# Plant melt



## GTYLER04 (Jul 11, 2019)

My vivarium is fairly new and i have kept the plants to a minimum while i learn how to care for them but my first mistake was leaving on vacation for a week and cranking my AC up.... 

When i got back from vacation all my plants melted or dried up really, and it was frustrating but some are coming back but slowly.

I have a 36x18x22 tank thats got two double mist king nozzles running 3x a day 15 secs each. The light js a beamswork LED for planted tanks.

So far i have a fittonia, begonia, fern and a bromeliad. Everything but my begonia is making a come back, it seems to be melting on the only leaf that wasnt melted.

What are your recommendations for care of these different types of plants?


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

A picture (link to a image sharing site) might help diagnose what happened. Do you think things got too hot, too dry, too wet...?

I hand mist all my vivs once or twice daily, and the water on leaves and glass evaporates well before the next morning. Anything that is not radical extremes of parameters (light, heat, water) should be fine for your plants.


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## rmingers (Apr 25, 2019)

I planted a begonia and it melted almost completely away. What I did was put it in a net cup, and raised it just a bit above the substrate level. Then I arraigned some leaf litter to hide the lip of the cup. Now it is bouncing back, and has 3 new leaves growing on it.


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## PhylloBro (Sep 21, 2018)

rmingers said:


> I planted a begonia and it melted almost completely away. What I did was put it in a net cup, and raised it just a bit above the substrate level. Then I arraigned some leaf litter to hide the lip of the cup. Now it is bouncing back, and has 3 new leaves growing on it.


My begonia is melting rn too D: what do you think causes it?


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## GTYLER04 (Jul 11, 2019)

Socratic Monologue said:


> A picture (link to a image sharing site) might help diagnose what happened. Do you think things got too hot, too dry, too wet...?
> 
> I hand mist all my vivs once or twice daily, and the water on leaves and glass evaporates well before the next morning. Anything that is not radical extremes of parameters (light, heat, water) should be fine for your plants.


The temps in my home are 77 during the day in the viv and 68 at night. 80% humidity.


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## PhylloBro (Sep 21, 2018)

GTYLER04 said:


> The temps in my home are 77 during the day in the viv and 68 at night. 80% humidity.


Not sure what type of plant that is but one thing it could be is sitting water. Some plants will melt if water is sitting on their leaves for too long. Happened to my false african violet (Idk bi. nom. so had to use the cheesy common name) LOL


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## rmingers (Apr 25, 2019)

PhylloBro said:


> My begonia is melting rn too D: what do you think causes it?


Was it newly planted? I ask because begonias seem to be pretty sensitive to being replanted. I've read they have rather delicate roots, and some die back is pretty normal. Make sure they aren't getting soaked by your misters, and aren't directly under your lights. You can also mound up your substrate a bit and plant it there, to keep the roots from staying as moist as the surrounding ground.


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## Dr. Manhattan (Oct 28, 2016)

I wouldnt worry about the Fittonia. I've had those take over and engulf a vivarium.


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