[ChargingSoldier002]

Well, my first attempt at growing a beautiful carpet of Glosso in my little 10gal tank didn't turn out so well. I got a few bunches from my local PetORama, hurried home and quickly began weeding out the ones that didn't look to "healthy" to my untrained eye. I followed some advice on how to cut/plant the Glosso(tweezers, little y shaped sprouts) I got from a few websites posted on this site. After a few hours I finally got everything the way I wanted. After maybe two days I already noticed growth:cheer2: I thought everything was going great, my DiY Co2 was pumping out a steady stream of bubbles, lighting was adequate according to the sites I followed, I even added a couple shrimp to the tank to clean the foretold algae I might encounter. Then next week the Glosso grew about and inch and a half vertically! I trimmed it to about a quarter inch and replanted the trimmings into any little space available. Another week passed and the same thing except the leaves are turning yellow and most of the Glosso withered away and died.
Where did I go wrong? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Oh Oh! I like seven little snails in my tank now, Im pretty sure they hitched a ride on the Glosso, anyway, should I let them be or get rid of them? Thanks Again

 

[JAXON777]

it may be that you dont have enough light. When plants get leggy it tends to be b/c there is not enough light.

 

[supersmirky]

Not sure but does glosso pull nutrients from the substrate? Do you have any fertilizing you are doing right now? Leaves turning yellow is a sign of nitrogen dificiency

 

[taekwondodo]

it may be that you dont have enough light. When plants get leggy it tends to be b/c there is not enough light.

I don't buy the light theory - I've grown glosso under very little light, and I've had it getting leggy sitting directly under 175W of Metal Halide.

I'm more apt to believe lighting duration and CO2/nutrients.

- Jeff

 

[stuckintexas]

its something to do with nutrients. how do you fertilize?

 

[ChargingSoldier002]

I use this liquid stuff called Leaf Zone I got from PetCo. I pour it in the tank once a week.

 

[TNguyen]

From my experience,

if it's growing straight up - i would say lighting (what kind of light system are you using?)
if it's dying - nutrients and CO2

 

[stuckintexas]

im guessing leaf zone does not have everything glosso and many other plants need. probably just an incomplete fert routine. also, some of my glosso has grown straight up and some has been creeping along the substrate. i noticed its all in the way i planted it...take new growth and run it horizontally under the substrate leaving the leaves exposed. this should help it grow along the substrate.

 

[Ricky Cain]

Foliar feeding for glosso in my beginning experiences proved wanting. In my opinion there are four
factors for healthy glosso carpet we all want. 1. Good strong light getting to the plant, 2.adequate CO2 levels, 3. adequate nitrogen in the system and 4.iron via substrate as well as foliar methods. Iron and nitrogen problems can look very similiar so In my approach to this I try to cover them both.

 

[MacFan]

You don't need to spread it, it will spread quite readily on its own. Let it go for a while and let it get well established. A lot of plants were grown emmersed before being sold to pet stores. When they are submersed they often die back and grow new leaves. So particularly for ground covers, I would let them go for a while before messing with them.

I can't speak from lots of experience with glosso though. I finally just got it to grow myself in a 12g nano cube with eco complete substrate using EI fertilization.

Do you know what your water hardness is? Hardness is typically in the form of calcium, magnesium and potassium. Deficiencies in magnesium and/or potassium can lead to yellowing of leaves according to this nutrient map http://www.finostrom.com.gr/images/aqua/fertilizers/map.htm Since I have begun setting my water hardness (4GH/4KH) and doing EI, results have been fantastic.

Michael