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Dwarf Hair Grass help

717 views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  blubird101 
#1 ·
Hey guys, so I'm trying to get a carpet of dwarf hairgrass going so I bought some from the petshop. I divided up the pieces, spread them out, and planted them. They seems to be slowly turning yellow and brown though and I believe they are dying. :( Thoughts?
I also had some halferi in there once before and it also slowly withered and died. Guess grass type plants hate me haha.

Its in a 5 gallon fluval spec, I dose twice a week with excel flourish, light is 4.5 hours on and 19.5 off. (I had a major issue with algae with the tank before which I believe was partly due to the light, so that's why its on so little.).

Do you think it could be because the light isn't on so much? I used to do 6 hours on but that seemed to be what caused all the algae. Also I just trimmed them, as I had read on a different post that it helps to trim them, to encourage new growth.
 

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#2 ·
Never had success with dwarf hair grass (eleocharis parvula) without pressurized CO2 (I define success as plant is growing/carpeting/propagating itself) . Some people like to use excel as a CO2 replacement, but in my opinion it doesn't work (some people love it though, never worked for me).

Excel is essentially diluted glutaraldehyde. In my opinion, It serves mainly as a sort of algaecide, which essentially gets rid of algae competing with your plants, while it can provide some carbon source for your plants, you get about the same amount 2-5 ppm from normal atmospheric gas exchange depending on water flow, kh, ph.

You can change the environment to fit your plants, or change your plants(species) to fit your environment. Personally I think a photo-period of 4 hours of light is too little, and would increase to at least 6. If there is a bloom of algae, then consider nutrients/co2 balance may be off.
 
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