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	Need a little help with 1st plants?
thestooge Hobbyist Posts: 77 Kudos: 61 Votes: 0 Registered: 04-Jan-2006	I have recently planted my first live plant tank. I planted some cabomba and it seems to be doing great except for one little thing; the bottom of a couple of the plants seem to be getting a little brownish. I am not a plant expert and I dont know if they came like this or are turning this way because of my lack of plant keeping skills. So I turn to the experts, you guys; Why are my plants doing this? THANKS! Fish CAN fly!
Posted 09-Feb-2006 05:05
NowherMan6 Fish Master Posts: 1880 Kudos: 922 Votes: 69 Registered: 21-Jun-2004	The bottoms turning brown may be due to a lack of light. How long has the tank been planted? What size is the tank? Gallons? Dimensions? How much light do you have in watts? Answering these questions will help us help you *Back in the saddle!*
Posted 09-Feb-2006 05:24
thestooge Hobbyist Posts: 77 Kudos: 61 Votes: 0 Registered: 04-Jan-2006	It is a very small tank, 5 gallons. I have an 8 watt bulb, so thats about 1.6 watts per gallon... I think . The plants have been there for about a week. The cabomba get very tall, so I was going to put the more established ones in my 29 gallon, eventually. Fish CAN fly!
Posted 09-Feb-2006 06:18
upikabu Fish Addict Posts: 591 Kudos: 393 Votes: 44 Registered: 08-Jun-2005	8 watts is extremely low light, no matter how small the tank (the wpg rule goes out the window for small tanks). Only extremely low-light plants would survive with that amount of lighting, and cabomba isn't one of them. IME it's one of the more light-demanding plants. If you have more lights in the 29g, I'd suggest cutting off the brown parts and moving them there. Let it float for a few days to make sure it gets plenty of light. -P
Posted 09-Feb-2006 06:39
FRANK Moderator Posts: 5108 Kudos: 5263 Votes: 1690 Registered: 28-Dec-2002	Hi, What kind of an 8 watt bulb is it? Is it incandescent, is it flourscent, what does the label on the bulb say? Frank -->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--
Posted 09-Feb-2006 08:22
thestooge Hobbyist Posts: 77 Kudos: 61 Votes: 0 Registered: 04-Jan-2006	Flourscent Fish CAN fly!
Posted 09-Feb-2006 18:35
NowherMan6 Fish Master Posts: 1880 Kudos: 922 Votes: 69 Registered: 21-Jun-2004	well, as upikabu said, 8W over a small tank is very very little. Cabomba needs more light than that, and that probably explains the brown lower stems you're seeing. *Back in the saddle!*
Posted 09-Feb-2006 18:45
thestooge Hobbyist Posts: 77 Kudos: 61 Votes: 0 Registered: 04-Jan-2006	They look perfectly healthy besides that! They are growing like 1/2 to 1 cm a DAY! NO KIDDING! Only two of them have this brownish occuring at the bottom. Fish CAN fly!
Posted 10-Feb-2006 04:54
Posted 10-Feb-2006 04:54	This post has been deleted
FRANK Moderator Posts: 5108 Kudos: 5263 Votes: 1690 Registered: 28-Dec-2002	Hi, Fluorescent. Thanks for the reply, it is probably not your lighting. Is it possible that the bottoms of the plants are not receiving as much light as they should? That would explain why the upper half of the plant is lush and green and growing really well, while the bottom parts are loosing their leaves. Try snipping off the upper half, removing the bottom half to another part of the tank, and replanting the top halves. Frank -->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--
Posted 10-Feb-2006 08:16
thestooge Hobbyist Posts: 77 Kudos: 61 Votes: 0 Registered: 04-Jan-2006	I will definetly give that a try! Thanks Frank! Fish CAN fly!
Posted 10-Feb-2006 15:30


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