# Anybody knows how to grow Broad leaves hygrophyla (Hygrophyla corymbosa "stricta")



## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

*Anybody knows how to grow Broad leaves hygrophyla (Hygrophyla corymbosa "stricta")*

Hi

I believe I've got this Broad leaves hygrophyla (Hygrophyla corymbosa "stricta") that I bought a couple of weeks ago. I bought it to mix it with my slow growing plants like Java fern and Amazon sword to protect them for algae. I understood it's a fast growing low to medium light stern plant. Instead of growing fast its leaves started getting yellow and wholes and new ones trying to flip. 
I have 10Gl fish tank with very well growing variations of Java fern not so well growing Amazon sword (it has Flourish tablet near its roots, but it not helping much) and now Broad leaves hygrophyla (Hygrophyla corymbosa "stricta") to balance my algae. My lighting is 1.8Watt per gallon and photo period is 6hrs. I'm not using any fertilizer like flourish excel or so. Any help will be appreciated.


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## Calmer (Mar 9, 2008)

If it was just the lower leaves going yellow then the Hygrophyla corymbosa should be spaced out like trees so that there is little shading of the lower leaves and other plants. 
For the Hygrophyla corymbosa to be able to use up the extra nutrients in the water, that is going to the algae, then you have to increase the light. So experiment by bumping up your light to 8 hours a day and see if that helps. Watch and see if the algae increases or not. For Hygrophyla corymbosa you may have to go with a photo period of 10 hours. Hope that helps.


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Calmer said:


> If it was just the lower leaves going yellow then the Hygrophyla corymbosa should be spaced out like trees so that there is little shading of the lower leaves and other plants.
> For the Hygrophyla corymbosa to be able to use up the extra nutrients in the water, that is going to the algae, then you have to increase the light. So experiment by bumping up your light to 8 hours a day and see if that helps. Watch and see if the algae increases or not. For Hygrophyla corymbosa you may have to go with a photo period of 10 hours. Hope that helps.


Yes the lower leaves going yellow and getting holes as they very close to Java fern which grows very well (I have been adviced to cover slow growing plants with fast growing ones this is why it close to other plants as Java fern). But the top / new ones does not look healphy as well. Also I'm seeing little algae on the older leaves. I has my lighting before as 3 WPG and 8 hrs but I got algae outbreak I decresed it to 1.8WPG and 6 hrs and my algae now in check. I'll try to increase it to 8 hrs and see if algae will not increase.


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

Could be a specific nutrient deficiency, like potassium. do some research on google for aquarium plant deficiency.

Holes in the leaves are a good indicator that it is nutrients. I don't know any other way aside from nutrient deficiency that it would happen.
Also, gradually increase your photo-period to 8 hours. That's a bare minimum with your low level of light. 6 hours is not enough time for adequate photosynthesis to take place which could be stunting your amazon sword.


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

BettaBeats said:


> Could be a specific nutrient deficiency, like potassium. do some research on google for aquarium plant deficiency.
> 
> Holes in the leaves are a good indicator that it is nutrients. I don't know any other way aside from nutrient deficiency that it would happen.
> Also, gradually increase your photo-period to 8 hours. That's a bare minimum with your low level of light. 6 hours is not enough time for adequate photosynthesis to take place which could be stunting your amazon sword.


Just increased the level of light to 7 hrs and after two days both Hygrophyla corymbosa "stricta" and amazon sword start growing better but as a downsite the algae on them start increasing rapedly. Any suggestions on how to keep a balance ?


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

There's no "absolute" rule but keeping in mind all factors in *your* particular system, just tweak the various parameters to get the growth/appearance that you desire.

JM2C/E


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

wtac said:


> There's no "absolute" rule but keeping in mind all factors in *your* particular system, just tweak the various parameters to get the growth/appearance that you desire.
> 
> JM2C/E


Any advices on what and how ? Should I use fertelizers like Excel instead of more light or so ?


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Look at it this way, light is the driving force for the plants' ability for nutrient uptake and growth.

Taking into consideration of proper spectrum, intensity and duration to "get the plants' motor running", now you have to look at nutrient requirements. They require a source for carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium on a grand scale/macronutrients as well as iron, manganese, magnesium and calcium as micronutrients.

To maintain proper balance of these micro and macronutrients, there are a few ways to do it, depending on your ability and time allotted to perform these tasks.

You can spend the money on commercial products just to get the hang of it before the the individual dry fert route. I prefer the SeaChem line that's readily available in our market segment:
Flourish - broad based fert
Potassium
Nitrogen
Phosphorous

EI method

Same as EI but test N and P and dose accordingly but you don't really have to do 50%weekly water changes. Typical 20-25% is fine.

Adding carbon to a system can be done in a few ways:
1. Flourish Excel
2. CO2 from a sugar and yeast reactor
3. CO2 from a pressurized CO2 system

Knowing the visual deficiencies/excesses is also important.

Lots to read and more than one way to get from point A to B 

Not really knowing your system, routine and abilities, this will help get you going 

HTH and have fun


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