Browning Hornwort

[Good Wolf]

When I first planted a few strings of wort they were stay a nice dark green color. I recently added quite a bit more, and now they are all slowly browning. I've tried floating them at the top for a few days but that seems to make it worse.

I have a 2ft hex, with 14w of fluorescent light. The majority of the stems reach close to the top of the water. It is my understanding that wort is very low light, and very undemanding.

Would it help to add some liquid fertilization? Is it possible that I have too much of it and they are competting for nutrients? Should I trim them down so that the bottom of the stems get more light?

[fishi91]

Do you have brown algae?
Mine turned brownish with algae and my ottos are having trouble getting it off.

[Good Wolf]

Nope, no algae. I decided to keep the blinds open on the window next to it and keep the light on in the room to hopefully add some light into the tank.

[mousey]

my experience with hornwort is variable to say the least.
I find it really likes high light-- any tank I have put it in with low light and it drops its leaves. It also can be picky about tank mates.
One tank I have it with java and it grows really well. the water flow is high as well as high light. No nibbling fish.
Another tank it has the same amount of light but the fish are nibblers. The companion plants are jungle vals and it does not do all that well.
The last tank I have it in gets 4 hours of artificial light a day as well as sunlight. It has 1 nibbler in the tank. It drops its leaves all the time and so i have no hope of it growing there in reality.
I find it is a picky plant!!. have grown it outside in the sunlight some years and it goes nuts, other years it dies off.
Go figure.

[Good Wolf]

Yeah the bottom of my tank looks like someone shook an old x-mas tree above it...sigh.

I sure hate to go back to fake plants especially after buying lighting for the hex but it looks like I migh not a say in the matter.

[emc7]

My hornwort floats, and the top is always healthier, the thicker it gets the less healthy the bottom gets. When it start dropping needles, I start throwing it out. Keep the greenest pieces with firmly attached needles. Suck out rest before they clog your filter intake (or the impeller, if they get past the intake). I've tried sinking it, and the top grows to the surface and expands, while the bottom looks nastier and nastier. Hortwort thrives in some of my tanks, dies in others, and in others just sits there. If a plant isn't happy in your tank, try in a different tanks and try a different plant. Have you tried Val or hydrophila?

[Good Wolf]

I can't find anything on hydrophila, and all the val I've found is medium light requirements.

I had Java Fern do ok in there but even crypt started to brown.

The hornwort is making a mess but it really seem like it is the only tall low light plant that I'm going to be a able to keep.

I've been keeping the light on in the room, and opening the blinds and that seems to be helping a bit. I don't want to float any of it because then I'll just be blocking the light to the other plants.

Any other suggestions for tall low light plants. I've searched plantgeek and aquahobby and can't find anything.

[JustOneMore20]

Search for Hygrophila. Some species are noxious weeds in the US, but you may be able to find it somewhere. H. polysperma is one of the weeds. I've kept it before though and it does grow very fast, in varying light conditions.

Some species like higher light though, so it just depends on what you can find.

I find Vals to be atleast medium light plants. I've never had them grow well under 2wpg, but it could just be me.

With very low light, you have limited choices. The tank is also pretty tall, so that affects the light getting to the bottom. 14w is extremely low light over that size and shape tank.

[emc7]

Oh sorry. I need to learn how to spell. How about leaving the lights on longer? I also have some sort of sword in my 55 with only one standard bulb, but there is a two-bulb fixture on the ceiling, so maybe its actually getting medium light.

What would we do without JOM.

[Good Wolf]

That is an awesome looking plant and everyone online agrees that it is low light, and fast growing. I however can not find a site that sales it. I did find a blurb saying that it is actually illegal to ship it because it grows so fast. That sounds like a load to me, but can anyone lend me a hand in finding some online?

I'll keep searching and update if I do find it.

[trashion]

Watersprite might work too.

[JustOneMore20]

Chris, I've seen people selling it on plantedtank.net and aquaticplantcentral.com. Both are planted tank forums and have swap and shop/for sale forums. You could use the search feature and see if someone has it for sale now or maybe PM someone that has had it for sale in the past. I wouldn't make a thread, because they'd most likely give you a hard time, since it is on the noxious weed list and not supposed to be sold in the US. People still sell it though, individually.

You won't find a website/store that sells it....since they could get in trouble for that.

[Good Wolf]

Thanks again.

I just stripped all the wort out of the hex and it looks down right pathetic. I guess once the water clears I can get you to identify that one plant that seems to be doing well in it.

That is me looking at the bright side.