parrotsfeather/horsetail issues

[crowbot]

Hello!

I set up my first container bog 2 months ago - 5 gallons, full of aquatic plant media. (I was inspired by the Dead Marshes from the Lord of the Rings, hence the face) No option to plant outside, so it's sitting right next to my window.

Overall pretty happy with it, but a little concerned about my dwarf parrotsfeather (some of it is yellowing, seems lighter in color than I remember but still growing) and my dwarf horsetail (it came in the mail droopy, and while it's sending out runners, can't seem to stand up straight). Any tips on what to improve? Too much light? Not enough? Not indoor-friendly?

 

[crowbot]

Looks like I messed up the attachment, let's try this a different way:
https://imgur.com/a/DbLnXvl

 

[Lisak1]

Welcome @crowbot !

Tell us a bit more about your bog - is there water flowing? Are you fertilizing this in any way?

 

[crowbot]

Thank you!
There are two pvc pipes that go all the way to the bottom of the substrate that I can stick bubblers in (I use them to check water level), otherwise there's no flow. I had not been doing that. I admit I didn't realize a bog needed it!

I'm fertilizing with pond tabs once a month. I did miss a month so hopefully the fix is as easy as getting back on schedule.

 

[Lisak1]

Well, technically a "bog" is a wetland filter - so if you're not running water through it, it's not acting as a filter so it's not truly a "bog". And bog plants rely on the waste material produced by fish for food, so it's part of a whole eco-system.

 

[crowbot]

Ah that is a very good point. I guess technically then it's just a planter full of media with plants with very wet feet! Is the issue more lack of flow (and if so would bubblers be enough or should I try to figure out something more powerful) or lack of nutrients?

 

[Lisak1]

I would guess nutrients is more the issue. A bog typically would have a steady stream of nutrients flowing through it. I've never seen anyone trying to do what you're doing.

 

[j.w]

@crowbot

 

[Tula]

Welcome I think what you're trying to do is pretty cool. I would try fertilizer first, if they don't improve then try to circulate a gentle flow of water. Also, lighting is a big factor.....yellowing of plants can indicate not enough light.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome, @crowbot! Did you mean to say 50 gallons rather than 5? Your picture looks more like 50.

Where is your window located — facing which direction, and how much sunlight does it get?

 

[crowbot]

Thank you for the welcomes! I did not realize this setup was so unusual : )

It is a 5 gallon container - 19in long, 11in wide, 6.5in tall. West-facing window. I live in San Francisco - we actually had sunnier than usual weather when I first set this up, though it's becoming it more typical overcast again. Does dwarf parrotsfeather need a lot of light? I think I had read partial shade was alright but maybe this environment is too shady.

Would not getting enough light lead to droopy horsetails as well?

 

[crowbot]

I fertilized this Wednesday after not doing it for two months (...I am very ashamed). If lack of nutrients is the main issue, how long would the plants take to perk back up?

 

[Lisak1]

How quickly you see a response depends on what type of fertilizer you used - a liquid would be fastest, for example.

And remember for plants there are two factors for sunlight - intensity (full sun vs light shade) and how long. As the days grow shorter, plants respond. So while the type of sunlight may be the same, the length of the day grows shorter. Some plants don't mind the shorter days (like houseplants) while others are more sensitive. You may find a grow light for a few hours a day helps.

 

[crowbot]

Thanks for the tips! Grow light ordered, hoping this works out.