# Question about growing Cryptocoryne Beckettii



## mattbish (Dec 6, 2010)

Hi all, Just a quick question about Cryptocoryne beckettii. A couple of months ago I brought online 25 of these plants (I say plants but 2 or 3 leaves each) which were a lush green. Since then each plant has grown an have between 5/6 leaves each and now stand upto 4/5". Everything seems fine with the growth rate considering I only installed co2 3 days ago. I'm also running 1 T8 Dennerle 18w Amazon Day and 1 Dennerle 18w Trocal Special-Plant. The tank is a Trigon 190. 

The question I have is each plant has a mixture of lush green and red/brown new leaves coming through. Having read up I can see that red/brown plants are not uncommon but is it 'normal' to be getting dual coloured leaves coming through. Is this caused by insufficient lighting (LFS recommended the bulbs before I found this site *Conf* or could it be a lack of one or more nutrients??? or is it just one of those things that happens and I have nothing to worry about. 

Also just another quick question thats just come to mind, I have a very light white 2-3mm gravel which over time is becomming dirtier and discoloured through sediments dropping on it. Is there away of keeping it brighter without disturbing to much while perfoming a wc? 

Thanks for any advice you can give.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

Malaysian trumpet snails should clean the gravel up for you, not what it once was but close.
The crypts I find that to be normal with new leaves coming out, as they age they get a darker green, I kinda like it.


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## mattbish (Dec 6, 2010)

WhiteGloveAquatics said:


> Malaysian trumpet snails should clean the gravel up for you, not what it once was but close.
> The crypts I find that to be normal with new leaves coming out, as they age they get a darker green, I kinda like it.


excellent, as long as this is normal I can relax and enjoy them grow. I was just concerned that they were not getting 1 or more nutrients and this was an indicator of such. At what point to they start to turn green? I won't mind the brown shades so much once the plants have filled out and there is a contrast against more green but at the moment the brown is quite prominant!!! 

I did'nt thint too much could be wrong as my 5 Vallis are like wild fire and have already multiplied to 8 in during the same period.


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