Thin plants

[petros]

Hello guys! My plants are growing quite fast but the unusual is that they grow tall and thin, without any leaves near the root or at the middle of their height. All of their leaves are concentrated at the top making a green "roof" at the surface. The only plants that they seem to grow normal is an anubia nana and a sword leaf plant (donot know its name). Am I doing something wrong?? The tank is 1.0*0.5*0.4 (L*H*B) and Im using an Arcadia fluorecent light for plant growth and a white one, 30 watts each. The lights are on for 12hrs. Any recommendations what I have to do to make them more bushy :?:

[Nathan]

do you use any liquid fertilisers? ive had the same problem with wisteria, you need to make sure no other plants are shadowing eachother also a bit of a prune seemed to help, but definitely need fertilisers, i use seachem flourish its a great product and you results, also use seachem flourish excel which is great. youll find them at the online sponsow APW

HTH

[rsoares]

How many watts did you say you had? Like said previously, fertilizers are a must, if you don't have a rich soil/substrate, also Co2 is important, and of course lighting, which as a rule of thumb for demanding plants, you should have about 1W/Ltr.

[Phlipper]

Apart from good substrate, fertilisers etc.....some plants naturally grow that way, Wisteria is one. Wisteria is a plant that naturally grows top heavey, even out of the water if allowed, other plants that do the same thing are Blue Stricta, Ludwigia to name a couple. Your Sword plants are low growing as are Anubias and will not reach for the surface, these are a good choice of plant and require no pruning, but there are many others as well.

Increased bushiness can be improved by cutting the plants in half, this will encourage more lateral branches and the plants will spread out, but in the end will still reach high for the water surface and block the light for low growing plants. All prunings can be stuck into the substrate to grow into a new plant, just stick the stem in as deep as you can, and with fertiliser on a regular basis you will have a forest of new plants eventually.

[Nathan]

thats good advice an knowledge there phlipper

[petros]

Thanks guys for the advices and the responce. I believe that the plants that have reached the surfaced are not supposed to grow like that. Any way, I use the Seachem fertilizers (Flourish, Excel, Iron and Pottasium) about twice a week and I also have a substrate about 3cm. I switched off the CO2 injection cause Ive noticed fish breathing probs, but the plants show no prob at all. The prob may be concentrated at the lights. I have a total of 60W for my 200lt tank which is much less than the 1w/lt. So should I order more lights?? Is the proportion w/lt right? Thanks again guys!!

[duck]

It is more an likely the plants are light starved you need more light,Double the amount of light's ,I have a high light tank and a low light and can say that in the low light i get the plants are reaching for the light's and i have enriched substrate.
Switch your CO2 back put as low as you can go,then from there increase slowly so your fishare comfertable.

[petros]

OK then. I suppose I have to order the base where the lights are supported and are screwed on. thanks for the advice!

[petros]

OK then. I suppose I have to order the base where the lights are supported and are screwed on. Thanks for the advice!

[dcarmau]

as a cost-saving suggestion, you can just use regular fluoro light fittings provided they're rated for the globes you're using. look in the DIY for some suggestions for hoods... I'm making one soon to double-triple my light output.

[Phlipper]

I have bought a few standard fluro fittings to save money, mostly from secondhand stores for very cheap prices. They are OK and much cheaper than purpose built aquarium style light fittings if the budget is tight.

I guess you need to be more aware of rust problems with the units, but even that can be minimised with a bit of common sense. If the fluro assembly if placed onto a secure, tight glass tank lid with little spacers under the casing it will last for many years. I have also placed the standard fluro fittings within the hood of tanks, seperated from condensation buy a removable glass panel.........see picture 8-)

[Robdog]

Generally speaking, plants will tend to grow taller and taller in search of more light whereas if the lights are really bright, the plants tend to stay smaller but spread out a lot more. If that makes sense.

Low light-tall plants
Lots of light-short plants

[vishy100]

Obviously you guys are all correct, as I can vouch for the light high light bit as my hemianthus micramthemoides has decided to turn in to a ground cover and grow down instead of up!!! :evil: Keeping co2 levels up are a must(no surface movement at all....none!) with low lighting I wouldnt worry too much about ferts although it depends on w/c regime
Thanks
Matt