Help please, my plants are melting???

Hi Dirk, please help here, I got home today and I see a lot of my plants are melting and going see-through? Is this normal in a new setup? My New Zealand hair grass is getting covered in a dark brown velvet like stuff?

My lights are on for 11 hrs a day, ph 7, gh5 and temp 24c. I am dosing with your ferts as follows;

On intial set up 50ml DSD GH+, 50ML DSD K+ AND 50ML DSD Plant feeding mix. Tank including sump is 500lt. Lights are 2 x54 watt grolux and 2 x 54watt skywhite. I have not added any other ferts as you said I must leave it for two weeks before I dose again. There are no fish in my tank at this stage as it has not cycled yet and there is a faint white haze in the tank.

Hopefully I am worrying over nothing.

TIA

 

I have many lectures to prepare this evening....

Which plants are melting?

How long did these plants stand in a setup without any ferts?

Kind regards,

Dirk

 

The plants stood for a week without ferts. I think the plants are called "KRYPTS" and the other one is a dwarf amazon sword type and the water wisteria.

 

Hi Steve,

These plants belong to the genus Cryptocoryne and are abbreviated as "crypts".

They are known for their ability to melt in the soft water of the Western Cape (google for "crypt melt down") unless immediately placed in the "correct" water. If placed immediately into water containing my DSD drops this does not occur.

They will collapse and then try to sprout from the basal stems. It will depend on the reserves of the plants whether they will be able to make a comeback.

Dwarf Amazons also do this without ferts for a week, they may come back, they may not?

Water wisteria is also known for this collapse, but generally have better ability to recover and will push new shoots.

Hope this answers your questions.

Kind regards,

Dirk

 

Thanks Dirk, any idea on the dark brown "velvet" on my new zealand hair grass?

Many Thanks
steve

 

"Velvet" could be algae brought in with the plants which tend to flourish as you start a new aquarium.

Try to remove by rubbing and then syphon off what you can loosen.

Kind regards,

Dirk

 

Thanks Dirk, will try that.

Regards
steve