Alternanthera Reineckii mini

[KentFishFanUK]

I've heard about plants melting when they are first planted due to being grown emerged and things but not sure if that's the case with mine. 

I planted it (along with some s. repens, dwarf sag, monte carlo, java fern, anubias nana petite, something else I can't remember the name of and some floating salvinia) about two months or more ago. For a while it seemed to be doing really well, was putting out new leaves, was a nice reddish brown on top and a beautiful bright almost pink colour on the underside, was getting taller and I'm pretty sure had some new stalks coming up etc. 

Anyway so maybe a couple weeks ago I notice it's not doing so well and started melting and most of its leaves have now gone, including I think the new ones. Everything else seems to be doing really well so I don't understand what's going wrong? It seems to have stabilised I think now with its remaining leaves as it hasn't melted even more but I also haven't seen anything growing back yet. 

I'd love some advice! 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Hi. I have the same plant (though I'm not sure about the "mini" version), I run a low tech set up and got the plant in a "bonus" with order of others so I just plopped them in. I've seen posts from other members that they're not at all easy to grow and may require "high tech" set ups, most websites say: Moderate to high lighting and co2 for optimal growth. Mine are 4 months old now and I've actually had to move them once but they haven't died yet and grown a little.- they were just tiny stems. I pretty much plan to expect they don't stay or if they do they'll be very small. I personally don't use ferts and the tank they're in has Caribsea substrate. The biggest one is only just under 3" which is only a little more than what it was when I got it, just a little "fluffier".

Edited July 5, 2021 by xXInkedPhoenixX
Typos are lame

[Mmiller2001]

Yeah, S. Repens and pretty much any AR are challenging plants. Your best bet is to bring GH and KH into very soft water levels and use an aquasoil. Aquasoils, or soils in general, seems to be the most effective way to grow them without CO2. Those may not be options for you, so don't be discouraged. I'm using ECO Complete and my AR looks like trash with CO2. However, my S. repens is doing really well in Eco complete and did poorly in pool filter sand. A 4GH and a KH below 2 seems to be a good area for more challenging plants if you aren't using a soil.

Here is a pic of my horrible AR. Looks brown yeah!. Should be a gorgeous red, and it's just never going to get there.

GH 4, KH 1 under full EI dosing and CO2 with a 1.3pH drop to 5.9

[KentFishFanUK]

On 7/5/2021 at 5:23 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Hi. I have the same plant (though I'm not sure about the "mini" version), I run a low tech set up and got the plant in a "bonus" with order of others so I just plopped them in. I've seen posts from other members that they're not at all easy to grow and may require "high tech" set ups, most websites say: Moderate to high lighting and co2 for optimal growth. Mine are 4 months old now and I've actually had to move them once but they haven't died yet and grown a little.- they were just tiny stems. I pretty much plan to expect they don't stay or if they do they'll be very small. I personally don't use ferts and the tank they're in has Caribsea substrate. The biggest one is only just under 3" which is only a little more than what it was when I got it, just a little "fluffier".

Yeah mine were really small stems when I got them and they grew really well at first, doubled in height and put out more leaves, then suddenly started melting. Fingers crossed it starts doing better again but if not, any ideas what to replace it with?

[KentFishFanUK]

On 7/5/2021 at 6:00 AM, Mmiller2001 said:

Yeah, S. Repens and pretty much any AR are challenging plants. Your best bet is to bring GH and KH into very soft water levels and use an aquasoil. Aquasoils, or soils in general, seems to be the most effective way to grow them without CO2. Those may not be options for you, so don't be discouraged. I'm using ECO Complete and my AR looks like trash with CO2. However, my S. repens is doing really well in Eco complete and did poorly in pool filter sand. A 4GH and a KH below 2 seems to be a good area for more challenging plants if you aren't using a soil.

Here is a pic of my horrible AR. Looks brown yeah!. Should be a gorgeous red, and it's just never going to get there.

GH 4, KH 1 under full EI dosing and CO2 with a 1.3pH drop to 5.9

I do have aquasoil and do dose ferts but not c02 (low tech). Also my light isn't very strong so that's probably why. Just strange that it did so well at first then stopped as nothing changed its the same light etc, the aquasoil is quite deep and the tank is only a few months old it can't be depleted already. 

My s. repens on the other hand is doing great! 

[Mmiller2001]

On 7/5/2021 at 3:42 AM, KentFishFanUK said:

I do have aquasoil and do dose ferts but not c02 (low tech). Also my light isn't very strong so that's probably why. Just strange that it did so well at first then stopped as nothing changed its the same light etc, the aquasoil is quite deep and the tank is only a few months old it can't be depleted already. 

My s. repens on the other hand is doing great! 

Are you dosing Micro's?

[Mmiller2001]

On 7/5/2021 at 3:37 AM, KentFishFanUK said:

Fingers crossed it starts doing better again but if not, any ideas what to replace it with?

Are you looking for short red color or just short plants in general?

[KentFishFanUK]

On 7/5/2021 at 3:39 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

Are you dosing Micro's?

Erm... yes? I think? Dosing a nitrogen/phosphor free fertilizer (Tropica Premium Nutrition) that means it's micro only right? 

[KentFishFanUK]

On 7/5/2021 at 3:42 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

Are you looking for short red color or just short plants in general?

Short and red if possible (or any colour other than green, it's sort of in the middle in front of lots of green so something that will stand out but stay smallish. 

Would love cryptocoryne wendtii 'pink flamingo' but can't find any locally. 

[Mmiller2001]

On 7/5/2021 at 8:48 AM, KentFishFanUK said:

Short and red if possible (or any colour other than green, it's sort of in the middle in front of lots of green so something that will stand out but stay smallish. 

Would love cryptocoryne wendtii 'pink flamingo' but can't find any locally. 

Yeah Flamingo would be nice! I would recommend Crypts, super easy and nice colors. 

Cryptocoryne Affinis Red stays very compact, around 3-4 inches max. Another alternative, although rare and hard to find would be Bacopa Salzmanni and Bacopa Salzmanni Purple. Again, hard to find and expensive, but very "easy" to grow. I just bought 3 stems of purple for 40 bucks. Let me know if you want links to them.

Here's the purple, just stunning!

 

[Mmiller2001]

On 7/5/2021 at 8:45 AM, KentFishFanUK said:

Erm... yes? I think? Dosing a nitrogen/phosphor free fertilizer (Tropica Premium Nutrition) that means it's micro only right? 

I'm not familiar with that brand. Do you see Fe, B, Mn and such on the label?

[Patrick_G]

I was showing a friend my tank and pointed out a shrimp on the “red” AR plant. She said “oh you mean the brown plant?” 🤨😆