50g plants suddenly/long term dying?

[caykuu]

I set up a 50g planted aquarium exactly a year ago using one Zoo Med Flora Sun t5HO bulb and one lower watt bulb of the same brand... I remember the watts being around 200... but I don't remember exactly. I did conclude that it was moderate lighting. About 20~25 inches distance between the plants and the light.

My main plants are water sprite, rotala indica, and wysteria. (and failed hairgrass and four-leaf clover) They were "generally" growing pretty well for the entire year until just these past few weeks... Basically, I went lazy and I didn't do a water change or dose ferts/excel in 5 weeks, and within that time, 70% of the wysteria and rotala leaves disappeared... and the water sprite started browning/yellowing... But the hairgrass was always a failure the entire year, which I also am confused about.

I don't have pressurized CO2. I dose flourish excel once every few days.
My substrate is Ecocomplete.

I do have an algae problem... hair algae grows SO FAST in my tank, and I remove them with my fingers once a day. I'd like to note that within the 5 weeks of horror, the hair algae covered all of my plants... not sure if this is the reason. Side question, what's the solution to minimize algae without going high-tech? Already dosing excel.

So with all this info given, what can be the problem/reason why my plants suddenly all went unhealthy on me? Namely, water sprite has a rep for being super hardy and fast-growing, but mine has not grown AT ALL in the past 6 months.... (which is long before my 5 weeks of horror...) very confused.

ALSO, my dad claims that the t5HO bulbs require a brand new bulb once a year to maintain the wattage. Is this true? If I don't get new bulbs, will all my moderate lighting plants die?

Is my planted tank a failure due to not enough lighting? Not enough co2? Something else?
My four-leaf clover groundcover never did spread. Probably a grand total of 10 nodes grew over 8 months. Same for hairgrass.. just became algae-infested, and never spread well. My groundcover is now fish waste.... at least it's green.

Excuse me for the long post. Overall, my planted tank experience has failed, so now I'm looking for answers and tips so that I won't make the same mistakes again.

[Cardoc]

I think you need to add co2 either diy or pressurized, If your algae is bba, it is caused by low co2, also better water flow will help so get a power head if you dont have one already. The reason your plants are not growing is the algae is starving the plants.

You need to cut down the time you have your lights on start at 6 hours and see how that does with the algae, If you have to black out the tank for three days to kill the algae(no lights on at all, cover the tank with a blanket or something so no light gets in) when the black out is over add co2 and turn lights on for only six hours a day, clean as much algae out as you can by hand, and do a 50% water change every day for a few days.

[JasonG75]

maybe look into a MORE effective way of dosing ferts..

200 Watts on a 50? Thats borderline EXCESSIVE !!

[JasonG75]

Originally Posted by caykuu

ALSO, my dad claims that the t5HO bulbs require a brand new bulb once a year to maintain the wattage. Is this true? If I don't get new bulbs, will all my moderate lighting plants die?

SOME WHAT true, some bulbs last longer (better quality bulbs) and some last shorter.

Most of your issue is lighting, and not dosing proper ferts based on the lighting. Since your high light is giving the plants excess lighting it is going to eat more FERTS. But yea Since you have high lights, I would raise them or see if you can use 2 bulbs out of 4 (not sure how many bulbs you have)

[BruceF]

What's the filter? Do you have fish? What plants are left in the tank?
I would start by doing large water changes. Like 50 % every other day. I doubt it is the light.

[JasonG75]

[QUOTE=BruceF;1936919I would start by doing large water changes. Like 50 % every other day. [/QUOTE]


WHY? all he'll be doing is removing more ferts by doing this. His plants are dying NOT the fish !

[JasonG75]

Identify which algae you have and follow the directions

http://aquariumalgae.blogspot.com/

[BruceF]

To clean the tank and rid it of as much algae as possible.

[wkndracer]

Multiple issues have added to the point that the scale tipped and the tank is getting choked by algae feeding on the failing plants.
Beyond the short term in my experience without the regular addition of fertilizers either water dosed or root tablets EC by itself didn't support plants very well. BBA does seems to like attaching to it though. Personally don't care for it after setting up one tank using it.

