Search found 77 matches

by shakinStevens
Fri Apr 11, 2025 10:21 am
Forum: Fresh Water Plants
Topic: Keeping anubis on lava rock
Replies: 2
Views: 828

Re: Keeping anubis on lava rock

You'll likely need ferts if you have very soft water, but not if it's just soft or hard. Seachem Fluorish Comprehensive is a good choice, as it's got all the necessary elements for plant growth. Some other ferts might be missing key nutrients, which can cause issues.

Regarding your lighting setup ...
by shakinStevens
Mon Apr 07, 2025 1:27 am
Forum: Fresh Water Plants
Topic: how to keep your plants in good shape
Replies: 16
Views: 3003

Re: how to keep your plants in good shape

Your tank water parameters seem fine for plants, pH 7 and GH around 4 is a good starting point. I'm not a fan of CO2 boosters, in my opinion, they're more of a trend. Plants don't necessarily die from low CO2 levels, they just go dormant. In most cases, a lack of essential nutrients is the real ...
by shakinStevens
Thu Apr 03, 2025 6:50 pm
Forum: Fresh Water Plants
Topic: Having trouble with my aquarium tank
Replies: 15
Views: 2850

Re: Having trouble with my aquarium tank


I had a similar issue in my 65-gallon tank recently, and it boiled down to water flow. The fertilizer nutrients just weren't being circulated effectively around the plants.

I've since adjusted the setup - the filter outlet is now a spray bar, and I've added a power head just beneath the water's ...
by shakinStevens
Mon Mar 17, 2025 11:47 pm
Forum: Fresh Water Plants
Topic: Help with a struggling water sprite
Replies: 12
Views: 8811

Re: Help with a struggling water sprite


I've had a pretty mixed experience with Water Sprite, too. It's supposed to be one of the easier plants, but mine did alright for a bit then just kinda stopped thriving. No idea what went wrong, to be honest.


This issue is quite common and usually stems from nutrient depletion in the tank ...
by shakinStevens
Mon Mar 03, 2025 10:36 pm
Forum: Fresh Water Plants
Topic: Help with plant care and advice
Replies: 6
Views: 7088

Re: Help with plant care and advice

I've also got a couple of other issues going on - one of the Anubis plants is dropping leaves daily, and some of my other plants have this dark green/black stringy algae growing off them.

It seems like you're dealing with algae, which can thrive even in low-nutrient water. Plants, on the other ...
by shakinStevens
Sun Feb 23, 2025 11:48 pm
Forum: Cichlids
Topic: fish survival in prolonged absence of care
Replies: 11
Views: 4395

Re: fish survival in prolonged absence of care

My experience with a month-long absence from my planted tank has been mixed. I've gone three weeks without a water change, no problem. Before I leave, I double-check everything, including the fish feeder, to make sure it's working correctly.

However, I have had issues with the filter pump and water ...
by shakinStevens
Sun Feb 16, 2025 1:00 pm
Forum: Fresh Water Plants
Topic: Why aren't my plants growing?
Replies: 5
Views: 5453

Re: Why aren't my plants growing?

When plants stop growing, it's often because they're lacking a necessary nutrient. The soil you're using will have some nutrients, but these will eventually deplete. A complete liquid fertilizer can help resolve this issue. I'm not clear if you're currently using a liquid fertilizer or not.

I'd ...
by shakinStevens
Sun Feb 16, 2025 3:46 am
Forum: Fresh Water Plants
Topic: Growing dwarf hair grass on a coco mat.
Replies: 8
Views: 8037

Re: Growing dwarf hair grass on a coco mat.


I'd advise against using Dwarf Hair Grass, as it's not a true aquatic plant and will likely struggle in your tank. It needs extremely bright lighting, CO2 and a lot of fertiliser to even stand a chance - and even then, it's a gamble.

If you're looking for low-growing options, I'd recommend Pygmy ...
by shakinStevens
Wed Feb 12, 2025 4:25 am
Forum: Fresh Water Plants
Topic: Help a novice grow their plant: what am i doing wrong?
Replies: 5
Views: 4569

Re: Help a novice grow their plant: what am i doing wrong?

To better understand the situation, could you please provide us with your tank's water parameters? This includes pH, GH, KH, nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia levels. Are you using tap water, RO, or distilled water to fill the tank? If it's tap water, what are the tap parameters? Knowing these details ...
by shakinStevens
Tue Feb 11, 2025 2:17 pm
Forum: Fresh Water Plants
Topic: Hornwort struggle: from thriving to barely surviving
Replies: 9
Views: 6433

Re: Hornwort struggle: from thriving to barely surviving


I'm going to take a bit of a wild guess here, but could it be a nitrogen deficiency at play? I know it sounds counterintuitive, especially given the tank's overall health, but I've read that hornwort are notorious nitrogen hogs.


Sometimes a water change will help if the water has the missing ...