Why Aquarium Plants Melt, Die & How to Easily Prevent or Stop it! Prevent Submerged Plants Melting.

Melting plants, are not dying plants! You can nurse them back to vitality by knowing a little biological and chemical background. Cryptocorynes, anubias, rotalas, ludwigias, and many more light or carbon starved aquatic plants.
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[@federicoascolani6457]

Respiration occurs all day , it is not the opposite of photosynthesis. Transpiration is not CO2 emission , it is vapor water emission

[@Fishtory]

Thanks for wording that correctly! I said Respiration thinking "breathing in AND out"... like humans and that was a poor choice of words and made it confusing. Appologies, I know it's specifically one way in plants and the opposite process of photosynthesis sort of. I should have had a script rather than speaking off the cuff. And transportation, I just didn't use correctly, clearly. So thank you. I'll pin this note up top. Thank you!

[@federicoascolani6457]

@@Fishtory Not necessary to thanks . I understand your explanation is very useful for beginners, I was just trying to clarify the concepts because it can cause some confusion.

[@Fishtory]

Well I appreciate it.... so THANK YOU haha 😄

[@cashali4747]

I know im asking the wrong place but does someone know a tool to log back into an instagram account..? I was dumb forgot my account password. I would love any tricks you can give me.

[@cashali4747]

@Harvey Caiden I really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and Im in the hacking process now. Seems to take quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@thebeard9879]

Best advice I ever received on preventing Crypt melt is before you plant them (or right after) clip EVERYTHING off. Yes, everything! Why? Because Crypt melt is almost inevitable. When the leaves start to melt, the plant is still trying to provide nutrients to those dying leaves. By clipping everything of right from the start, the plant now directs all of its nutrients to growing healthy immersed leaves, not trying to keep melting ones alive. This is not something that comes easy for everyone to do. When we get new plants we want to see them in our aquarium. But the results will actually be a healthy beautiful plant in less time.

[@Fishtory]

Yes...(as long as they are not tissue cultures). If they have roots, I totally agree... chop the top!

[@wnf.268]

I clip EVERYTHING, and they all died.

[@TheHondaracingpower]

@@wnf.268 🤣🤣

[@Her_Viscera]

@@wnf.268 wdym?

[@kernalbert4939]

@@wnf.268 The Beard is incorrect. The plant typically looses about 80 to 90 percent of the emersed growth, but the remaining leaves, usually smaller, newer ones are critical in recovery. Clipping everything simply compounds the shock of being submerged and significantly slows new growth or kills the plant outright if the rhizome isn't developed enough.

[@PalJoey-on1yi]

About the most comprehensive explanation of "melting" out there. I wasted a lot of time. money, and hope in the early days in the hobby, when raising crypts was hopeless, as they are particularly susceptible. I don't remember this process being explained anywhere in the 1950s - 70s.

[@tauncfester3022]

I'm an old timer 1968 was when I started with fishkeeping. There's one Cryptocoryne from that era that's darn near impossible to find nowadays and it used to be very common. Cryptocoryne Affinis en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptocoryne_affinis

[@PalJoey-on1yi]

@@tauncfester3022 Your link tips the reader to refer to the genus page for info on "crypt melt." Twas very helpful. "Crypt melt: A phenomenon often encountered when planting new crypts in an aquarium is commonly called Crypt melt, whereby the plant loses all its leaves.[3] There seem to be two possible causes for this. "Rapid environmental changes is thought to trigger this, as these plants do not seem to adapt well to transplantion, and may need 30 days or so to become established and for the leaves to regrow. Experienced growers report that it is better to plant crypts in aquariums that have been established for at least three months[citation needed]. "In the wild, crypts can grow fully submerged underwater, but in some plant nurseries they are often grown emersed and crypt melt could then be triggered by the change from emerse to submerse conditions. "There is lately a trend for such nurseries to send crypts as just a rootstock (i.e. without the leaves) to reduce shipping costs and because the leaves will be lost anyway once planted in an aquarium. "Other reports[4] emphasise the need to change the aquarium water regularly to prevent the buildup of nitrates which are thought to trigger this condition (often referred to as a disease). "

[@anthonypope8429]

@@tauncfester3022 hi I have the cryptocoryne affinis red I grow them plus I have some rare cryptocoryne rare anubias I grow rare java fern orange tip

[@sarahb.7611]

I love what some people call "a mess of plants" that need trimming to make nice and neat. I find the fish love alot of healthy plants and prevents fish dominating each other and out competing for food. The fish are more relaxed! Plus, when I see underwater videos of rivers I always notice the plants are thick and tangled.

[@geekbot5000]

One thing I have been doing lately is floating new plants at the surface for about 2 weeks. CO2 is at a higher concentration at the surface and the plant will "reach for the sky"thereby lessening the shock of being fully submerged. Since I don't inject CO2. This has worked so well I'm actually considering buying more crypts which I have stayed away from for quite some time now due to the frustration I have had with them in the past. Great video!!!

[@mb3775]

Good idea. They also are close to the light source. This is best for stem plants.

[@nada347_]

Interesting, I wondered about that.

[@Fishtory]

@@geekbot5000 great tip and awesome suggestion!

[@geekbot5000]

@@Fishtory thanks dude!

