in my opinion. I could up their numbers. UV normally is only good for green water algae. You may not have killed the hair grass it's just I like to give my new plants time to adjust before I trim them. I have E.Acicularis from tissue culture and it's covered in brown algae. I'm not concerned about the algae hurting the hair grass (although it is possible) but I have some sensitive stems that I am keeping my eye on. My tank is less than half the size of yours though so two nerites may be enough. Ottos are a good shout too.

So if it is algae, and I think it is, and assuming it is on my hairgrass (both dwarf and giant), will it not affect the plants ability to photosynthesize?
Its been like this for about 3 weeks. I did make a change to the tank though around that time... took out a large fake rock thing that was just too fake and big. Moved a couple plants too. The plants I moved ended up dying as well. Feel like I am messing things up.

 

[wetfarticus]

I think you have the basics pretty nailed down so I don't think it will take you long to get rid of it. Brown algae can come on go but usually appears after a small disruption to the tank or in a newly setup tank when the bacterial colony is still establishing. Usually it goes away on its own and yes the Amano shrimp and algae eaters should be going to town on the stuff assuming it is brown algae. Try to rub it off with your fingers. If it comes of easily then it's brown algae or diatoms and should subside in time. I have brown algae right now as I recently restarted my tank. Just this minute brought back 2 nerite snails. Those things are unrivalled at taking algae in my opinion. I could up their numbers. UV normally is only good for green water algae. You may not have killed the hair grass it's just I like to give my new plants time to adjust before I trim them. I have E.Acicularis from tissue culture and it's covered in brown algae. I'm not concerned about the algae hurting the hair grass (although it is possible) but I have some sensitive stems that I am keeping my eye on. My tank is less than half the size of yours though so two nerites may be enough. Ottos are a good shout too.

Ok I got the PPS Pro. Started using it. We will see if that does the trick.

 

[Bert2oo1]

Ok I got the PPS Pro. Started using it. We will see if that does the trick.

Good stuff [emoji106] follow the guide for medium or low lighting as the high light dose rate is ment for high light heavily planted tanks [emoji106]

 

[wetfarticus]

Thanks going with medium.

 

[wetfarticus]

So I have been dosing for 2 months now and no new growth. Im at a loss now. Don't know what else I can do. Ideas?