29 Gallon Tank Water Wisteria not growing?

Hello all. I received a batch of water wisteria about 2 weeks ago. I planted it in black sand with plenty of root tabs and liquid ferts. Predictably it melted away quite a lot. I tried trimming away the dying leaves and stems and spread out the plants a bit.
It looks like the pic now.

I can’t really see that it’s developing roots at all…it just seems to be constantly melting beyond regrowth. Any suggestions?
Other stem plants (bacopa, water lily) are doing great. I have some crypts that melted as well.

 

I had the same problem with mine even though every other plant did great. Try floating it for a bit. I did with mine and each plant has sent out roots. I'm going to keep it floating since the fish seem to like it.

 

Water wisteria typically grows like a weed.

Since it is a stem plant, it does not need root tabs, especially when it has not yet developed a sturdy root system.

What liquid fertilizer are you using? Some contain only a subset of the nutrients that plant need. Others are "all in one" that contain everything the plants may need, perhaps even to excess.

Like Chris1212, I suggest you leave the stems floating until they start to develop roots at nodes along the stem. Then you can either plant the roots or leave them floating. They can thrive in either mode.

 

Water wisteria typically grows like a weed.

Since it is a stem plant, it does not need root tabs, especially when it has not yet developed a sturdy root system.

What liquid fertilizer are you using? Some contain only a subset of the nutrients that plant need. Others are "all in one" that contain everything the plants may need, perhaps even to excess.

Like Chris1212, I suggest you leave the stems floating until they start to develop roots at nodes along the stem. Then you can either plant the roots or leave them floating. They can thrive in either mode.

I am using aquarium co op easy green.

 

Same as Chris1212. I've tried it as a stem plant as well and have had no luck, yet it goes crazy in the same tank as a floating plant.

 

Where did you get it, and do you know under what conditions it was grown? If it was grown emersed it may need more time to adjust to being submersed.

 

Where did you get it, and do you know under what conditions it was grown? If it was grown emersed it may need more time to adjust to being submersed.

I got it from Windy City Aquariums. Don’t know if it was emersed or immersed, but based on how much it melted, I’d say emersed.

 

I got it from Windy City Aquariums. Don’t know if it was emersed or immersed, but based on how much it melted, I’d say emersed.

Then it might just need more time.

 

I am using aquarium co op easy green.

That is an all in one fertilizer so it should have everything you need.

I checked the Windy City Aquariums web site and do not see Water Wisteria aka hygrophila difformis listed. Normally, stem plants are propagated from stem cuttings, so they would be grown in water, not emersed.

To grow well, stem plants like a lot of light. If your lighting is weak, they will do better floating.

​

 

That is an all in one fertilizer so it should have everything you need.

I checked the Windy City Aquariums web site and do not see Water Wisteria aka hygrophila difformis listed. Normally, stem plants are propagated from stem cuttings, so they would be grown in water, not emersed.

To grow well, stem plants like a lot of light. If your lighting is weak, they will do better floating.

​

My bad - I shopped around a bit to find the plants I wanted. I got some from there but not the h. difformis.
I actually got those from Aquarium Plants factory.
I have a thick piece of mopani driftwood that leaches lots of tannins in the water. Does that reduce light significantly enough to affect stem plants?

 

My bad - I shopped around a bit to find the plants I wanted. I got some from there but not the h. difformis.
I actually got those from Aquarium Plants factory.
I have a thick piece of mopani driftwood that leaches lots of tannins in the water. Does that reduce light significantly enough to affect stem plants?

It is generally best to let stem plants float until they develop roots at nodes along the stem. Then you can cut the stems below the node and plant the roots in the substrate. You do not want a lot of stem buried as it can rot.

Anything that discolors your water reduced light penetration into the tank. If you think your driftwood is an issue, you can always use activated carbon to absorb some of the color. However, many aquarists avoid using carbon in planted tanks as it can remove some of the nutrients plants need for optimal growth.