[@kimjohnson9365]

A general thank you to Alex for putting out comprehensive videos for the more advanced hobbyist. You explain things really well for the beginner, as well as for the more advanced and/or sciencey folks, but you don't necessarily waste time explaining the same old insanley basic stuff you can find on any KZbin channel. Seems like you really do your research and get the whys behind the topics you cover. Great education here!

[@Fishtory]

Thank you kindly. That's my exact goal. In this day of Google, I just assume people have done some basic searching and thus I can treat them like adult, engaged hobbyists. Thank you so much for your participation on this channel and for your kind words!

[@ticket2space621]

Yeah I'm new here and it's clear this guy isn't playing around he's coming correct

[@bones1026]

i 100% agree. got into aquariums a few months ago and have basically blown through all the basic advice and common knowledge but i still love to learn. this channel has been such a great resource

[@sandidsaman7723]

i just bought some lush hornworts and in a single day they r literally shedding their asses off! Some even have ony the stick like stem remaining did i do something wrong ? i only dipped them in a brine solution for sterillzing(in my way) and nothing else will they even grow back ? honestly it seems liek they r throwing apart everything , its a real mess:((

[@marypaigeflynn4512]

Being a new planted aquarium person this really helps me immensely. I remember when I first planted my one Aquarium I experienced melt and I almost gave up because I just thought it was me!! Videos like this help me not give up and make want to even try new species of plants. I love the way you break it down where even beginners like myself can understand! Thanks Alex for all you do have a blessed day! 🤗🌿🐟🌿💚🙏

[@Fishtory]

Always such thoughtful comments

[@maxwellrichman2449]

I teach college physiology, and his explanation of oxidants and how cells use oxygen is spot on. Great information and great video !

[@Fishtory]

Thank you so kindly. I'm self taught with botany, but do have a basic biology background with an archeology degree. But it makes me truly happy to read I did the topic justice. Thanks for coming by

[@THUGGALO1000]

Easily the most in depth individual out here. You have and incredible grasp on everything you speak on. And you put it into terms that are extremely easy to understand, no codes. I like the video a lot, super helpful. Keep rockin man, well done. Your scapes are incredible 🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@Fishtory]

Thank you so much. I appreciate your kind words as well as you watching and commenting on the channel. Take care, Alex.

[@THUGGALO1000]

@@Fishtory and thank you. For keeping us all well educated in our hobby. Fish keeping is one of my absolute favorite things to do. Aqua scapes and just beautiful creations we've all made. None of us would ever make it far without useful knowledge to depend on and turn to in our times of need. A lot can happen in your tanks. Things we can't always see. I've used a multitude of your videos as reference points in my own everyday care for my fish room. You're a true inspiration my friend. Really happy you popped up in my feed. And your channel was my very first official follow. That alone says enough. You compelled me to smash that like button and then soon after I was convinced I must subscribe, as I feared I might miss something 😂 Now everything comes to my notifications and I go through and watch what helps in my times of need. Thank you again, Alex. You have incredible talent. Can't wait to see where your journey takes you 🙌🏼😎 -Justin

[@alecthenice8115]

Good content, not enough to help people trouble shooting in the right way out there

[@Fishtory]

I just hope that if I explain the biology and chemistry, maybe people will have solutions better than mine hehe...then I get to learn a new trick

[@kapilatey]

I've been all over the internet past few days n after watching this video most of my doubts are clear🙏 thank you for explaining things so simply, tc stay safe

[@Fishtory]

So glad you found this useful. I have several hour long videos on tissue cultured plants and transforming emersed plants to submerged ones and the strange behavior of tissue culture plants

[@Gfmakinaofficial]

You sir are a hero. Thank you for this incredibly informative video.

[@Fishtory]

Haha "Hero" , I'll take it ! Hahaha. Well I'm glad if it helps a bit. Sometimes even when you know WHY It's how to stop it WHEN it inevitably occurs. But at least you are prepared

[@ChadGardenSinLA]

You're literally a lifesaver! Thank you for filling in this gap for deep substrate planting. There are great videos on how to start but not what to expect moving forward and the absolute HELL that new hobbyist will have to face when aquarium plants have acclimation shock. From what I've seen and heard now from all these "seasoned" experts on youtube is that it's a guarantee that all plants will have a level of dieback. Thank you for mentioning how normal it is to have to conduct water changes often in the successive weeks of staring a tank. I thought I royally f'ed things up when nitrates spiked w/o any damn animals in it. Also, thanks for the review on plant lights - I just ordered one of the hygars to help out.

[@Fishtory]

Best of luck to you. Please feel free to ask lots of questions here or in live streams 😀

[@liquidrockaquatics3900]

I don’t necessarily watch your video but I do listen to it while I’m driving, and that’s why I subscribed. You do an excellent job of putting out information and keeping it interesting

[@Fishtory]

Haha well thank you, the video production is a bit rubbish anyhow. Info is my focus for now.

[@rockinhorsefeathers8100]

The main thing some people don't know is for floaters is to minimize their movement, generally don't like roots being disturbed. Besides like you stated emersed grown and adapting. Rhizomal plants don't bury on substrate. Your videos are great for beginners.

[@Fishtory]

Thanks, I appreciate your input!

