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Need a bit of help please - eleocharis acicularis mini

JustYourAvgJoe

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Joined
8 Feb 2022
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Good evening,I think I’ve got a bit of an issue with the above mention plant. The tank is a Rio 125 with the new LED lights. They’re on for 6 hours a day at the minute and because it’s a new tank, I’m doing water changes every other day. Temp is 25 and the PH is neutral. The plants have been in now for just over a week and I’ve not noticed any difference. Am I being too eager or is this normal?

1st picture, on the day of planting. 2nd yesterday
 

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Hi @JustYourAvgJoe Welcome to UKAPS :)

Yes, you should be more patient. Your not going to see much growth in a week in a low-tech tank especially not at the early stage, and Eleocharis acicularis 'mini' are relatively slow growers even more so in a low tech tank... What are you dosing for fertilization? and what substrate are you using? Make sure your light intensity is not too high during those 6 hours. Otherwise, what your doing sounds pretty good to me. It looks like your going for a theme there with E. acicularis only? You may want to consider dosing some liquid Carbon to get things going. Take a look at this dosing regime for inspiration. Good luck!

Cheers,
Michael
 
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Good evening,I think I’ve got a bit of an issue with the above mention plant. The tank is a Rio 125 with the new LED lights. They’re on for 6 hours a day at the minute and because it’s a new tank, I’m doing water changes every other day. Temp is 25 and the PH is neutral. The plants have been in now for just over a week and I’ve not noticed any difference. Am I being too eager or is this normal?

1st picture, on the day of planting. 2nd yesterday
Hi
this plant low tech if it makes it at all(and thats a big if) will be painfully slow grower.
I have mine 2 months in and I am yet to see any new runners and it melts and melts.
Give it more time.If not working out for you try Monte carlo and Eleocharis parvula as accent here and there.
Regards Konstantin
 
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I would keep the water change frequency, reduce light intensity, and reduce the temperature to ~22C. I would also add floating plants ASAP to help with the startup. Otherwise you risk an algae outbreak soon, besides the normal algae that should start appearing in a few weeks. It is likely that some (or all) of the Eleocharis will melt, especially if you are using a rich substrate/aquasoil. If it manages to survive the first weeks, then it will grow slowly without CO2. If you want to attempt carpet plants in a low-tech tank <read these tips> from Dennis Wong. Note that Iwagumi-style aquascapes can prove quite difficult even with CO2 injection. So, you need to adjust your expectations. Also, do not add any livestock. This tank has very low plant mass and will take significant time until it starts stabilizing. Good luck!
 
since u have no livestock, reduce the water level by half. that should improve gas exchange with the plants at the bottom of the tank, and the light reaching the plants will increase.
That's is an interesting idea @erwin123 ! ... semi-dry start comes to mind where you just keep everything almost emerged, but nothing more.

Cheers,
Michael
 
Thank you everyone for the replies! I forgot to add that I have Tropica Aqua soil underneath the gravel and I’m also dosing with NT Labs Plant Boost and NT Labs Liquid Co2. I have fish in there also which I forgot to mention, just a dozen glowlight Rasboras and 3 neon blue Rasboras. Im thinking about taking one of the lights out the tank. I have a day light one and also a warmer one. Which of the two should I take out? Im already seeing algae appear and I’m having to get in there before a water change and scrub off the algae with a tooth brush. I’ve got 2 more pots of Eleocharis coming in order the ‘help’ the process. Is it worth while me trimming the current plants to promote growth?
 
I never have much luck at all in my soft water non CO2 aquariums l think it's a plant that really needs CO2. If it doesn't do well how about Monte Carlo?
 
I might change but I’ve spent almost £50 on Eleocharis so I’m a bit reluctant. I was thinking about getting Seachem Iron, I’ve heard that Eleocharis likes it?

Just come back from being away for a few days and this is the state of the tank….

Is this Diatom algae?
 

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Hi all,
I was thinking about getting Seachem Iron, I’ve heard that Eleocharis likes it?
It is <"iron gluconate">, so more available than a chelate like FeEDTA, but with the iron (FE++(+)) ions much more likely to form insoluble compounds and go out of solution.

