a few ?

[stevef]

I have purchased a few plants and was wondering about the ceramic weight that they come with. Should I remove it and the wrapping material? The last one I purchased turned brown after a week or two and I noticed that the shoots pulled right out of the little ceramic ring. Is the wrapping around the root causing it to rot? If I remove it how should they be planted. I only have regular gravel. The plants are Egeria najas I believe. The other is Hygrophila polysperma and the original one I bought  looks like Cyperus helferi but I can't be sure. I was told it was a low light plant so maybe it just looks like Cyperus helferi?. I have some java fern that's growing well and another stemmed plant that had a rough start but seems to be regrowing. I currently have a single 18k light and am using a liquid fertilizer.

thanks
Steve

[dan2x38]

Without knowing more about your tank it is hard to really say. The Egeria is better started out floating not stuck in the substrate. Separate the stems a lot of plants will rot if bunched together to closely of just touching... they get no water flow and food and decaying plants build up around the stems. Egeria often rots around the stem stuck into the gravel. It likes cooler waters. Egeria is a favorate of mine... it also secretes an antibiotic that will help prevent BGA (blue green algae)

Yes remove the packing around the roots the stem will rot. Usually trim the root a little especially remove any old brown or rotting root before planting in the gravel. try not to damage the stem. A trimmed root encourages new root growth. Polysperma is an easy plant to grow too. Post some pics. of what you say is, Cyperus helferi if not sure... this plant requires some good lighting & benefits from CO2. Don't use Seachem Excel as a carbon source with Egeria or most Vals as they will melt.

I'd Goggle each plant and research them plus aquarium plant growth...

[stevef]

Hi Dan here are some shots of the plants. As far as tank details, its around 25 gallons, 78°c, 7.0 PH , hard water with a single 18000k tube. I'm dosing with tetra-plant flora pride. I think I will try to separate some of the larger ones, maybe get more bang for the buck this way. I'm looking into adding a second tube as well.

This plant at centre is the one I think may be Cyperus helferi but am not sure. It was about 4x that size originally


This is the Egeria najas ?


The Hygrophila polysperma


And this is one of 2 stems you gave me... starting to grow again

[dan2x38]

The 1st one looks like Cyperus helferi but the 2nd one is not Egeria... I forget the name. You need to seperate the stems or it will rot though. It does require good lighting and also should have some CO2. It is also very hard to rot. If you stay away from Straight & Sprials Vals plus Egeria you can use Excel as a carbon source. It is a smaller tank right? On bigger tanks it would cost to much to use Excel.

[stevef]

So that explains why the helferi isn't surviving, - insufficient light... I was told it was ok with low light but google says otherwise... So to be clear , I should separate the stems of all these plants? Please explain as I'm lost when it comes to these things 

Steve

[dan2x38]

Actually when I went back and looked I think it is a Japanese Rush: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/plants/StemPlants/JapaneseRush.php which is not a true aquatic plant. Here is what the Cyperus helferi looks like: http://www.tropica.dk/productcard_1.asp?id=133A

I think this is what you thought was Egeria - Mayaca fluviatilis: http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?what=plant&cur_lang=2&id=155 This is the plant that is hard to root and needs to be seperated - the stem is also very fragile.

Hygro Polysperma can grow grouped together but it willl do much better seperated too. If group to closely the lower leaves will fall off and plant will be stemy. This is one of the easiest plants to grow.

I forget what I gave you? Did I say it was Sunset Hygro Ploysperma?

I suggest Goggling your plants and their care.

[stevef]

Yeah, I don't remember what you said it was either Looks like I'll be setting up another light sooner rather than later. I removed the airstone I was running and spread the plants out. There's quite a bit of plant in there when you take them apart! My tank looks much fuller now, and even better - I took all the fake ones out 

thanks for the help , I'll keep you posted on the progress or lack thereof...

Steve