Aquatic Plant problems

[JamieTron]

does anyone else have problems establishing plants in their aquarium??? seriously I must just suck at it because they always die on me

[wallywestisthebest333]

Originally Posted by JamieTron

does anyone else have problems establishing plants in their aquarium??? seriously I must just suck at it because they always die on me

Don't feel too bad. I tried to get a bulb to grow in mine and it molded ruining my tank. =[ It's in the process of de-bleaching for the week in the sun. =]

[JamieTron]

*sigh* it just seems so much harder then I thought it was supposed to be lol I do have one fern that survived and another plant is kill trying to live anyways....*sigh*

Sorry about your moldly tank I wonder what happened to your plant.

[1fish2fish]

What plants do you have?

I've had pretty good success with my plants. My 10 gallon has eco-complete (well worth upgrading IMO) and a 15 watt fluorescent bulb (1.5 wpg). I have java fern, dwarf sag, corkscrew val, java moss, amazon sword, and apons.

My java fern is tied to a piece of driftwood and grows like mad. I've gotten over 10 babies off of it since I bought it in March. My dwarf sag grows really well too.

For planted plants I think good substrate is key, for tied or floating plants I think lighting and water quality play a big part in it.

[JamieTron]

Originally Posted by 1fish2fish

What plants do you have?

I've had pretty good success with my plants. My 10 gallon has eco-complete (well worth upgrading IMO) and a 15 watt fluorescent bulb (1.5 wpg). I have java fern, dwarf sag, corkscrew val, java moss, amazon sword, and apons.

My java fern is tied to a piece of driftwood and grows like mad. I've gotten over 10 babies off of it since I bought it in March. My dwarf sag grows really well too.

For planted plants I think good substrate is key, for tied or floating plants I think lighting and water quality play a big part in it.

Hey thanks for the reply,

I sadly don't know any of my plants I bought names beside I have a java fern that is struggling. I know they were all planted plants. I have a gravel substrate but I really wanna my my tank prettier and have been looking at a more fine substrate what do you think?

[1fish2fish]

Is the java fern planted? If so you need to get it out of the substrate. Java fern is one of those plants that needs to be tied to something with the roots exposed.

I think getting a better substrate can help. My dwarf sag is doing so much better in my tank with eco-complete than it is in my gravel tank. Eco-complete or Fluorite would be good choices. Personally I prefer the eco-complete because its more like gravel and easier to clean.

[JamieTron]

Originally Posted by 1fish2fish

Is the java fern planted? If so you need to get it out of the substrate. Java fern is one of those plants that needs to be tied to something with the roots exposed.

I think getting a better substrate can help. My dwarf sag is doing so much better in my tank with eco-complete than it is in my gravel tank. Eco-complete or Fluorite would be good choices. Personally I prefer the eco-complete because its more like gravel and easier to clean.

Ohhhh okay it was anchored when I bought it so I assumed it should have been planted. So I should take it out of the substrate and allow the roots to be exposed? Okay I just went and did that Thanks for that tip

I shall check out those types of substrate I bought the tank but the light does not work in it, I think the hood is broken That could also be my problem. I took the top off to allow all the natural light from my window to come in but perhaps that is not enough.