S. Repens Plant Dying

Hi, I've got some new S. Repens in my 29 gallon and over the last week it started getting holes in the leaves and losing a lot of leaves, I don't have any pictures currently but I can get some tomorrow morning, I did have a ton of hair algae but I'm slowly getting that under control, ammonia and nitrites are zero and nitrates are between 10-20. Light is on around 6hrs a day and I use flourish once a week after 20% water changes. Are there any obvious reasons for it that I could be overlooking?

 

What sort of light do you use? Any CO2? Flourish has very little npk so it could be that.

 

What kind of substrate? They're mostly root feeders so you need at least root tabs under them.

If you're using Prime, you should wait at least 24h before using Flourish as Prime will bind heavy metals in Flourish.

 

What sort of light do you use? Any CO2? Flourish has very little npk so it could be that.

A nicrew, I know it's not the best, but it was what I could get at the time, no CO2 which I've read is fine it just makes for slow growth

 

What kind of substrate? They're mostly root feeders so you need at least root tabs under them.

If you're using Prime, you should wait at least 24h before using Flourish as Prime will bind heavy metals in Flourish.

Blasting sand with osmocote caps under about every 1.5", no prime ro water remineralized with salty shrimp

 

I'm guessing the lights aren't enough, especially for a 29 gallon (tall) tank. I have s repens in a 20 gallon long, BDBS and DIY Osmocote every 1-2" with RO remineralized with Equilibirium. I have two lights on mine, a Nicrew and Aquaneat. I dose Flourish once a week and Metricide 14 (Excel) 2-3 times per week. I pulled a few to see how they grow in a dirt capped substrate (Fluval Spec III) and they grow about the same rate with no other ferts.

I started in the back and have been propagating towards the front every couple of weeks.

 

I'm guessing the lights aren't enough, especially for a 29 gallon (tall) tank. I have s repens in a 20 gallon long, BDBS and DIY Osmocote every 1-2" with RO remineralized with Equilibirium. I have two lights on mine, a Nicrew and Aquaneat. I dose Flourish once a week and Metricide 14 (Excel) 2-3 times per week. I pulled a few to see how they grow in a dirt capped substrate (Fluval Spec III) and they grow about the same rate with no other ferts.

I started in the back and have been propagating towards the front every couple of weeks.
View attachment 486187

View attachment 486188

OK maybe I can try to find a deal on another light to add in

 

29g is 6" taller than a 20 gallon long. I would recommend a Beamswork DA.



**Edit**
replaced link with the correct 6500k light

 

29g is 6" taller than a 20 gallon long. I would recommend a Beamswork DA.

Awesome thank you, that's not a bad price either

 

I have the 36" version on my 40b and it's BRIGHT. I actually have a dimmer switch on it because it's too bright. If you want a better light, you'd have to spend easily twice that.

 

I have the 36" version on my 40b and it's BRIGHT. I actually have a dimmer switch on it because it's too bright. If you want a better light, you'd have to spend easily twice that.

I'm planning on getting a 40 gallon breeder next year

 

Hope you didn't order yet. I posted the wrong light.

This is the correct one with 6500k leds (the other had 10,000k leds)


There are a bunch of Beamswork lights and these are the brightest. I have an EA on another 20 gallon L and it's not nearly as bright so I'm thinking of replacing it with one of these.

 

Lol, no I hadn't will probably order within the next day or two

 

I'm battling hair algae at the moment, do you think the extra light would magnify that

 

Never got any in my shrimp tank. I had some in my 75g, 40b and 20L so I got a few SAEs and haven't seen any since.

 

Hi, I've got some new S. Repens in my 29 gallon and over the last week it started getting holes in the leaves and losing a lot of leaves, I don't have any pictures currently but I can get some tomorrow morning, I did have a ton of hair algae but I'm slowly getting that under control, ammonia and nitrites are zero and nitrates are between 10-20. Light is on around 6hrs a day and I use flourish once a week after 20% water changes. Are there any obvious reasons for it that I could be overlooking?

HI Shrimp&CPDs

Was the S. repens purchased as a tissue culture in a cup? How long has it been planted in your tank?