[@TerrierWhisperer]

I like the way you make your videos engaging! Thank you

[@Fishtory]

Thank you kindly. I try to rely on information, facts and speaking to folks the way I would one on one... no worries on editing or producing special effects etc. Im honored you see that and are enjoying it. Thank you for watching!

[@erikjonmickelsen9160]

Thanks AGAIN Alex! I love that you pop up every time i go to solve an aquarium issue! Love what you do brother!

[@Fishtory]

Haha right on! Thanks man. If you have questions feel free to message me brotha. Good to see you in zee internetz too though

[@MridulSinghMusic]

Great video, with tons of information! I too trim off some of the leaves that are half dead, so the plant doesn't focus on saving that leaf. So much information!

[@thathobbitlife]

I appreciate the how to or care /species spotlight type videos.. I generally dont share too much but I DO watch all the way through

[@Fishtory]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@freakyfishlady4795]

I love this content. I’m having many aquatic plant issues ,and kind of getting discouraged.I do so well with my outdoor yard & garden plants . You have renewed my faith in 🌱. TY Alex !!!

[@Fishtory]

Its easy to get discouraged...ill show you how much of my tissue culture has melted...even when I know what the cause is lol... sometimes things just aren't meant to be in your tank at a certain time or due to water parameters...and its silly to fight it. Better to take note of what's hard to grow , then avoid it and come try it again later...I like to keep a log of 1-10 on how fast or completely it died and any guesses why...then I try it in a 2 year old cycled tank and see how that goes...and update the log...if it totally fails in both situations, I will avoid it for quite some time until something is vastly different

[@voluntaryismistheanswer]

I'm a master gardener and third generation nursery person and I was lost, lol. This is such a help, I just need to remember to 'treat them like a plant', step one, know their needs!

[@vanessa-ke3bm]

Great information. ❤ the way you explain the situation..

[@Fishtory]

Glad you liked it

[@Ttblondey]

I did an experiment which cost melting to my monte carlo and a stagnant growth of my plants last few week. What I did was my inline CO2 diffuser I switched from outflow to inflow which goes into my canister filter first than it goes out to the tank. First day I saw my plants started melting it happens from bad to worst till the third day. So I decided to switch back from inflow to outflow. It started growing back.

[@Ttblondey]

Bad move I made.

[@Fishtory]

Whoa thats very interesting...hmmm *mind pondering*

[@Ttblondey]

True. Just sharing. Who knows anyone has done that before. The purpose of me doing that hopefully the CO2 will dissolve in the canister. That's my main thing.

[@jimanast3593]

@@Ttblondey Bad idea, since beneficial bacteria need O2.

[@invaderjoshua6280]

One massive thing that helped me from the get go was I started this hobby by doing RODI water for everything, as I added up the costs and found dechlorinators in the long term add up to the same price but give way less benefits then RODI water. Because I used RODI water I learned water parameters really in depth really early on. This massively helps with keeping plants and making sure the water conditions are right for the right type of plant your keeping. Number one reason a plant will start to melt is massively wrong water hardness of gh or kh.

[@Fishtory]

Very good points

[@MyrtleBeachWebAngel]

Wow 😯 I had no idea. Thank you so much. I'm so glad I came across your channel.

[@Fishtory]

Welcome to the channel! There are over 700 videos, so if you come across a question you need answered, check my videos...if it's not already a video, let me know- and if will likely become a video

[@MyrtleBeachWebAngel]

@@FishtoryVery cool! Happy New Year and thank you again. I just had no idea most aquatic plants were actually land plants 😯🌿🌿🌿 Last week, I learned quite a few types of moss can happily grow under water (from Tanner on Serpa Squad) so now I'm starting to put all these little puzzle pieces together! 🧩👍👍👍

[@ILIKEUALOT]

I've watched this 4 times to learn... thank you, excellent clear instructions

[@Fishtory]

Glad it was helpful!

[@denisesanders3983]

Love you Alexander. You are amazing! I have learned so much from you! And it’s nice to finally see your face! Thank you for sharing you vast knowledge with us,

[@Fishtory]

No problem :) glad to hear you enjoy the channel. There are 700 other videos from the last several years, on all sorts of topics, so if you're looking for an answer- perhaps check the channel and key word search the subject...if I haven't covered it, message me and I WILL :)

[@leo96119611]

👍👍👍 You are detailed and goes straight to the point.

[@Fishtory]

Thank you. Glad it sounds like it was of some use to you. Have a great day!

