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I've been trying to grow some Alternanthera Reineckii in my 20 gallon tank, but the leaves keep turning green. Running a Finnex Planted+ 24/7, dosing Thrive twice a week, and CO2 at 2 bps. Anyone got tips to keep the red vibrant?

Red plants can be tricky. What's your nitrate level? I've found keeping nitrates low, around 5 ppm, helps bring out the red. Also, iron dosing is key. I use Seachem Iron and my Ludwigia Super Red pops.

Lighting might be the issue. The 24/7 mode is cool but maybe not intense enough for reds. Try cranking it to 100% for 6 hours. My Rotala H'ra went from pink to fire engine red after I switched.

sharpfin12 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 02, 2025 5:56 pm Red plants can be tricky. What's your nitrate level? I've found keeping nitrates low, around 5 ppm, helps bring out the red. Also, iron dosing is key. I use Seachem Iron and my Ludwigia Super Red pops.

Yep, low nitrates and iron are game changers. I also noticed my reds get brighter when I cut back on phosphates. Maybe try that?

Thanks for the tips, everyone. I'll test my nitrates and phosphates tonight and adjust the light schedule. Gonna grab some Seachem Iron too. Appreciate the help!

Don't sleep on potassium either. My AR Mini was struggling till I started dosing K. Now it's redder than my cherry shrimp. Also, how old is your light? LEDs lose intensity over time.

My red plants always die. Idk what I'm doing wrong. Maybe I should just stick to Anubias.

Patience is key. Reds often take weeks to adjust and show color. Keep tweaking one thing at a time and don't give up. You'll get there.

zenitora wrote: ↑Mon Jun 02, 2025 8:10 pm Lighting might be the issue. The 24/7 mode is cool but maybe not intense enough for reds. Try cranking it to 100% for 6 hours. My Rotala H'ra went from pink to fire engine red after I switched.

This. I switched to a 6-hour photoperiod at max intensity and my reds exploded. Also, make sure your CO2 is consistent. Fluctuations can mess with color.

Has anyone tried using tannins to enhance reds? I heard it can help but haven't tested it myself.