Cryptic Advice

["Rachel Sandage" <rachelsor at hotmail_com>]

Hi All,

As you may recall, I am having trouble growing crypts in my tanks. 3 tanks 
in the house have crypts: a 29G with 30W of light, a 10 gal with 30W of 
light, and a 72 gal with 220 W of light. In all three tanks, the crypts 
either grow very slowly (if at all), or grow 3 leaves and then melt.

Our water here in Portland, OR is very soft; someone in the fish club coined 
the term "liquid silk". In two of the tanks I add Seachem's Equilibrium to 
bring up the GH to around 5; in the big tank, I also bring the KH to around 
5 with baking soda. Without intervention KH and GH are around 1.5-2.5, 
depending on the time of year.

I have recently been given two possible causes for the failure of my crypts 
to grow. The first is, crypts don't like acidic water. The pH in the tanks 
ranges from 6.6 to 7.4, so I don't think that is it, but I was wondering if 
anyone would like to comment on the pH requirements of crypts?

The second theory is that crpts don't like large water changes. Water 
changes range from 20% every 10 or so days in the 10 gallon tank, to 75% 
weekly in the 72 gallon. Any comments on this theory?

I'd sure like to grow crypts!

-Rachel



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