[@jimciancio9005]

Very good information about this topic and answers so many questions about this frustrating situation. You make it look so easy lol! You're like the aquarium plants whisper you know that, right??? It's a little bit more involved than just placing plants in dirt and letting them go do their thing. For a little more than 12 years I had the pleasure of owning and making what seemed to be a perfect ecosystem in a 30 gallon tank. It had everything from fish of all sizes and species that got along well with crustaceans freshwater clams a apple snail and crayfish in the same tank with the fish who ate pellets rather than the fishes. I had a big hollow white oak log for him and the catfish to hang out in. And plants of all varieties along with the fuji moss which grew so well and quickly that I had to cut it down every week removing over a full cup compressed of the stuff at a time. Then I had to move...... and I really tried to keep everything in place and make the 37 miles without fully emptying the tank. For years I never had to do water changes because it was a actual functioning ecosystem and hey if it's not broken, then don't try fixing it....Right? My water quality number's were mint and all I ever did was clean the filters. Then I moved, and being I couldn't bring all 30 gallons with me I had no choice but to take the chance and try using the new well water here and everything went to hell within a couple weeks of it being back up and running! I lost my fish 1 by 1 and then the plants as well. The only thing that I can think of that could have happened is during the move it moved the substrate all over and stirred up the pot 🤔??? SMFH basically ruining the whole natural ecosystem I once had in perfect order for so very long! I had fish some as old as 10+ yrs which all ended up keeling on me afterwards! And since then I've never had the ambition to do it all over again...... it takes a lot time to get it right and a lot of time as well. My father owning a aquarium shop in NY could not believe that I never had to change my water out? I only added from evaporation and filter changes. But I think now I have the time I may have to try this again 🤔? And after your video lesson I learned so much more about this topic. Like I knew about the C02 systems that were just beginning to get popular when my old man decided to retire and sell his shop. But it's definitely an interesting and expensive hobby these days now! But what isn't anymore right??? SMFH! I'm use to paying wholesale or free LMFAO? Took a lot for granted back then I'm seeing now..... but it would always frustrate the old man, who's changing waters on dozens and dozens of tanks all day long and he'd ask how much and how often you check and change your water? I'd shrug my shoulders and say go see how everything looks and see if it needs it?? So he would and he'd come back scratching his head 🙄LOL!! But again thanks for your tips and information about how these plants work! Much appreciated.

[@Fishtory]

You are very welcome and I appreciate your input/ experiences. I've noticed many of the same things too! It's hard to get that perfect balance of a well seasoned and cycled tank, back into its groove.

[@erinfunk554]

This is by far the most useful video on the topic. Thank you so much.

[@Fishtory]

You are so very welcome. Thank you for coming by

[@jackanddan]

good tips sir....getto get that light for sure....we do undergravel lights too and that helps hit em from inside the tank

[@Fishtory]

Right on!

[@Fishtory]

I'll have to give that a try... I kind of want to see if you placed all the lights below the leaves/ at the bottom, if the plants would hug the light, or grow slowly upright and normal?

[@jackanddan]

@@Fishtory Experiment time....we have many and it gives the plecos a constant supply of algae....we have done several videos on different ones....they are very fun to experiment with.....it is cool to hit the roots and plants from the bottom and also to light the fish up from the bottom!

[@herbapou]

I remember having this problem years ago with fish aquariums and grown plants from pet stores. In planted aquariums I only but cups and I am running C02 when the lights are on. Also just a few fishes with the maintenance crew of amano shrimp, otocinclus and snails.

[@veneonsiew6349]

Really informative! Thought my plants were dying. Is there a recommended frequency of water changes for a newly setup planted aquarium? I've been doing 50% water change twice a week but wasn't sure if it was ruining the growth of the bacteria.

[@Fishtory]

Thank you. I would recommend 2x a week 30% if it's a newer tank...just keep that free nitrate and nitrite level down... the plants like free ammonia in small doses...but it kills fish at that same "small" dose, so for the benefit of both fish and plants, I recommend 2x a week for 4 or 5 weeks and then once a week or even once every 2 weeks if your tank is stable. Thanks for tuning in. Cheers and best wishes, Alex.

[@ShrimplePleasures]

First time watching one of your videos, and wow! So impressed! Thank you for your thorough and easy to follow presentation style, I learned a lot and really enjoyed watching and listening! I’m definitely looking forward to learning more from your channel! 😁👍 Also, your tanks are gorgeous, love what you’re doing with them!

[@Fishtory]

Thanks for the kind words. The channel has a ton of content from 5 years now. (760 videos or so), but I'd recommend watching the "best of" playlist if you like super info dense episodes. In any case, welcome to the community, and if you have any questions or info to add, please don't be shy. Cheers! -Alex

[@EuroGupper]

@Fishstory I currently have about 5 or 6 types of swordplants and the bigger ones collect detritus and other tank material. I used to manually clean the leaves but tried to think how the leaves keep themselves clean in nature. So i have started experimenting with add more flow into the water so that the leaves can move and sway which means it naturally shakes off dirt from the leaves and by adding siamese algae eaters. I have noticed that these Algae eating busy bodies eat debris off the leaves and also eat any floating debris from the water column Clean leaves = Siamese Algae Eaters + water flow 👍🏽

[@shesellsfish]

I am just now getting into rooted plants from having watched so many of your videos on the plants in your tanks. My go to has always been the fluffy kind of hornwort, mosses, marimo moss balls, and narrow leaf java fern, anubias and buces. Pearlweed is fast becoming a fav of mine. 👍💓👍

[@Fishtory]

Wonderful! Pearlweed can be sculpted into so many forms... floating, shrubs, stems etc

[@allonekingdom]

Great details in your video. I've been a plant slaughterer from way back, at least now I understand why. Thank you.

[@Fishtory]

Glad you found it illuminating :) also, welcome to the channel.

