# Planted Tanks > Beginners' Corner >  Hornworts dying?

## cyruslaguna

my hornworts are dying...though there are spouting new shoots, some of they have turned yellow.

I've kept the light off as water temperature is around 28 - 30 degrees.

Are they light demanding plants, or should I add some liquid CO2 / fertiliser to enhance growth?

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## Navanod

They turn yellow/red at the tip when they're growing super fast...if its not the tips that are yellow...then trim the yellow parts off

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## cyruslaguna

they're now turning brown = death?

what should I do to keep them growing healthily?

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## garfieldnfish

Are you using CQ2 injection? I found they love light. Mine always died too until the last batch I bought and planted in a tank that gets daylight through the window in the afternoon. In that tank it grows nicely, but so does algae.

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## Navanod

hornworts are next to impossible to kill and they grow at breathtaking speed.
If yours is really dying, something very bad is going on with your water.

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## cyruslaguna

they look ok now after fan-cooling of tank. They seem to grow extremely quickly in my office which is air-conditoned.

Are they low-temperatured plants?

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## Blue Whale

I am plant idiot but not IT idiot. And so! I found this  :Laughing: 

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fres...s/hornwort.php
10-25C

Just below the article you will find the data there including ph. Quite a hardy plant I should say.

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## vinz

Hornwort is a plant that is well known for taking up vast amounts of nitrate... often used to control nitrate. I would guess that your tank is short of nitrate. Yellowing is one of the symptoms.

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## StanChung

I think turning off the light could be one of the reasons. I've seen it grow in lakes with water I estimate to be about 33C. 
Plants do well in cool water of 22-26 C without a doubt. Most fishes[tetras,danios etc] like it better closer to 26-28 C so it's a compromise.

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## cyruslaguna

thanks Stan. Are hornworts good as a form of controlling ammonia level in water?

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## StanChung

You're welcome, I think WC and a good filter are more effective methods.
Plants need light and nutrients to drive uptake.
Some guys prefer to use floating plants as another method of nitrate 'sucking'.

Depends on how much resources you want to spend and which way really.

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## cyruslaguna

thanks again  :Smile: 

do hortworts serve as a good hideout for guppy fries when born?

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## Blue Whale

> Hornwort is a plant that is well known for taking up vast amounts of nitrate... often used to control nitrate. I would guess that your tank is short of nitrate. Yellowing is one of the symptoms.


Definitely learnt something here. But do you really built up nitrate that fast consider most of the experience you(s) are more plant inclined than fish inclined? Do you have a lot of fish inside to have much of nitrate?

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## cyruslaguna

I now have 7 female adults and 1 otto in a 1.1ft tank; not sure if you've seen my tank setup though...

Should every tank have hornworts to control nitrate level? So far guppies are doing fine under pH around 7.

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## kopikia

I have a similar problem. My hornworts are dying. Water is at 28C, and light is strong (13W for a 5L tank). Based on the replies, can I confirm that it is because the water temperature is too high?

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## cyruslaguna

your tank is 5L? That's a very small capacity; what's your tank measurements?

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## kopikia

22.5cm x 15cm x 17.5cm, which comes up to about 5-6L. Its a really small tank.

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## Blue Whale

I am from IT sector, "If it ain't spoilt, don't fix it" the common motto. So if the nitrate is not building up, (You have to use nitrate test kit or electronic sensor type to measure), I don't think I be doing much to my own.

Should you measure it? Well, I'd say its a choice.

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## cyruslaguna

> 22.5cm x 15cm x 17.5cm, which comes up to about 5-6L. Its a really small tank.


You will need a fan for that...what is the voltage of the lamp used?

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## kopikia

I think you mean wattage? 13W. Voltage is standard 220-240V. Been monitoring the temperature and it has been hovering between 27-29C. 

I wonder if the lack of nitrates may be the reason. My nitrates reading is <25ppm, and nitrites is zero.

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## juggler

Just to add: In my experience, Hornwort can melt if there is a change in the water condition. In the above case, it was brought from office to home. But should recover.

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## alien54d

my hornwort melted at the base of the plant
the tips are reddish

just trim away the base

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## Navanod

> my hornwort melted at the base of the plant
> the tips are reddish
> 
> just trim away the base


I believe that regularly trimming away the base of the plant (that has flared out to act as a makeshift anchor) is a very effective way of removing absorbed nitrate from the tank.

If left unchecked, this portion will rot/melt and dump the nitrate right back into the tank.

Speaking of which...my hornworts used to grow like a snake. Very very long with occasional branches. So it was very simple to trim the bottom off

Lately, I did some revamping of the tank. Improved the water flow, increased lightings and lowered the temperature to 25C.
The hornwort now started growing like a "medusa" instead of a snake and is starting to turn into a "ball" of waving reddish tips.
Very nice looking compared to the past long snakey look, but very hard to trim since I cannot find the base anymore! Even the usual "sinking" end with the flared out leaves is no more

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## cyruslaguna

so the healthy hornworts should all look green? Should those yellowish portions be removed even before the new shoots are out?

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