 

HI Shrimp&CPDs

Was the S. repens purchased as a tissue culture in a cup? How long has it been planted in your tank?

It was shipped with gel on the bottom so I believe so but I'm not 100% sure and it has been in there since August 31st

 

I was curious if it was just going through an emmersed to immersed phase but none of the stems seem to be growing back because I have mermaid weed making the transfer successfully

 

What sort of light do you use? Any CO2? Flourish has very little npk so it could be that.

Is there a shrimp safe npk fert?

 

It was shipped with gel on the bottom so I believe so but I'm not 100% sure and it has been in there since August 31st

HI Shrimp&CPDs

The reason I asked was it appeared that the older leaves were effected and the plants look to be recently planted. I think that you are looking at are the immersed grown leaves (which cannot adapt to living underwater) dying off. Any leaves that have formed since the stems were planted should not do this. You will likely need to increase your nutrient dosing.

I don't keep shrimp currently however NilocG Thrive-S should provide the NPK you need without excess copper (Cu) concerns. I would also suggest getting a Nitrate Test Kit and targeting you dosage of Thrive-S so that your nitrates are in the 20-30 ppm range.

 

HI Shrimp&CPDs

The reason I asked was it appeared that the older leaves were effected and the plants look to be recently planted. I think that you are looking at are the immersed grown leaves (which cannot adapt to living underwater) dying off. Any leaves that have formed since the stems were planted should not do this. You will likely need to increase your nutrient dosing.

I don't keep shrimp currently however NilocG Thrive-S should provide the NPK you need without excess copper (Cu) concerns. I would also suggest getting a Nitrate Test Kit and targeting you dosage of Thrive-S so that your nitrates are in the 20-30 ppm range.

I'm using the osmocote plus tabs which is a 15-9-12 fertilizer do you think adding in a few more capsules around the plants ?

 

I'm using the osmocote plus tabs which is a 15-9-12 fertilizer do you think adding in a few more capsules around the plants ?

HI Shrimp&CPDs

I would not increase the dosing of the tabs until you determine the current nitrate level in your tank. BTW I find that the only time I get outbreaks of hair algae is when a new tank is cycling, it usually happens when the ammonia peaks during the nitrogen cycle. Osmocote Plus uses ammonia as the source of nitrogen in their fertilizer, it may be causing your hair algae. Make sure you put those tabs D-E-E-P into the substrate to avoid ammonia getting into the water column.

 

HI Shrimp&CPDs

I would not increase the dosing of the tabs until you determine the current nitrate level in your tank. BTW I find that the only time I get outbreaks of hair algae is when a new tank is cycling, it usually happens when the ammonia peaks during the nitrogen cycle. Osmocote Plus uses ammonia as the source of nitrogen in their fertilizer, it may be causing your hair algae. Make sure you put those tabs D-E-E-P into the substrate to avoid ammonia getting into the water column.

OK, I use the apI freshwater test kit and ammonia and nitrites have been zero for awhile and nitrates are (as of last night) 20-40, I'm planning to add more floating plants in the hope that they will reduce nitrates along with more water changes

 

OK, I use the apI freshwater test kit and ammonia and nitrites have been zero for awhile and nitrates are (as of last night) 20-40, I'm planning to add more floating plants in the hope that they will reduce nitrates along with more water changes

HI Shrimp&CPDs

With nitrates in the 20-40 ppm range I would not recommend increasing your dosing of Osmocote Plus tabs.

Adding floating plants will decrease the light intensity at the substrate level and will likely effect the growth of your S. repens.

 

HI Shrimp&CPDs

With nitrates in the 20-40 ppm range I would not recommend increasing your dosing of Osmocote Plus tabs.

Adding floating plants will decrease the light intensity at the substrate level and will likely effect the growth of your S. repens.

OK and I planned to use a floating piece of tube to block the floaters to one part of the tank, should I still 86 them?

 

OK and I planned to use a floating piece of tube to block the floaters to one part of the tank, should I still 86 them?

I looked up carpet plants like srepens on youtube and lots of good info there. I learned with my poor lighting, it was no good to me and try monte carlo instead...its baby tears but a little larger leaves. Anyway...the point is....you may see what we can't type here.

