Dwarf Hairgrass growth conditions

[nmacog]

Hi all,

I Rescaped my 260L Fluval Vicenza around 3 weeks ago, in an attempt to grow Dwarf Hairgrass - it seems to be growing upward but not carpetting.

I have been EI Dosing for the past week 50ml micro (Mon Wed Fri) and 50ml macro (Tue Thu Sat) with a 50% water change on Sunday - the solutions are made up as follows :

Macro solution 4tsp Potassium Nitrate, 1tsp Potassium Phosphate, 6tsp Magnesium Sulphate, 500ml Water
Micro solution 1tsp Chelated Trace Elements, 500ml Water

I am running pressurised CO2 at 1 bubble per second, my CO2 indicator is showing greeny yellow.

Lighting is a WavePoint 48in LED 6500k - light are on 4hrs in the morning then off 4hrs then back on 4hrs in the evening. The distance from the lights to the DHG is 23inches

Substrate is Tropica Plant Growth Substrate capped with 25kg Limpopo Sand from Green Machine Online.

Are my lights powerful enough or should I look at adding a twin T5 High Output Unit ?
Also is it worth me adding a submersible pump to enhance flow ?

Or am I just being impatient ?
Many thanks.

 

[Martin in Holland]

Why people still do a light time-out in the middle of the day still baffles me a bit....plants grow better within a normal daylight routine also plants really need more than 4 hours to be able to grow to their full potential (many plants will need more than 4 hours to even recognize that the day started). The light intensity is not that important as you think, even under low light hairgrass will still be able to grow.
Hairgrass really takes of better (and will carpet better) if you cut it back from the start. I don't know if you did that, if not you might try it now.

 

[PARAGUAY]

Some trim it before planting for the carpet effect.How about place your drop checker lower down to get another reading?

 

[nmacog]

Thankyou for your advice

I trimmed it down to 10mm when I bought it before I planted it, but will trim again (i was in two minds as to whether to do this or not).

Martin - i'll try a solid 8hrs of lighting from 1pm to 9pm.

Paraguay - will move the drop checker further down the tank tonight

 

[kirk]

Yes you are being impatient your light is enough if you are needing to trim again. I've just stole some hair grass from my sons lowtec low light tank to put in the hightech. Over time I have found that grass grows like mad in sand once it has settled you'll need a mower. Nice tank by the way. Some bits of twisty wood behind the rocks on the left maybe?

 

[Christos Ioannou]

Yes you are being impatient

So how long before you needed that mower? For me its almost 2 months. It grows alright but still far from a carpet.

 

[Christos Ioannou]

So how long before you needed that mower? For me its almost 2 months. It grows alright but still far from a carpet.

Also, what is your substrate? I am using molar clay and I get new growth inside the substrate. I am thinking of capping with some thinner sand-like substrate.

 

[nmacog]

Kirk - yes it definitely needs some more decor and plants. I added some Alternanthera Rosaefolia between the rocks in the gap to towards the back.

I trimmed the DHG yesterday and moved the CO2 drop checker just below half way down the tank, also changed the lights to a 8hrs from 3pm to 11pm rather than 2 x 4hr separate windows.

I'm looking at adding a powerhead also, possibly 2500L/hour as flow at the bottom of the tank is non-existant at present. Have put a 300L/hour one down there at the moment just to get some slight circulation.

 

[foxfish]

260l & 1 BPS.... that must be a very big bubble!
I would say you need more gas.... try moving the DC right down by the grass.

 

[nmacog]

Just a quick update one month on - DHG seems to be slowly but surely spreading across the bottom of the tank, still growing high, I added a 4 x 54W T5 High Output lighting unit and upped CO2 to 3 bubbles per second, still EI dosing and adding EasyCarbo daily, with a big 50% water change on Sundays.

Pic attached :

 

[Martin in Holland]

I added a 4 x 54W T5 High Output lighting unit

There is your problem, to much light. Light will only drive the need for CO2 and give algae (as seen on your glass) more chance.
Look into your CO2 distribution and water circulation, on your picture from febr. 4 it looks like you are using 2 output heads, this would be counter productive, a spray bar will give you a much better circulation or even a lily pipe at the front aiming from lift to right (or right to left) would probably work better.

 

[tim]

That's grown quite well in a month for Eleocharis IMO, I have to agree with Martin 4x54w is overkill and will probably create problems rather than increase growth.

 

[Christos Ioannou]

Any idea why hg blades turn black + growth is very slow and any new growth only happens under substrate?

 

[tim]

Any idea why hg blades turn black + growth is very slow and any new growth only happens under substrate?

I've had this happen when I haven't had enough flow through the plant at substrate level of the tank, IMO lack of flow caused lack of co2 and nutrient issues plus a build up of detritus in between the plant blades slowly killing off the plant and inducing fine black algae.