requirements for dwarfhairgrass parvula

No. Plants must have a period of darkness.

--Nikolay

The tank may not get enough light intensity. The wpg rule doesn't apply on smaller tanks. Your grass will survive but will spread very slowly. Just be patience. I had them growing with the same light like yours before in a nano tank although they didn't cover the ground as nice as in a high light tank.

What is the substrate? Eleocharis is more prone to grow well in finer substrate.

Andrew Cribb

Cooler water is better, the light is fine, add lots of CO2, Onyx, flourite works super. It takes time for the plant to get going, 2-3 weeks or so when things are good. Otherwise a non demanding weed once it takes off.

Regards,
Tom Barr

the substrate I am curently using is seachems fluorite.

I find adding some coarse silica sand (not too fine) on top of the Flourite does help.

Andrew Cribb

Is it normal for the grass to turn brown in the beginning? and what are those pine cone things on the grass?

Yes, it's normal. The new growth (runners) will be healthy green.

Are you talking about the tips of the grass? IF you read articles about different type of hairgrass, you could see that the tips and root systems of many different types of hairgrass are different.

The pine cone things are flowers/seeds.

Flourite alone should be fine. I've grown it thick as all get out in flourite/onyx, plain sand etc.

It does need an another layer to better/worse, it needs good nutrients.

Same with all plants, no coddling, just good conditions and a little time.

Regards,
Tom Barr