 

I looked up carpet plants like srepens on youtube and lots of good info there. I learned with my poor lighting, it was no good to me and try monte carlo instead...its baby tears but a little larger leaves. Anyway...the point is....you may see what we can't type here.

I've scoured tons of videos and forums , the problem is no one around me is into the aquariums and the closest aquarium store is 45 minutes away and it's a primary, so I don't have any hands on experience other than the little bit I have with my own tank

 

I've scoured tons of videos and forums , the problem is no one around me is into the aquariums and the closest aquarium store is 45 minutes away and it's a primary, so I don't have any hands on experience other than the little bit I have with my own tank

I know what you mean. I just spent a about 15 bucks on a tiny bit of monte carlo off amazon and gonna cut it up and stick it in and pray! Lol

 

I know what you mean. I just spent a about 15 bucks on a tiny bit of monte carlo off amazon and gonna cut it up and stick it in and pray! Lol

Lol, I've always liked the look of Monte Carlo maybe I'll try it

 

I

Lol, I've always liked the look of Monte Carlo maybe I'll try it

just got mind...still in its little foam container so I can't vouch for it,,,cept the carpet dude from youtube vid said to try it,,,,

 

Cute aint it? Till I chop it up and stuff it into my substrate and and hope! Lol

 

View attachment 486911 Cute aint it? Till I chop it up and stuff it into my substrate and and hope! Lol

Good luck

 

Good luck

Guess ill letyou know, I was recommended s repends but the light I have and no co2 was not advisable,,,so this is the bare minimum I found...gonna give it a shot,

 

Guess ill letyou know, I was recommended s repends but the light I have and no co2 was not advisable,,,so this is the bare minimum I found...gonna give it a shot,

See that's what I mean, I was recommended S repens because of no CO2 and low to med light

 

See that's what I mean, I was recommended S repens because of no CO2 and low to med light

I was too...till I watched some vid on youtube about it...then I realized still I didnt have enough...then the guy there recommended monte Carlo. I'm just now getting to trying it out.

 

See that's what I mean, I was recommended S repens because of no CO2 and low to med light

My s repens were slow going. I had mystery snails that were snacking on them for the first few months and I didn't know until I caught them doing it. They were planted towards the back and only 8 stems. Once I moved the snails out of the tank, they started growing but slowly. From what I've read, low light makes them grow upwards so it's easier to propagate the long stems. High lights will make them spread out for a nice carpet.

 

My s repens were slow going. I had mystery snails that were snacking on them for the first few months and I didn't know until I caught them doing it. They were planted towards the back and only 8 stems. Once I moved the snails out of the tank, they started growing but slowly. From what I've read, low light makes them grow upwards so it's easier to propagate the long stems. High lights will make them spread out for a nice carpet.

Thank you I'm contemplating putting a few of them into my 10 gallon so the lighting is brighter on them and see what they do

 

My s repens were slow going. I had mystery snails that were snacking on them for the first few months and I didn't know until I caught them doing it. They were planted towards the back and only 8 stems. Once I moved the snails out of the tank, they started growing but slowly. From what I've read, low light makes them grow upwards so it's easier to propagate the long stems. High lights will make them spread out for a nice carpet.

I didnt know nor heard of mystery snails eating plants.
And yeah...carpet plants are just like garden plants...they want light. So if you want a low growing plant...provide good light...a low growing plant with not enough light will reach for it, and make them leggy and look stretched.
I have a part sun garden and although some sun lovers grow there and kinda bloom, they aren't their prettiest in comparison to a full sun garden.

 

I didnt know nor heard of mystery snails eating plants.
And yeah...carpet plants are just like garden plants...they want light. So if you want a low growing plant...provide good light...a low growing plant with not enough light will reach for it, and make them leggy and look stretched.
I have a part sun garden and although some sun lovers grow there and kinda bloom, they aren't their prettiest in comparison to a full sun garden.

I didn't know about the snails either. I saw them on the s repens every once in a while but didn't think they were eating it, I just thought the leaves were melting off because they were new. Once I realized they were eating it, I took them out and that's when they started growing.

I just trimmed the heck out of the moss in my tank to give the s repens more light.