# Trouble with wisteria?



## UnderseaGal (Mar 4, 2014)

I have a few wisterias in my low tech 12 gal.
After a bout of ich treatment a little while back, the leaves were all holey and ratted, so I decided to trim it (it previously grew like weed, so I thought it would grow right back). I also decided to start dosing with Flourish Excel to give the plants a little help.

I did a *terrible* job of trimming it. First question: any resources on how to trim various plants? I have no idea how to do this and clearly hacked the poor wisteria. I also have anubias in that tank and while they are not growing all that fast I'm guessing one day I'll want to trim them.

Second question: since the trim, about half of the "stalks" lost all their leaves. Is this due to my terrible trim job or to poor dosing of the Excel?

My water parameters have been pretty stable throughout this whole ordeal. 
pH about 6.2, ammonia & nitrites at 0, nitrates at 10-15, GH at 80, KH at 20.

Ugh. This is harder than I thought!


----------



## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

I have seen some articles on how to trim plants. I will try to find some for you. Stem plants are easy. Cut above the nodes. Replant 

IMO excel is good but its only part of the plant equation. There are 3 factors for plant growth. Light, nutrients, Co2. To me co2 is the least important factor when it comes to a low tech tank. I wouldn't even recommend using it. You would be better off dosing a general fertilizer or both not just excel. Excel which is liquid Co2 per say is good but it also can melt plants away. If you are missing 1 of the key factors than excels benefits are limited. As your plants grow they need nutrients. Fish waste is a fertilizer but isn't enough by itself. If your light isn't bright than your plants wont be growing super fast so Co2 isn't as important IMO. If you watch the video of my African tank. I don't use excel or co2. Just decent light and fertilizer plus lots of trial and error. 

My go to fertilizer is Seachem Flourish. Its a general all in 1 . Ive had great success with it. So have others


----------



## UnderseaGal (Mar 4, 2014)

Thanks for the info, jbyoung00008. 
I guess I'm missing the nutrients part (and my light isn't great - it's the one that comes stock with the Edge).
So I'm using Seachem's "Flourish Excel". Is that different than just "Flourish"?
I'm already dosing with Equilibrium as well and at the store they told me that this would take care of some of the nutrients found in most fertilizers...

Trial and error is right!


----------



## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

UnderseaGal said:


> Thanks for the info, jbyoung00008.
> I guess I'm missing the nutrients part (and my light isn't great - it's the one that comes stock with the Edge).
> So I'm using Seachem's "Flourish Excel". Is that different than just "Flourish"?
> I'm already dosing with Equilibrium as well and at the store they told me that this would take care of some of the nutrients found in most fertilizers...
> ...


Equilibrium does restore minerals to the water and Im sure does help with plants but Its not a plant food. Having Nnot so great of a light is okay. With high light you have to trim your plants more, dose more, add co2 etc... Some people prefer low light and have great success with plants this way. Its just a matter of matching up plants to the light you have.

You are using Seachem flourish Excel. Seachem Flourish is what im talking about. The bottles look the same but one says excel the other says just flourish and underneath it says comprehensive supplement. You need to read the fine print. Very confusing :s
Seachem. Flourish

Again these are just my opinions. Im sure others are going to disagree. My tank will speak for itself.  What works for one doesn't always work for another. Anyone with a nice planted tank went through everything you are going through. Stick with it.  Your tank will be nice with time.


----------



## UnderseaGal (Mar 4, 2014)

Thanks for clarifying, jbyoung00008.

And your tank sure does speak for itself! I watched the video and it looks amazing. 
I love the small stripey guy. My fave by far.


----------