[@cheesepuff1373]

Wow, you explained this so well! Answered all my questions in one video, but I've been looking into getting co2 for my 55 gal tank, and I'm 50 50 on getting it because it looks scary! And the co2 case can explode if you do it wrong!! It also seems really complex, and I was wondering if you could make a vid explaining how to use it?

[@Fishtory]

I have a video on setting up and using co2 if you subscribe and then look n through the video archive on the channel. I hope the videos help! There are over 700 on this channel now :)

[@tinynina76]

OOOOOOHHHH! NOW I GET IT! Boy, you're an awesome teacher! I couldn't understand all of this until I watched your video! Thank you so much. 😁

[@Fishtory]

Glad I could help!

[@texasfish8382]

I am somewhat new to planted tanks but I have done a lot of research so the potential of the Dunning Kruger effect is great. What I understand is that plants actually prefer to use ammonium and ammonia over nitrate. There is less resources needed to breakdown them down. Of course at an excessive level ammonia can become toxic to them. Please explain why this isn't correct.

[@Fishtory]

That is correct. You got it

[@danbutts1003]

Excellent plant tutorial:) I watched it twice.!!!

[@Fishtory]

Thank you, and im glad you found it useful!

[@nada347_]

Don't we need some ammonia in the water to start nitrogen cycling? Or how do you start a new tank from scratch? Not to say that trimming dead parts of plants isn't good, but does keeping some of the trim in the water help with jump starting a cycle ? I have no idea. I'm very new to the hobby but loving all the science and the deep dives. Thank you again, Alex. Edit: I'm not using an active substrate. It was a bit out of the budget.

[@gregedgerton3390]

Best video on plant care I've seen.

[@Fishtory]

Thank you so very much!

[@nada347_]

How long do you wait before introducing fish/shrimp/snails into a new tank? I've been planning on waiting about a week. Thank you, Alex.

[@Fishtory]

Until the ammonia and nitrates are gone... so it can very from 5 or 6 days to 5 or 6 weeks if its a super fertilized aquascape for carpeting plants or something

[@blackriverbailey]

Awesome video! I just learned SO MUCH! Thank you!

[@Fishtory]

Glad it was helpful!

[@EGWL93]

Great content!! I could have avoid total melt if I find this video earlier. I thought it was walk in the park and my plant literally melts away day by day to beyond save (roots and rhizome too)

[@Fishtory]

Well good luck in the future and welcome to the community here!

[@fishkeepergeoff3624]

Thanks for this! Really helpful. I've just recently (4-6 weeks ago) added ALL real plants to my 130lt tank and I've now added CO2. Tiny bit of plant melt on corybmosa.

[@Fishtory]

Glad to be of some help. If H. Corymbosa is melting, the others likely will be Even worse if you don't keep up on the water changes and fertz/co2 in combo with short duration, high strength lighting. Best of luck my friend.

[@daphnemoore8864]

WOW, You really make science fun and very understandable. I wish I had you as a science/biology teacher in grade/high school. Thanks for all you do! 😘 I love your channel💚💚💚😊

[@Fishtory]

That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you. I think the world is a fascinating story...and every sub-plot or part of this world, ties into the bigger picture. When things aren't just obscure facts with no practical application, it's much more engaging for most of us (myself included)

[@daphnemoore8864]

@@Fishtory AGREE💚💚💚

[@lmueller301]

Thank you for the plant melt video!

[@Fishtory]

Why certainly!

[@BIBLE-UNBUTCHERED]

Very informative thanks Alex

[@Fishtory]

My pleasure!

[@waynetalbot2784]

I'm in the process of setting up a 65 gallon tank,it will be an inert sand substrate.With 2 large pieces of bog wood,plants im planning on using will be java fern,various anubias, which will be fed via liquid co2 and liquid fertiliser. Some cryptocoryne which will be fed via root tabs.My question is, While my tank cycles(fishless) an the ammonia builds up,how much water should I change out??An fantastic youtube channel, keep up the epic work.👍👍👍🇬🇧

[@Fishtory]

Thanks mate, and congrats on the new tank! I have found that without an active substrate its Best to do 1 or 2 a week of about 20% ...check at 3 weeks in... you may want to add a pinch or two of fish food to get some ammonia flowing and growing the nitrogen fixing bacteria colonies. Also, I applaude your plan to try co2, however, the light you have will be just as important as anything else- if not more... I recommend fluval planted 3.0+ or something with similar stats of 6000-7500k , 2000+ lumens and start it off around 8 or 9 hours a day to avoid as much algae often times. Lastly, the co2 will make your anubias and Java ferns nice and dense, hearty and green (as long as they have "food" like your root tabs) however, stem, sword and carpeting plants with colors are best served with co2., it is almost a "waste" on slow growing hearty plants, as they should do well for you regardless. Lastly, I wanted to warn you that the bog wood will likely get all milky, slimy and buggered up for a few weeks...just let it pass, it's positive bacteria and fungi cycling up using cellulose and tannins. And most of all, have fun. Best of luck. Cheers, Alex.

[@kaitlyn888]

Would love to see a video on how to create aquariums to strictly grow plants for escaping. What would I need? How would I set it up and give the plants the best dirt so that I can transfer them into aquarium with fish?

