How to Minimize or Prevent Aquarium Plant Melt - 5 Tips!

In this video we discuss aquarium plant melt and five tips for minimizing aquarium plant or preventing it all together. It isn't as hard as many think and these tips may surprise you.
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[@mr.octopus6972]

I dived in a lake this summer and was quite surprised to find out that the cutest plants where growing only far away from the shore right in that spot where light begins to dim and the water drops a few degrees. This also happens with simple houseplants. If it is strugeling to live, just move it closer or further from a window or a heat source and it'll grow. All my tank plants have been collected from shallow water in nature this summer so I know they like a lot of light and warm water. I also know they don't need a rich soil because they where thriving in a sand bed. All things fish tank related comes to understanding what you are doing.

[@tetraguytx1705]

Good tips, Will. And clear presentation, too.

[@ScruffyCityAquatics]

Great point on the advantage of starting with emersed grown plants. Thanks for the info!

[@stefan00123]

Hi will always with some good tips and tricks for making the plants a great start in your aquarium! Love from the netherlands and keep up the good work! 👍👍👍

[@heatherebers2127]

The plants I bought from you a week ago are already growing like crazy! Thank you so much for such great quality plants, at great reasonable prices! …..I need more tanks so I can I have more plants 😂

[@AquariumPlantLab]

Awesome! I am glad to hear they are doing well for you :). Thanks again for choosing to support my small business!

[@kluv5052]

Thanks for the information.

[@jackanddan]

Super great tips sir!!

[@Merichguy2]

Thanks Will, I always enjoy your very helpful tips. Hope business is doing well.

[@AquariumPlantLab]

Thank you Rich! I am happy with how things are going now. Headed in the right direction, just need to keep that trend going. Easier said than done but I am prepared for the challenge :)

[@TripleJAquatics]

Great tips man!

[@PeteHoleman]

Great video!

[@doubled9789]

Nice tips. 👍🏼👍🏼

[@patrickdijkman8974]

Nice video, thanks!

[@AquariumPlantLab]

Thanks for watching :)

[@lvengineerable]

I just found your channel. You'll be getting my next plant order! Not sure if you need tips for what plants to buy but I've been looking around for java fern trident and it seems sites constantly run out of stock. Maybe it'd be a good addition to your offering in the future.

[@connie6705]

Great informative video! I’m not new to plants but still learning. I made the mistake of starting out with too strong of lighting. They did not do well and I had algae problems. Since I figured out the problem (and had to replace some of the plants) everything seems to be doing great. Thank you for doing this video. I’m a new subscriber as I only found you recently. I have been trying to do research on how to get the most co2 to my plants in a low tech tank. I don’t know if it makes a difference also depth of tank. Mine’s a 29 gallon, but I consider it to be closer to 25 gallons due to slightly deeper substrate (organic potting soil topped with sand) and I keep the water level down an inch. I’d be interested if you have any advice on this, if there’s anything you can do to help plants with this in another video. Again thank you and wish you much success! I will be checking out your website for plants!

[@dr.vivekganesan2116]

can u share your formula for a good substrate for growing emmersed growth in tubs

[@kvn95240]

LIKED and SUB. Thanks!

[@AquariumPlantLab]

Thank you for the sub :)

[@jqc5]

If I understand you, you grow your plants mainly out of water, so whats the best way to get them used to being underwater.......

[@AquariumPlantLab]

Almost all aquarium plants are grown out of water commercially actually. They may temporarily be in a tank at distributors or pet shops but only for a short time before being sold. Treat them as you would any other aquarium plants just make sure you are providing everything the particular species needs. Light, nutrients, and quality substrate (co2 also if it’s a requirement for the species). In the wild most of these plants spend a good part of the year out of water during the dry season then get submerged in the wet season, so most are very easily transitioned from one environment to the other. 🌱

[@thomasbanh2750]

Hi, is it normal for newly planted moneywort not standing straight up?

[@AquariumPlantLab]

It can take a few days for plants to right themselves toward the light. When did you plant it?

[@Dylan-ok6ft]

Really informative! I don’t think you’re currently growing any crypts, but they are notorious melters. Any advice for the species that really hate being moved? If possible, could you make a similar video if you start producing crypts? Thanks!!

[@AquariumPlantLab]

Im glad you found this video helpful! Ill keep a crypt video in mind :). Sometimes melt just can't be avoided, things like crypts can be included in this, though not always. For such species I would apply the same logic. Give them what they need, plant them and leave them alone. In such scenarios the melt should be short term and replaced quickly with healthy vigorous growth 👍

[@Dylan-ok6ft]

@@AquariumPlantLab I figured the advice would be pretty similar. I’ve had pretty good luck with crypts in my no-CO2 tanks. C. lutea, C. balansae and C. wendtii grow well for me, but C. parva is a challenge. It either melts or gets covered in algae!

[@Dylan-ok6ft]

@@AquariumPlantLab Does floating the plant for a few days help? Is floating like a transition from emersed to submerged, or is it just making the plant work harder to adapt to floating at the surface, then planted in the substrate a few days later?

