Crypt Dieback

[Mark Webb]

The lower growing Crypts in my tank have died back drastically in recent weeks. The Balansae is now covering some of the surface which has reduced the light, but I wouldn't have expected the dieback to be so drastic considering Crypts are low light plants, and wonder if anything else could be amiss?

I started with EI 28 August this year. Tank is 260l and I am using 66g KNO3 and 15g KH2PO4 dissolved in 500ml HMA filtered water and dosing 25ml Sun,Tue,Thu. Trace I am using is:

Fe 8.4%
Mn 1.82%
Zn 1.16%
B 1.05%
Cu 0.23%
Mo 0.15% and dosing 15ml Mon, Wed, Fri. Water change is 50% weekly on Saturday.

Any thoughts would be appreciated............

 

[G H Nelson]

HI Mark
It could be the lack of flow.....with this amount of plants your gonna have dead spots.
I would clean-up the Crypts as best you can and remove some of the Crypt Balansae.
Regards
hoggie

 

[Mark Webb]

Thanks Hoggie, yes, but the dieback is very uniform right across the tank, even where the light is reasonable and the flow okay. I will be removing the Balansae soon to another tank.

 

[G H Nelson]

Thanks Hoggie, yes, but the dieback is very uniform right across the tank, even where the light is reasonable and the flow okay. I will be removing the Balansae soon to another tank.

I still think its flow.....as your plants have grown this has restricted the pathways.
Just think of cutting the hedge around your garden if you don't cut/trim....it will become bushy also the bottom branches will become spindly without many leaves due to the lack of light and air flow.

Anyway you could sell some of your plants.....to me 😉
hoggie