Help with Staurogyne Repens

[Leaf]

Hi,
Can anyone help me with whats going on with my Staurogyne Repens?
Not all plants look like this, about 30-40% of what I have planted is growing well, the rest is struggling.

3 ft tank with injected C02, using ADA ferts (just starting step 2) and have Maxspect 160w Led lights. Running 5 hours at 60% with 1 hour 'sun rise' and 2 hours of 'sun set'.
Planted in Black earth, as you can see coming through the sand (beginners error)
Tank was planted 1st September, has since cycled and been stocked with fish.

Any help appreciated.

 

[Martin in Holland]

It looks like not enough current at substrate level.

 

[RossMartin]

I agree with Martin, mine looked exactly the same with low current and therefore not enough CO2.

 

[rebel]

Co2.

There are two options. You can lower light levels so your lower co2 matches the light or just bump the co2 up.

 

[Leaf]

Beauty, thanks guys. I've been thinking about getting a pump to increase flow to the back corner. (Syngonanthus sp. Belem is also struggling in the corner) Sounds like that might be the go.

 

[zozo]

I got a bit trouble with mine since the day it is planted a few months back, and it's not in a dead corner and 2 inches from the filter inlet. Not melting anymore. but whats left is also not growing realy fast.. It just sits there, not dying not growing. The plant left of it grows like crazy, the other plant right from it also. Still not found out why. Tom Bar wrote several nice explainations about SR and his experiences whit this at his forum on a simular question. He stated it can be a difficult plant at times which needs patience and maybe an other spot in the tank. You have to try things.. Can't find the specific topic back, it's this plant is discussed several times, so we're are not alone..
https://www.google.nl/search?q=tom+bar&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=tE43VtfvDoPxUtCov8AM#q=staurogyne+repens+site:barrreport.com/

 

[rebel]

I got a bit trouble with mine since the day it is planted a few months back, and it's not in a dead corner and 2 inches from the filter inlet. Not melting anymore. but whats left is also not growing realy fast.. It just sits there, not dying not growing. The plant left of it grows like crazy, the other plant right from it also. Still not found out why. Tom Bar wrote several nice explainations about SR and his experiences whit this at his forum on a simular question. He stated it can be a difficult plant at times which needs patience and maybe an other spot in the tank. You have to try things.. Can't find the specific topic back, it's this plant is discussed several times, so we're are not alone..
https://www.google.nl/search?q=tom+bar&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=tE43VtfvDoPxUtCov8AM#q=staurogyne+repens+site:barrreport.com/

Very interesting indeed. Perhaps the op should wait it out? No harm in increasing co2 though.

 

[zozo]

Maybe, sometimes you can't push plants something down their troath. If they don't want to be there, or just need time to establish.. In my tank it takes a long time, the transition already was difficult and 60% melted away in that period and whats left now still isn't realy happy at the spot i gave it. Maybe it never will.. But i got another plant which took 5 months to establish Potemageton Gayi, it was like dorment for 5 months only melting and catching algae and since 2 weeks it's rocketing and grew many inches al of a sudden. It's like it finaly found it's way.. Could be it's root system finaly found or got to a point it likes. There's also a lot happening in the tank we don't see, what does it do in the substrate..

 

[Paulo Soares]

Evening,
Take this with all my respects. I think you should stop once for good saying those things about Co2 and flow etc.. Very sorry but those ideas are not acurate. Always blaming Co2 and current. That is the most simple to point out.

How many tanks you want with very few current and still plants looking awsome?
Do you see the set up´s from IAPLC and AGA etc.?

I´m following many foruns and i can say that at this time in the world we have to many people strugling with SR.
We gotta look to problems in a global view and not as singular. We may point as single also of course and propose a solution.

Now back to what i´ve been noticing in many foruns, could it be a coincidence? Do you remember last year we also have a very demanding issues with Amannia Bonsai. This tends to be current symptom to.. From times to times many people at the same time strugling with the same plant. So.. maybe is the time from assembling to nowaday.

I assume from what is knowledge and scienfically proved even by manufacturers that our fertil substrate live long at one year at the most. For instance "Elos" Mineral Bottom and substrate claim to live a year at the most.
Ada sistem Power Sand can stock even minor time. Depending on lights it may stock out at the sixth month to a year at the most.
Tropica Plant Growth Substrate probably live last a year to.

