brittle stem plants???

[rsretep]

Any ideas on why these stems are so brittle? I can be in cleaning up the tank or moving some rocks around and bump one of the plants and a stem will snap. Is this possibly a fertilizer deficiency? My tanks are heavily stocked with fish so I dont do much water column fertilization. Any ideas?
I do run automated CO2 in my planted tanks and lighting varies but is 2 watts per gallon or better in these tanks, using 6500K and 10000K lighting

 

[halak]

What type of stems? Some are naturally brittle, such as Najas species.

 

[rsretep]

Hygro for starts...

 

[halak]

H. polysperma is a naturally brittle species. Were your stems less brittle in the past?

 

[JLW]

Last time I tried to post this, the forums died.

But, some plants are naturally very brittle, as Halak has since said. As you know, when you break a stem plant in two, you make two plants. This is a natural way for them to propagate, and being brittle makes it easier.

If ALL of your plants are becoming increasingly brittle, though, the most likely culprit is low Iron.

 

[rsretep]

Last time I tried to post this, the forums died.

But, some plants are naturally very brittle, as Halak has since said. As you know, when you break a stem plant in two, you make two plants. This is a natural way for them to propagate, and being brittle makes it easier.

If ALL of your plants are becoming increasingly brittle, though, the most likely culprit is low Iron.

okay Joshua thanks for the advice and also to you halak for the response