[@AquariumPlantLab]

@@Dylan-ok6ft I don’t like to float plants before planting personally. For some of the same reasons mentioned here. They will start to adapt to the conditions at the top of the tank. Then when planted they have to adapt again. I let the plants do the converting, I don’t try to help them through that process. The exception here would be if they don’t have enough length to anchor themselves. In this case I would float them to allow them to grow a bit and produce a few roots thus making planting easier. If that makes sense 🤔

[@Dylan-ok6ft]

@@AquariumPlantLab That makes total sense! There’s a lot of conflicting advice out there, so I appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience!

[@henridusasca8077]

Hello! Thanks for the video. Which soil did you use for you set up? I did get it

[@AquariumPlantLab]

I believe the brand I used was G&B organics raised bed and potting mix. Most stores should have something that will fit the bill for you. Just make sure its organic and preferably has very little perlite/wood chips, or other additives.

[@henridusasca8077]

@@AquariumPlantLab Thanks!

[@AquariumPlantLab]

@@henridusasca8077 no problem! I should say it’s only been in this tank for a month or so and I haven’t added fish yet, just shrimp. I’ll be doing update videos on this setup :)

[@dannettepeters1507]

Greetings Will! I have a slightly off topic question re; CO2 injection. Recently, I watched a video of George Farmer diving in Florida, looking for natural aquatic plants. Soon they found an area of stunning, red ludwigia, thick, fully submerged and growing beautifully! My question is; how are real, aquatic flora, getting the CO2, that we are told, all aquarium plants need? Doesn't a certain amount of CO2, naturally exist, in our aquariums, through water changes and surface agitation? Second, are the plants that we are told, that "require" CO2 injection, are they true aquatic plants?

[@AquariumPlantLab]

I have a video on naturally occurring CO2 in aquariums. If you haven't watched it you might find it interesting, here's a link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jnfCl3WCmcSBiLs Basically, in the wild, CO2 is provided predominantly from decaying organic matter. Take a lake for example. The mud at the bottom of the lake would be quite thick. Comprised of organic debris. That organic debris is a massive carbon sink. As it decays through aerobic and anaerobic processes, a very large amount of CO2 is released into he water. This process is constant as breakdown is occurring. Therefore, providing a rich constant source of CO2. In aquariums we just don't have the same level of organic decay to produce the CO2 that is naturally found in the wild. Resulting in unnaturally low CO2 levels. This can be corrected to an extent by using a soil substrate (like the tank featured), Minimizing water flow (which minimizes CO2 loss), or by increasing livestock and with it CO2 through respiration. However, CO2 in an aquarium will rarely if ever match what is found in the wild, mainly due to the lack of a significant decaying carbon sink. Regarding your second question. I would say that most aquarium plants are marginal plants. Which actually prefer to be out of the water and are out of the water during most of the growing season. There are some exceptions here, but that's the first thing to know. I would say the plants that are really CO2 dependent lean even more heavily on this side of the spectrum as they have evolved to require very high CO2 levels which are typically only found in the atmosphere. 😃 🌱 🐟

[@AquariumPlantLab]

PS if you want to take a deep dive into the ecology of aquariums you would probably really enjoy "Ecology of the Planted Aquarium" - by Diana Walstad here's an affiliate link to her book (note: I get a commission If you shop through the link) amzn.to/3tsrhjH

[@lvengineerable]

I just finished reading ecology of the planted aquarium and would second his recommendation! It had so much amazing information.

[@rmk22sr.2]

So I made the mistake of moving my Crypts to add a piece of driftwood are they doomed thanks for any information

[@AquariumPlantLab]

They should be fine! Might melt a bit but they should bounce back no problem if you’ve got a good environment for them 👍

[@bubblerings]

Only my Anacharis, Hornwort and Duckweed have done that well. Lol. Do those take away the nutrients from my other plants?? I never could use ferts, as my Algaes always were growing too well, already. (am having some successes, now with DIY root tabs. My messy puffers probably had the phosphates off the charts... as they often shred food that flies everywhere.

[@AquariumPlantLab]

I didn’t use ferts in this tank at all, just the potting soil under gravel. If you have water column feeding plants in this setup they would probably struggle as water column nitrate readings were negligible. 👍

[@bubblerings]

@@AquariumPlantLab That's what I want.. 👍🎈

[@yegscaper6444]

Water changes? Light duration? Fertilizer regime? Just curious.

[@AquariumPlantLab]

Good questions. Those would all fall under tip #1,Every plant is different so you need to research what the specific species require. Also indirectly falls under tip #3. Once planted and a certain regimen for water changes, lighting, and fertilizer is established, best to keep those stable. If you continually alter those A-biotic factors, then they plants are continually having to adapt and as a result lose energy in the process.

[@Waulangmakerboo]

This is My first time watching your video and at first quick glimpse, i thought u were adam sandler😅

[@byz513]

I am damn slow on the comments. I beg pardons.

[@AquariumPlantLab]

Byz… you will always be my number 1. Go on, take it 🏆!

[@jqc5]

My wisteria, melted , it happened so quickly.........sigh

[@AquariumPlantLab]

Sorry to hear that! Have you had luck with other plants? If you tell me what light your have, hours per day its on, nutrient dosing, and substrate I may be able to help diagnose the issue.

[@chatterbox1016]

@jqc5 don't feel bad my wisteria did as well 😅

[@naegwut]

Better av