In my tank i did notice to that SR didn´t grow but also didn´t die. She´s was just sitting there. Why? What could be the "stoped" growth issue? Didn´t die but didn´t even grow. In my point of view could be only regarding nutrients of course.

So if all other plants were doing fine what was missing to this one specifically? What was the nutrient missing? Or where it could be missing?

Most soils are exhausted at the end of months to a year at the most and some plants absorb more nutrients from roots (are sistem radiculate) than others wich can absorb more nutrientes from the leaves. So i think that puting caps in those plants who need a BOOST should solve the issue. And it seems so. I allready notice new leaves borning.

Also Amannia Bonsai always did melt in my tank and i solve that introducing caps a day or two before in the area/spot where i intend to plant them. And my ammania is also in a spot of the tank with less flow! Only now i think i know the cause for that melt in a discussion with my mates in Portugal.

Scientifically is well proved that after 6 months or a year (depending on lights and fertil substrate) our soils have only nitrous oxide inside and most dense in the bottom. Maybe this is the cause for the melt issue. Planting wiithout giving nutrient conditions down there for the roots. Of course not all plants (as i mention before) need this. Cause others can absorb well from the leaves or absorb more from leaves than roots or adapt better.

This is my opinion for what i´ve been trying in my experiences.

Final note for those who´s always pointing CO2 as the mother nature of all crimes : In my tank i have a Aqua Rebell calibrated 30 PPM solution, with a AQua Rebell DOUBLE checker (reference and stock solution) and you can be sure that CO2 is in 30 PPM in all tank. Not a light green or yellow as many claim to have but a simple green just as equal to the reference solution and all plants doing fine.

I´m walking on this hobby for a quite good time now to know in what conditions should one have his co2.

Even i have a simple Eheim Ecopro 300 (700 liter / hour) to a 160 liter tank. And if you pleased i can put a video for you to see the current.
When my Twinstar starts working or when i dose Shrimp food you can see the very very good flow it does have by the movement of the Twinstar gas or the food circulating and plants shaking all over te tank etc. etc. To many points to see that all is good.

All plants in the tank grow as crazy. Only the SR does not till i put the caps in the soil. So please friends don´t blame CO2 for the weeker growth or even the melt as it is well propagated in this forum.

These are my thoughts for what i´ve been noticing.

My system is ADA Amazonia with Power Sand and all aditives on it. Penac´s and Bacter 100 and Tourmaline etc.

Best regards

 

[Paulo Soares]

Here you have:

This friend used a substrate from an older tank and his having melt issues.

http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/anibias-nana-melting.38736/

 

[rebel]

Perhaps the plant has a 'life cycle' of the sorts making it wax and wane despite good conditions?

 

[Mick.Dk]

Perhaps the plant has a 'life cycle' of the sorts making it wax and wane despite good conditions?

Yes, plants have a "life circle". F.ex they go from vegetative(=grow) stage to generative(=flower) stage - and some go back and forth between the two.
Staurogyne repens is defenitely less adaptable to submerged conditions, when plant is in generative stage. I've tested this.
- I do not think this is the reason for the melting in very many cases, since traded plants are rarely in generative stage, when sold. T.C. is defenitely not !

 

[Paulo Soares]

since traded plants are rarely in generative stage, when sold

Never in the case of 1/2 grow cup

 

[Mick.Dk]

Never in the case of 1/2 grow cup

Paulo - 1-2-Grow! IS a T.C. product

 

[Paulo Soares]

Now.. let´s see. A plant as a neverending circle of life.
It forms and transforms processing fruits or and flowers than germinate the seeds, to yield a new plant. these are in a simple explanation the central steps from a set of events that is repeated cyclically and is the life cycle of plants.
In submerge state as long they have roots they can not die unless we do not provide nutrients.
On the other hand we even can "burn" them (too much light) but then again as long the root is there is always possible to come to life again.
Now the triming method is also to much important to provide faster grow. If oyu just cut all the way then it will take much longer to "reborn". We must cut only the upper leaves and respective stalk (not the main stalk) so that the leaves above can regenerate and provide new leaves.

