Eleocharis montevidensis problems

[Lee Murray]

Hi guys, back in May I bought 5 clumps of Giant Hair Grass, (Eleocharis montevidensis), and within days they started melting and were all gone by the end of a week so I informed my local shop where I bought them who in turn contacted the supplier, long story short it seems that the supplier had been having trouble with the plant themselves so had taken them off their list for a while. Last week the 5 clumps were replaced for me free of charge but again within days they have started dying, I have them in 2 different tanks, one is a 340l Rena and the other a Betta Lifespace 90, both tanks have sand over gravel substrate, temperature is a steady 26c, Ph 7, ammonia & nitrites are 0ppm and nitrates usually get to around 20ppm before the weekly w/c, lighting in the Rena is only 2x T8 tubes at the minute but all my other plants, (Amazon Swords, Cryptos, Ceratopteris, Ludwigia & Water Lettuce), are doing fine, I dose daily with Easycarbo and EI Salts. I have searched the internet for weeks trying to work out what is wrong but just can't come up with anything. Any ideas?........1st pic is of a plant I currently have and the 2nd is of the 1st lot.

 

[alto]

Eleocharis montevidensis

I can’t grow this either
Sometimes it melts rapidly, other times over a few weeks - occasionally I’ll have a few stems apparently growing but never with any density, and these all vanish within 6-12 months

And I’d feel a lot worse if Pedro Rosa hadn’t experienced the same
Going Dutch by the book

(this isn’t the only Tropica Inspiration tank (or tank journal) where the E montevidensis seems to disappear over time)

A friend just grows it (like crazy) in an unfiltered window vase aquarium

It does seem to prefer cooler water

Hopefully @Mick.Dk will chime in