Hornwort Question...

I had used hornwort, initially, when cycling my tank to control ammonia and nitrite spikes. It worked wonders. Now, it seems to be nothing but a nucience. My tank is stable, and have a bunch of new plants, some column feeders and some root plants (20 total without the hornwort). My question is, considering that my hornwort is shedding horribly, does anyone think it may throw off the balance, or (and this is what I think) will removing it, allow more nutrients for my other plants? By the way, I'm brand new to the forum. Thanks for letting me in!

 

Welcome! My hornwort barely sheds. Yours is likely shedding because it's in the ground? Is it in the gravel or free floating?
edit: What is your temperature? If it's too high then the hornwort will shed.

 

Hey Sarah, thanks! My water temp is 78. As far as the hornwort, its loosely wrapped around a large centerpiece of fake driftwood. It started after I started adding other plants.

Edit: it is starting to grow back... its beginning to sprout new growth at the tips, and at branches along the chain.

 

Hello Mike, Sounds like it's not getting enough nutrients. I don't think the hornwort being wrapped around something fake would be an issue. My hornwort grew 2 times better when wrapped around something. What fish do you have in the tank? You could always add c02 if you want to grow the hornwort.

 

Here is a picture of it beginning to grow back in one of about 4 other areas.

 

Looks good! Mine just float. Want to see a picture of them?

 

I do think I need to add more nutrients... I've been gradually increasing my dosing of flourish, excel and iron. I'm just trying to do it slowly, so as not to over do it and hurt anything else . For a 55 gallon, it's a pretty heavily stocked tank , but between all of the plants and the two aquaclear 110's in addition to two large sponge filters, my biological filtration is maybe too good at handling the load.

 

hahahaha! that or it's being eaten by one of your fish.

 

Looks good! Mine just float. Want to see a picture of them?

Absolutely. I do think it will bounce back but at the same time, I want my other plants to thrive as well... I just have to keep upping the dose, and maybe even less time between water changes. I've ordered some easy green and easy root tabs from aquarium co op... hopefully I'll get it dialed in soon.

hahahaha! that or it's being eaten by one of your fish.

They seem to leave it alone, the fry sometimes pick algae off of it and other plants but that's about it.

 

I have the same. in a 60 gallon. Do you have a plant light? LED?

 

That's the entire tank. I think ultimately more nutrients is going to be the answer, ergo, fewer water changes and additional fats. Maybe I'll also buy a C02 difuser instead of using excel.

LED at the moment, but will be upgrading to the fluval 3.0 next month.

 

Very cloudly. What's your water parameters? Your hornwort could be dying because of the water parameters

 

Give me a moment... and I'll run tests but so of last night ammonia 0 nitrites 0 nitrates (low for a planted tank) only about 40-50. I have pretty hard water but that wasn't a problem before. They were doing better when my water was spiking and higher in nitrites and nitrates. I think ultimately I may have to cut back on some of the filtration. As to the cloudiness, I think that's due to a bloom brought on by the loss of the hornwort, and more free amonia, nitrites and nitrates.

 

I would guess nutrient problem, however I think more is going 9n here. Be careful addind ferts if your tank is not finished cycling.

 

My tank was finished cycling... then the hornwort died back. I think the tank is just compensating with a new bloom. Thanks Leftswerve!

Peramaters are the sameSarah, ammonia 0, nitrites 0 nitrates now between 50 and 60 ppm. I am intentionally slowly building up my nitrates for the plants.

P.H. 7.6

I think I'm gonna cut back all of the dead, and let the healthy parts concentrate on new growth.

Looks good! Mine just float. Want to see a picture of them?

Where the picture of yours!!! I remember what mine looked like! Your photo may just make my mind up for me!

 

Here ya go

 

Here ya goView attachment 452237View attachment 452238

Yup! That's what I miss! Being able to wrap those lush greens around my center piece. The shrimp and fry loved it, plus it looked awesome! Thanks!

 

Yup! That's what I miss! Being able to wrap those lush greens around my center piece. The shrimp and fry loved it, plus it looked awesome! Thanks!

What are those plants? It's gorgeous! I keep my tank water around 83-84 because I have discus. I thought my hornwart and pennywort didn't do well be ause of that. What do you think?

 

What are those plants? It's gorgeous! I keep my tank water around 83-84 because I have discus. I thought my hornwart and pennywort didn't do well be ause of that. What do you think?

I've got hornwort, (obviously) the gnarly leaf looking plants are java fern windalov. (Spelling?) 2 amazon swords, the 16 or so plants up front, I'm not exactly sure what they are. My lfs guy told me that they are a good foreground plant and gave me 16 for the price of 4. (Granted I spend about 400 a month there, but besides that I've developed a friendship with them). In the back I have some Vallisneria Americana, which grow about 20 inches tall and shoot of runners and should fill the background in nicely. Hope that helps you!

Hello Mike, Sounds like it's not getting enough nutrients. I don't think the hornwort being wrapped around something fake would be an issue. My hornwort grew 2 times better when wrapped around something. What fish do you have in the tank? You could always add c02 if you want to grow the hornwort.

Oh sorry. I never answered the question about fish. I have 5 Molly's, 12 neon tetras 4 plattys (two Mickey mouse 2 sunrise I think is the breed) a long fin pleco, about 10 Amano shrimp, 6 ghost shrimp, 6 cherry shrimp and two mystery snails. That's not counting the various molly and platty spawn (roughly 10, which I'm gonna start giving to my lfs soon). Also, I cut back the dead hornwort, and my water is clearing up nicely. I almost forgot the 2 dwarf goramis, and the 2 moonlight goramis and the 6 zebra dannios.

 

And how big is the tank?

 

And how big is the tank?

55 gallons. 2 aquaclear 110,s (which I've modified using 4 fluval 70 sponges in each plus a bag of fluval 70 bio rings in each and ammocarb as well. In addition, I have a large sponge filter in each corner of the tank. I do plan on upgrading to at least a 75, but ideally a 125. So far, I haven't had any problem with bioload, but I did tons of research before "over stocking") everyone gets along great, and seem to be quite comfortable. I'll probably get some for that many fish I'm that size tank... but I've been in the hobby for over 20 years, and I never leap before I look (research) oh also, each hob filter has an intake sponge. (Tons of surface area for biological filtration) I forgot about the 6 zebra dannios.

 

You are perfectly fine then!

 

You are perfectly fine then!

Seems so now. Literally since last night the tank cleared about 50%. By tomorrow or so I should be back to crystal clear water. So that kinda proves my suspicion that the bloom (cloudy water) was caused by the hornwort die off. All parameters are still the same, so chemistry isn't an issue. I'll just let nature take its course.

 

hahah crystal and clear are the same thing

 

hahah crystal and clear are the same thing

Is this clear enough for you, Sarah? ;p