This is what i think.

 

[tmiravent]

Hi, another nice discussion!
I have staurogyne in my big tank without melting issues...
No fertile soil, just medium\small black sand...
Low flow, low ferts, low light and normal growth!
Check the 'desobidience'....
Cheers

 

[Mick.Dk]

Hi, another nice discussion!
I have staurogyne in my big tank without melting issues...
No fertile soil, just medium\small black sand...
Low flow, low ferts, low light and normal growth!
Check the 'desobidience'....
Cheers

I can grow Staurogyne repens in "Low Tech" conditions too, without problems.......but that doesn't change the fact, that some have problems !!! It is allways intetesting to (try to) learn how things can be done in a better way

 

[Paulo Soares]

Low flow, low ferts, low light and normal growth!

Tiago,

Many thanks for being here mate.

Absoutely normal. You´re just taking a walk in the park Low maintenace indeed. That changes all.

What if you put some gas and acelerate your your tank?

Who knows what coul happen? Maybe then a couple of caps or a fertil soil could be needed. Remember that the caps are supposed to give just a boost for plants achiev force and stabilized. It´s not a miracle.

 

[tmiravent]

Hi,
Any help appreciated.[/QUOTE]

I can grow Staurogyne repens in "Low Tech" conditions too, without problems.......but that doesn't change the fact, that some have problems !!! It is allways intetesting to (try to) learn how things can be done in a better way

Agree! my small experience with one or 2 tanks can't be a rule for anything!
Just want to share my experience, i learn a lot with the others 'fails' and successes.

Tiago,
What if you put some gas and acelerate your your tank?

Paulo i believe that would be a disaster! Maybe a big disaster!
But, why should i do it?
My goal is balance not speed (i know that speed is good sometimes, but the fall is also bigger...)

Hi,
Can anyone help me with whats going on with my Staurogyne Repens?
Not all plants look like this, about 30-40% of what I have planted is growing well, the rest is struggling.

3 ft tank with injected C02, using ADA ferts (just starting step 2) and have Maxspect 160w Led lights. Running 5 hours at 60% with 1 hour 'sun rise' and 2 hours of 'sun set'.
Planted in Black earth, as you can see coming through the sand (beginners error)
Tank was planted 1st September, has since cycled and been stocked with fish.

Now back to the original post...
Leaf, sorry for the parallel discussion (sometimes is confusing..)
I can't see the context of your tank, full shot to compare the plants and the way things are done...
From the 2 pictures, Staurogyne and Althernanthera are struggling...
Even with incomplete information (that can lead to confusing and erratic helping),
i can spot some stuff:

Co2 - maybe not enough (difficult to tell with 2 images)
Fert - 2 plants showing clear signs of deficiency, my advice stick to one system and be patience (and it's no easy)
Light - maybe too strong (but this is guessing in the dark)
Water changes - no clue
Flow - no clue...

Other water parameters (PH, KH, GH, PO4, N and Fe) could help you to understand better your tank (not consensual opinion i know) ,
Observation is the key, watch carefully your tank, plants and fishes, they give us clues about what we are doing wrong and right.
Is normal to have start tank issues, everybody does! With time you'll learn to solve quickly that issues.
cheers

 

[tmiravent]

I left the content inside the comment, sorry!

Now back to the original post...
Leaf, sorry for the parallel discussion (sometimes is confusing..)
I can't see the context of your tank, full shot to compare the plants and the way things are done...
From the 2 pictures, Staurogyne and Althernanthera are struggling...
Even with incomplete information (that can lead to confusing and erratic helping),
i can spot some stuff:

Co2 - maybe not enough (difficult to tell with 2 images)
Fert - 2 plants showing clear signs of deficiency, my advice stick to one system and be patience (and it's no easy)
Light - maybe too strong (but this is guessing in the dark)
Water changes - no clue
Flow - no clue...

Other water parameters (PH, KH, GH, PO4, N and Fe) could help you to understand better your tank (not consensual opinion i know) ,
Observation is the key, watch carefully your tank, plants and fishes, they give us clues about what we are doing wrong and right.
Is normal to have start tank issues, everybody does! With time you'll learn to solve quickly that issues.
cheers