# Plants only grow 3 inches



## hamdog9999 (Dec 26, 2012)

HI, hoping to get some help. 
I moved a year ago and since then my plants are severely stunted. I only moved across town and have a second tank where i don't have this issue. 
I was using 2 green leaf led strips, pressurized co2, Eco complete substrate and dose micro and macro nutrients. 
I am just at my with end as I have also recently added another marineland plant led strip and been doubling my dosing and increased the co2 output. 
The plants will bubble and there is some pearling in the tank but still none of the plants grow more than 3 inches. 
I have jungle val, swords, apponagetton..... All pretty low demand plants but still no luck. Any help would be super appreciated.


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## CRS Fan (Apr 21, 2010)

All 3 of the plants you mentioned are heavy root feeders and don't need a lot of light or CO2 to thrive. Is the Eco-complete well used? If so you may not be providing enough root fertilization and may want to dial back the lighting, CO2, and may want to use something like Flourish root tabs or similar product and you should get better results. 

JM2C.

Stuart


Tankless in Vancouver


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## hamdog9999 (Dec 26, 2012)

Hey, thanks for the speedy reply!

I changed to Eco complete when I moved. So it's only a year old. I have put in some root tabs but only occasionally. 
How many root tabs would you suggest i try?


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## Reckon (Jul 25, 2012)

What is your water hardness, specifically GH?


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## hamdog9999 (Dec 26, 2012)

I just increased the gh to 200ppm


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## hamdog9999 (Dec 26, 2012)

Also, since the move there is a film over the s surface of the water. It's very thin but no matter what I do its still there. Is this an Eco complete thing?


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## Reckon (Jul 25, 2012)

hamdog9999 said:


> I just increased the gh to 200ppm


That's about 10 dGH right? I think that'll make a difference.



hamdog9999 said:


> Also, since the move there is a film over the s surface of the water. It's very thin but no matter what I do its still there. Is this an Eco complete thing?


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## hamdog9999 (Dec 26, 2012)

So even with extra dosing and increasing hardness they is new growth but still stunted, badly. 
Here are a couple pick of my disaster. The larger sword was added a week or 2 ago and you can clearly see its not doing well


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## Carpenter (Jan 26, 2014)

It's also important to prune the weaker leaves and wilt just as you would in your garden as it will encourage new growth.


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## aciport (Sep 22, 2014)

hamdog9999 said:


> So even with extra dosing and increasing hardness they is new growth but still stunted, badly.
> Here are a couple pick of my disaster. The larger sword was added a week or 2 ago and you can clearly see its not doing well


What fish do you have in the tank? That appears to be damage from fish rather that nutrient deficiency.


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## hamdog9999 (Dec 26, 2012)

I have a couple of small south American cichlids that take some bites. But doesn't explain the lack of growth overall. Plus they don't eat the jungle Val's and they just don't grow either. d


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