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My plants are really struggling, not a single one is thriving. Even the fast growers are stuck in neutral. I desperately need some growth to cycle my 'unexpected fry' tank. The issue is my water is extremely soft, with a GH of 3, and most plants seem to prefer harder water. Does anyone know of a solution that can help with my soft water?

Havenor wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 8:56 pm My plants are really struggling, not a single one is thriving. Even the fast growers are stuck in neutral. I desperately need some growth to cycle my 'unexpected fry' tank. The issue is my water is extremely soft, with a GH of 3, and most plants seem to prefer harder water. Does anyone know of a solution that can help with my soft water?

I'd say the GH isn't the sole culprit here. What kind of micro-nutrients or comprehensive fertilizer are you dosing? What's the lighting setup like in your tank? And what specific plants are struggling? A photo of the entire tank would give us a better idea of the plant load and help identify potential issues.

boomer wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 9:54 pm

Havenor wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 8:56 pm My plants are really struggling, not a single one is thriving. Even the fast growers are stuck in neutral. I desperately need some growth to cycle my 'unexpected fry' tank. The issue is my water is extremely soft, with a GH of 3, and most plants seem to prefer harder water. Does anyone know of a solution that can help with my soft water?

I'd say the GH isn't the sole culprit here. What kind of micro-nutrients or comprehensive fertilizer are you dosing? What's the lighting setup like in your tank? And what specific plants are struggling? A photo of the entire tank would give us a better idea of the plant load and help identify potential issues.

I've been using AquaDip according to the instructions, but in hindsight, I think I should've used more of it since my Salvinia started to pale. The light that came with the tank is designed for aquascaping, so I assumed it'd be suitable for plants. I've got it on for about 15 hours a day, and I haven't had any issues with algae.

My plant list includes Echinodorus parviflorus, Salvinia natans, Lilaeopsis novea-zealandia, Alternanthera rosaefolia mini, Taxiphyllium barbieri, Sagittaria subulata, Eriocaulon cinereum, Cryptocoryne crispatula, and Rotala rotundifolia 'Green'.

I'm particularly surprised by the lack of growth in the Sagittaria, given its reputation for being a fast grower. The Salvinia did multiply initially but has since died off, possibly due to a lack of nutrients, which I suspect since it started to pale first.

I recently added CO2 from an upturned bottle. Besides the likely lack of nutrients from the fertilizers, I was also wondering if the water hardness might be an issue. I came across an article that listed the hardness requirements for various plants, and nearly all of them needed higher levels than what I have.

I've taken a look at Aquadip's website, and while it seems decent, I did notice that it's missing calcium, a crucial macronutrient. Given that you're in the UK, I'd recommend considering two alternative products that I've had good experiences with: TNC Lite and Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium. Both of these products seem more comprehensive than Aquadip. Additionally, for the larger swords, I think substrate fertilization would make a big difference, and Seachem's Flourish Tabs are top-notch for this purpose - not sure if TNC offers a similar product.

In terms of lighting, I'd suggest reducing the duration to 8 hours and using a timer to maintain consistency. Do you have any idea what the spectrum of your light is? It's usually expressed in degrees Kelvin (e.g., 5000K or 6500K). Reducing the light duration might help, as 15 hours seems excessive.

Regarding the CO2, I'm not convinced it's necessary, especially considering the plants you have. I wouldn't bother with it for now.

Thanks boomer, I appreciate your help. The lighting spectrum is a mystery to me, I'm afraid. I did try using a timer, but it had this annoying flashing thing before turning all the lights on, including the moonlight - I thought it might spook the fish. I can just switch it on later in the day instead. I'll stop with the CO2 and look into those fertilizers you mentioned. To be honest, I'm having to change everything I got from the shop when I started out - their advice was nonexistent and I had to ask what the plants would even live off before they gave me anything. Not impressed with the shop at all. I'll have to look online for better options.