If the plant grown as "Eleocharis acicularis" in the aquarium really is E. acicularis it is a <"UK native"> and grows in highly calcareous conditions, where iron isn't likely to be readily available. The only place I've ever seen it personally are at Lough Gealain in Co. Clare, a <"turlough / marl lake"> and the Garryland Lake (turlough) in Co. Galway, both in the wider Burren and then when the "tide" was out.

cheers Darrel
 
Thank you everyone for the replies! I forgot to add that I have Tropica Aqua soil underneath the gravel and I’m also dosing with NT Labs Plant Boost and NT Labs Liquid Co2. I have fish in there also which I forgot to mention, just a dozen glowlight Rasboras and 3 neon blue Rasboras.
A bit confused about the timeline. When have you set up this tank? When have you added the fish to the tank?
Im thinking about taking one of the lights out the tank. I have a day light one and also a warmer one. Which of the two should I take out?
Can't you reduce the intensity of both lights instead? Since you have a closed tank, two lights allow for better light distribution
Im already seeing algae appear and I’m having to get in there before a water change and scrub off the algae with a tooth brush. I’ve got 2 more pots of Eleocharis coming in order the ‘help’ the process. Is it worth while me trimming the current plants to promote growth?
Please check the comments above on this thread. Eleocharis is not going to help the process on your tank. You need fast growing stem plants and floating plants. Check some suggestions <here> and <here>. Trimming the Eleocharis at this stage is more a less a guarantee that you will end up with no plants... how old is this setup after all?
 
I set this tank up at the end of January and I added a few fish approximately 9 or 10 days later. I wanted to add fish once the “carpet” had evolved but the process just would of been too long. So far I haven’t lost a single fish

Unfortunately I can’t reduce the lights because they are either on or off. I was thinking about getting a light setup where I can change the kelvin and intensity but it just wasn’t viable with the cost

Yes I’m going to get some floating plants for the tank, I actually really like the look of them which is a bonus. As for the stem plants… can I just have them in a pot and not actually planted into the substrate?
 
That was very early to add fish @JustYourAvgJoe , your tank has not had time to mature yet and you dont have a large amount of actively growing plants. I must admit I fear for the safety of your fish.

You can add stemplants in a pot or just have them floating at the surface, either one will do. Floating plants is a very good idea
 
I have the same mini eleocharis acc. And it took about a month to start sending out some runners in my oldest son's tank. No co2, medium/low light and 3 to 4 pumps of tropica specialised per week. Few fish, plain gravel. It's growing slow but it's doing well this far. Now in my main tank I planted it in the sandy parts, and there it took even longer to get going and struggled a while, despite co2 and higher ferts. I'm not entirely sure what this plants sweet spot is. In my nano (no co2, high light gravel and soil mix) its standing still, no runners and no decaying. In my previous nano it did amazing, with medium light, medium co2 and tropica ferts, planted in plain sand.
My recommendation is to give the plant plenty of time to adjust, don't overdo it on the light (it does better in my medium light tanks than high light) and co2 helps but isn't a must. Once it gets going it picks up speed.
 
Hi all,
I set this tank up at the end of January and I added a few fish approximately 9 or 10 days later.
your tank has not had time to mature yet and you dont have a large amount of actively growing plants. I must admit I fear for the safety of your fish.
I have the same mini eleocharis acc. And it took about a month to start sending out some runners in my oldest son's tank. No co2, medium/low light and 3 to 4 pumps of tropica specialised per week.
OK, you are going to need to keep changing water, because your tank won't be "cycled", even in the traditional sense. Have a look at <"Seasoned Tank Time">.
Yes I’m going to get some floating plants for the tank, I actually really like the look of them which is a bonus.
I'm an Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) fan, but any <"floating plant will do the same job">. I've got plenty of spare <"Salvinia"> and <"Azolla"> if you can't find any for sale. I've just given away a load of Amazon Frogbit, but I'll have some more soon.
You can add stemplants in a pot or just have them floating at the surface, either one will do
I like <"Ceratophyllum and Ceratopteris"> as non-attached floating stems.

cheers Darrel
 
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