[@Vincent-kx9ze]

Very helpful. Thanks also for your full explanation to my question last night during your live. 👍

[@Fishtory]

No worries. As long as I have the time, I'll try my best and track down info for folks. Take care 🙂

[@chefmamba]

Bro. Your a genius. Let's just be friends and you talk and I'll just absorb knowledge from you. You are a Great example of "do not judge a book by its cover". Much Respect Thank you for your information and education.

[@Fishtory]

Thank you kindly. Check out the live streams Tues and Sat at 4:05pm pacific time / 7pm Eastern. I think you'd enjoy our chats. Also the playlist called "podcasts friendly" videos...its mostly audio topics of mine...and not reliant on visual info.

[@chefmamba]

@@Fishtory thanks for the info.

[@newmexicoaquatics282]

Great video. Thank you for sharing! I love hearing your experiences with all things plants related. Scape on! - Little Bobby

[@Fishtory]

Thanks Little Bobby! Have a great week, buddy.

[@ArtbyMagic]

Love your channel. So much quality conversation.

[@Fishtory]

Thank you kindly! I really appreciate your support and thoughts!

[@notfound379]

Hey great stuff. Much better than most especially since you're not selling something. Comprehensive but digestible content. New sub!

[@Fishtory]

Why thank you! Haha I have nothing to sell but whatever knowledge I think Is interesting that particular day. I appreciate the sub!

[@klonthemove1765]

Thank you learnt something today, currently facing the melting in my low tech planted aquarium, been trying to figure out a solution and dont want to completely lose the plants. Cheers!!!

[@Fishtory]

Best of luck to you, my friend!

[@dellseasandoval8187]

Keep up the good work 👍🏻.

[@Thomas.V.-223]

Good morning hope everyone is doing great And I am glad im up early to catch Alex.

[@BonJour007]

Wow, you are knowledgeable! I keep thinking…how do you vacuum that tank? 😜 I’m new to this….

[@Fishtory]

Haha i dont vacuum this tank at all. Thats the way haha

[@BonJour007]

I have so much to learn!🤣🤣

[@ensign_poo]

I'm new to fish and plants and this was the best video. Give me information! Thank you!

[@Fishtory]

Welcome to the hobby! Thanks for tuning in. I'm honored you took some time to tune in to the channel, and glad you enjoyed the video. You'll likely enjoy the playlists ive compiled, also. Enjoy, and have a great week! -Alex.

[@bettyb.7971]

Love this video ❤ You answered many of my questions I had about aquatic plants.

[@Fishtory]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@lplurking850]

Sir you are definitely an encyclopedia

[@Fishtory]

I try ...probably too hard lol. Sometimes I'm total nerd

[@MegaPlucas]

My bettas require low flow filters. Maybe that's why my stem plants haven't done well. Lack of water agitation.

[@Fishtory]

Could very well be the case

[@kranson8514]

Great episode very well and simply explained worth every minute watching i applaud you sir👏👏👍

[@Fishtory]

So glad to hear you enjoyed it and thought it was worthwhile info. Have a great weekend!

[@pernillelous613]

Best video I've seen on this topic. Thank you!

[@Fishtory]

No problem. I'm happy if it's useful to you :) thanks for tuning in

[@pernillelous613]

@@Fishtory I went straight to my LFS today to buy what I lack. Thank you so so so much! A video on how to pick substrate would be fantastic, I can't find a good one.

[@johnbeard2704]

Thank you for the detailed commentary!

[@Fishtory]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jwwphotos]

I had no idea!!! Thanks so much for that awesome explanation!!

[@Fishtory]

You are so very welcome! Cheers to you

[@PotooBurd]

Boosting for the algorithm 🙌 Love your work, keep it up! 🌻🐝

[@Fishtory]

You're the best! I appreciate your handy work soon very much!

[@PotooBurd]

@@Fishtory you’re success is the best revenge against the ’ king’ 👀 I don’t like bullies. I’m just doing my part.

[@DanielKeepingFish]

Great plants discussion Alex. Some really good points in there.

[@Fishtory]

Thanks buddy. I greatly appreciate that, from you!

[@mikefisher4834]

I’ve been keepin’ bronze crypts for almost 10 years and I’ve barely touched them except to get algae off of the leaves because I’m afraid they’ll melt if I move any of them to another tank

[@Fishtory]

They may...but the root should survive and regrow quickly

[@KathyLankford-u1h]

So I have a soiled tank, as per father fish. Do I still need to be adding plant fertilizer? Tank is about 3 weeks old. It's mid cycle. No ammonia, .25 nitrites. No nitrates yet. Tank does have some fish. 40 gallon breeder, 8 neons, 3 nerite snails and 3 otocynclis. Am I supposed to be doing water changes as well???

[@regenaperrier2265]

I love your videos, I have learned so much since I found your channel

[@Fishtory]

Well thank you so very much for tuning in! And also...WELCOME!

[@debbieurias5151]

Your channel is so so interesting!!! Thank you.

[@Fishtory]

Glad you think so! Have a great day

[@lucasvanroemburg5534]

Bro. Well spoken. Nice vid. Might Come in handy.

[@thadrepairsitall1278]

I wonder if seltzer water would be a good way to supply CO2 to the tank.

[@Fishtory]

They use it for photos of aquascapes often times! Old Amano trick from the 1990s

[@selinarittenhouse1181]

I love this video. My anubias nana is browning and only the roots are in the ground. would c02 and a stronger light help it?

