Trimming Stems

[Tom]

When I trim the stems in my 25l tank, they always seem to melt and die off 😳 It takes a couple of weeks for new growth, and even when it grows back I'm left with nasty lower parts of the stems. I would just replant the tops but I'm trying to get it to bush out more. What am I doing wrong?

Also, don't know if it's related, but my Java Fern grows new leaves to about 1", then the tips melt off 🙁

I'm doing everything similar to the last tank which I never had any problems with :?

Help!!

Tom

 

[aaronnorth]

seems like some sort of defficiency, what do you dose?

 

[Tom]

Sorry, erm ADA Brighty K 1ml (1 squirt) per day, ADA Step1 1 ml every other day, ADA Brighty Spec Lights 1-2 ml per week

Tom

 

[Ray]

Also, don't know if it's related, but my Java Fern grows new leaves to about 1", then the tips melt off 🙁

You got photo's Tom? The tips of my Java Fern always look translucent when they are growing, had me convinced it was a deficiency, but I know you are too much of an old hand to fall for that one...

 

[ceg4048]

Hi,
I won't even go near the Brighty issue, but what stems are we talking about? P. stelleta and a couple of others are notoriously uncooperative when trying to propogate. There is a 99.54% probability that you need to add more CO2/flow. The ferns are a similar issue. If you have just enough CO2 the tips just stay translucent as Ray said but they tend to disintegrate with sub-par carbon availability.

Cheers,

 

[Tom]

Thanks for the replys 🙂

I won't even go near the Brighty issue

As in the "I got ripped off" issue? If its that one then I should say I didn't buy it!! 😛 I have a friend with too much money I have some powdered K carbonate (I think :? ) mixed and ready to go as well.

Looks like I ought to set up my drop checker then 🙄 I was saving it for the new tank. I'll see what I can do about flow tomorrow as well.

The affected stems are M. umbrosum, Bacopa something 🙄 and R. indica.

Cheers,

Tom