[@Fishtory]

Increase flow of o2 rich water .. don't bury the roots at all for a while and then never more than half of then in sand or stone Substrate. Cut away any mushy spots and yet co2 would likely help a little bit as well

[@selinarittenhouse1181]

@@Fishtory thank you so much. I did exactly what you suggested. I hope to see improvements 😀

[@PaulC.494]

Alex this is one of the best videos you have made...how much do plants rely on fish in a low tech planted tank with active substrate and no ferts ?

[@Fishtory]

Thank you, Paul C. In a low tech... they rely a ton on the fish, and for that matter- they rely on the quality of food you feed and the nutrients in that food. 50% of their growth by dry mass, is from carbon (mostly co2) then next nitrogen (so ammonia) then things like calcium, potassium, zinc, manganese etc...and fish can provide all that in theory...along with plants also decomposing, and bacteria reassembling atoms into new molecules and vice versa.

[@rachaelflores3810]

@@Fishtory I have a betta tank 9g with shrimp and somewhere between low - medium light and I put osmocote diy root tabs, and using 1 pump of Easy Green for my plants. Initially it had no issues but because I think the organic potting mix under the gravel is used up I needed to start dosing. My issue is how do I provide enough CO2 in this nano tank without cranking up the filter to increase surface agitation? I need calm water for the floating plants and the Betta...but I don’t see any good cost effective methods for CO2 injection. It’s pretty low tech tank but borderline to medium requirements

[@janieegirllful]

Please help..I am setting a new tank up. I have opted for sand , plants and spider wood. As well as a hang on the back filter system. I added Fritz stuff to get the growth going. My tank looks like a swamp! Im so discouraged. Is this normal? I know i need to let things grow..for the plants and fish that i plan to put in there..but this 65 gallon tank looks a mess. Should i do water changes?? Or just leave it be. Its been 3 days..thank you!

[@vinceendres]

So glad I found this and you! Awesome and comprehensive content. Thank you!

[@Fishtory]

I'm very glad you found me as well! If you like this video, you'll probably really enjoy the stuff in my playlists also. Cheers

[@KAAPNW]

Your channel is very informative, thank you so much for sharing!

[@Fishtory]

Thank YOU for watching, and Staying curious! Cheers 😊

[@gilbosavannah]

I agree with Kim and Justin thank you

[@Fishtory]

Well I am very grateful for the fact that so many people are tuning in, and that I can be of some use to their happiness and the ease of the hobby. Thanks again, cheers!

[@carrielange2692]

thank you so much, can you please clarify? If every leaf is melted, do we literally cut everything off? to where there is NO leaves left at all, and it's just roots with a couple stumpy, bare stems just poking out of the substrate? i have terrible problems with this issue, and have wasted so much money, i had given up and resigned myself to the fact that I could only grow swords, dwarf lily, pogostemon, and banana plant, lol. Thank you again, your videos are always the most helpful

[@Fishtory]

No problem. With most species of rooted plants (they have enough root tissue that if can suck up nutrients and re-grow) can be cut back all the way to about and inch from the root if its a stem plant...or if its a sword or crypt, some people cut off the leaves completely, before they even melt! I find that a bit extreme, bit once I see about 30% of a leaf that is dead, I get scissors and cleanly cut the whole leaf off. Tearing leaves can shock plants, so total "amputation", cleaning is best from my experience. Underlying all this is nutrients in the substrate and plenty strong lighting. Plus water changes every 2 or 3 days when a tank is new

[@sabinegray1450]

Hot crypt tip: remove the young shoots. Then trim the oldest outside leaves on the main plant. Use Consistent high light and you’ll have new growth. Crypts will spiral I lost a flamingo by leaving it alone when it needed a big chop.

[@intergalacticmuffin7071]

Great video can I ask what type of rock your using it looks awesome

[@Fishtory]

Cascade jadite and quartzite from the mountains west of Seattle

[@povnelson2019]

Subscribed great video! Just got a new plant today!

[@Fishtory]

Welcome and thank you for joining the community!. -Alex.

[@povnelson2019]

@@Fishtory 🙏

[@tauncfester3022]

The other reason to get rid of stalled or dying emergent growth is to keep algae from infesting your tank. It's funny, I've bought air growth C. Willisii in rockwool pots that hasn't suffered a great melt when transplanted into my tanks. A couple older leaves, may melt, but any newer leaves just pick up where the plant left off from the nursery. I think some of this is because our water is pretty soft and we have a certain amount of tannins from our well.

[@Fishtory]

100% I agree with both your assertions. Spot on. Thank you

[@TheShadowfakx]

Great video. Just learning.

[@Fishtory]

Welcome! 🙏

[@The_Troll]

I really need help with plants. Thank you

[@Fishtory]

So i have a lot of videos on plants and algae, and id recommend learning what plants/ algae need to survive best, ive broken it down with some charts on white boards in the best videos, but i promise, you'll be able to keep plants in no time with a bit of dialing in and trying different methods...until you find one that works for you

[@davids7524]

What kind of rock is that you're using? Going to try my first real scape and would love that look in there. Also, great vid, love your channel!

[@Fishtory]

Thank you kindly, it's actually stone that I collected here in Washington State. It's a mix of jadeite, granite and olivine :) but there are formations of it in BC Canada, Scottland, China and Myanmar also. Best of luck to you!

[@ZzzRoofus]

I am trying to understand your comment about ammonia being a toxin to plants. Were you referring to NH3 or NH4? According to the book "Ecology of the planted aquarium", not sure if you have read it, she mentions that plants by far prefer ammonia as their source of nitrogen over nitrites and nitrates because ammonia in its NH3 form under water is actually a gaseous state, therefore the gas freely enters the plant's leaves, whereas ammonium, nitrite and nitrate are in an aqueous solution (liquid state), so it is more difficult for plants to utilize those forms of nitrogen due to having to expend energy to adjust the chemical composition for cell grow. And I can confirm this being accurate because when I had setup my 10 gallon tank and before it started cycling, my ammonia levels daily were .25-.50 ppm for about two weeks and without any ferts or soil, my amazon sword was growing at about an inch per day. It literally doubled in volume within about 3 weeks. Now I have more trouble growing plants with only nitrates in the water. In addition, I have never had an ammonia spike due to decomposition of organic matter such as dying plants. It is usually from fish waste which is high in protein. Decaying plant matter turns into humic acids and fertilizers faster than fish waste (except for ammonia) because it has to undergo less bacterial metabolism. And when the aquarium is setup properly, the plants get an abundant source of micro and trace minerals from the soil and ALL nutrients from fish food. Therefore, no fertilizers needed. You can get just as beautiful plant growth out of a low tech tank with a bit of patience and in the end, you won't have to do water changes for months, if ever. Just trimming overgrowth. Frequent water changes remove humic acids which build up over time that actually bind to heavy metals and toxins to protect fish and plants from heavy metal toxicity, and also removing allelochemicals which plants release and inhibits the growth of algae. Frequent water changes also increases the chance of introducing a higher concentration of heavy metals, because you may have .02 ppm copper in your tap today and two weeks later you do a water change and only dosed enough for .02ppm but now you have 2ppm. Sometimes the best we can do is just leave things alone and let nature handle it at her own pace. If you do it correctly from the start.

[@Fishtory]

I totally agree with you and with the science obviously. I mentioned it that plants get burned and can die when ammonia is too high. Yes, they like ammonia over other nitrogen compounds due to its bioavailbility, but at amounts over the 5 to 10 ppm it is harmful...and for tissue culture plants, which are still expressing undifferentiated cellular nodes and tissue (half emersed half submerged sort of...) they "burn" from even low amounts of ammonia unless a very high amount of co2 is present ...and a sizable ratio of phosphates (that regulate metabolism)... the co2 and light simply allow the ammonia to be processed in higher concentrations. Also, I may be mistaken, but I think the roots are designed to utilize the ammonia, where as the water column feeding tissues are more sensitive to it. Other than that clarification, I'm 100% on board with what you and Dr. Walstad are saying.

[@richardzubroff16]

Excellent explanations and ideas.

[@Fishtory]

Thank you for tuning in!

[@brettbergstrom4238]

Is C02 safe for axolotls and other shrimp like it? probably a dumb question but just dont wanna screw anything up

[@Fishtory]

I was wondering the same thing when it was new to me...good question. But they're totally fine with it. Shrimp tolerate more co2 than fish Even

[@kingsleyphillip6793]

I'm about to add plant'a for the first time to my aquarium. Starting for now with dwarf grass. My question is can you still add salt with the plant's? and how much?

[@Fishtory]

You can add a tbl spoon or so for every 2 or 3 gallons usually... any more and ive had trouble personally

[@rainbowfishtalk4573]

Does beneficial bacteria grow on plant leaves? Should I worry about removing too many leaves all at once? It sounds like if the leaves are dying they are maybe producing more toxins than removing.

[@Fishtory]

It does, but unless you did like 75% defoliating... you should be fine

[@George-qr3jp]

How do I get rid of the black alge? I keep doing water changes and carefully scrubbing it off the leafs but my green and red hedge and not doing good.

[@Fishtory]

It's really tricky. It likes flowing water... and big water changes can help, but manual removing it and then reducing the nitrates are basically the best you can do with black beard algae unfortunately. Good luck though... oh hydrogen peroxide also kill it ( Google that process. If you're interested).

[@George-qr3jp]

@Fishtory ahh ok thanks for the info definitely more than I knew and I'll look in to the methods u suggested thanks alot.

[@toetoe160]

Thank you Alexander!

[@Fishtory]

Of course! Thank YOU

[@barrylight3535]

Brilliant video. Thanks Alex

[@Fishtory]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and have a great week!

[@sigui.habana]

Is there any fern you know would make under water Or with the roots on it ? I found out here acrostichum danaeifolium the biggest fern in florida does well as a floating plant …. I haven’t try with roots on substrate , a very related genus to acrostichum is Ceratopteris and Ceratopteris pteridoides Floating antler-fern is a floating plant

[@Fishtory]

Only java and bolbitus heudulata are the ones that come to mind. sorry

[@omlet1231]

Can we talk about how sexy the landscape in that tank is

[@Fishtory]

Please go right ahead haha.. thank you so very much for the compliment