Yes you're light bulbs are losing spectrum but the 5 week lax period tipped things badly.

Using 10ml syringes I directly inject Glut or Hydrogen Peroxide (3%) on problem areas to kill BBA and other algae. With the water calm that creates a concentration well above what I would apply to the tank overall. Algae spot treated is quickly killed taking months to appear again. Excel does aid higher plants and it kills algae.
Valuable product to have on hand.

If by life's hectic schedule I neglect a tanking system and algae attacks my plants glut is the bomb. Water changed, parameters set and daily dosing of up to 10ml/15gal of tank volume to cover all areas with a treatment wipes the tank clean in a week or two then the jug is back on the shelf.

Daily use of it though I challenge the value as it relates to the need.
If lighting levels require regular additions of glutaraldehyde (Excel) to avoid algae I firmly believe you're tank and bank would benefit by adding pressurized CO2 injection and a down flow reactor. Recovery of costs would be achieved over a short time period. Same considerations switching to dry fertilizer. Anything stopping the shipment of pretty bottles of weak solution benefits the wallet.

I prefer dosing fertilizers in liquid form rather than the dry chemical. Fish can act darn stupidly and mouthing or eating Potassium Nitrate (KNO3), Mono Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4), Potassium Sulfate (K2SO4) or Plantex CSM+B is a concern I have for them dry dosing. Probably thousands dose dry world wide without issue. I use to add it all dry but on accident dosed with the pumps off and the water calm. The chemical salts sank and landing on the plants in concentrate. Burned the plants killing growth to the base node. I've lost young fish that were seen grabbing the granules and spitting it back out. Quit dosing dry when I foolishly (in a hurry on my schedule) did it more than once. Who here is perfect? Pumps turned off to feed the fish I've later gone to bed forgetting to turn the filter back on. Nothing perfect about me.
Keeping planted aquariums long term using dry ferts are also HUGE savings over pretty premixed water bottles. $20 buys most enough plant food to last over a year. Why not just buy the bottles only once?
The basics for doing it are laid out by others in many formats. I liked this one starting out.
http://www.rexgrigg.com/
Common sense applies to everything (or should) DO NOT ORDER FROM Rex WITHOUT DIRECT CONTACT! His site store is active but he has not been in over a year. Orders are not filled.
Last activity 12/8/2010. But the tanking guide is a great reference starting out.
Ratios by gram and spoon measurements are provided on his site for those wanting to understand weed tanking step by step.

I would trim the ratty plants, vacuum mum and debris out of the tank changing the water. Get the ferts back up to feed the plants and order new bulbs.

Don't be a cow in the herd not knowing why is my message I guess (and don't trust Wikipedia and web forums LMAO!) without verifying information.

Ask what, ask why.
I've messed up my tanks more than once and brought them back.
Want to also add only 3 of my tanks are CO2 injected and with good ferts and understanding the light energy good tanks with healthy plants can be had without gas.

Hope ya fix you're water box without dumping it.

[Aquaticfan]

Caykuu, I think in your original post you already identified the problem. Correct the problem and work on the algae solution and it should be fine.

Here is where you identified the issue.

Quote " Basically, I went lazy and I didn't do a water changeor doseferts/excel in 5 weeks, and within that time, 70% of the wysteria and rotala leaves disappeared... and thewater sprite started browning/yellowing.." end quote

Your tank and plants are trying to tell you something. The leaves disappearing, the Browning and such is telling you that you are nutrient deficient. You need to start back on a full Fert program along with the excel. Dosing micro and macro ferts. Your substrate has high ability to absorb and release nutrients into the plants as well. But if you have low/no nutrients there is none to absorb.

Your hair algae issue is due to the poor conditions for your plants.

Your bulbs are still fine. Most T5 bulbs should go 2 years. They may degrade some but if your growing algae then I'm sure you have enough.


This goes to show that lacking nutrients is much worse then supplying non limiting nutrient.

You need to clean up the tank, do water change, get the decaying mater of plants out. Start dosing micro and NPK ferts along with excel. Don't do it half way. May also want to add some root tabs to boost the substrate.

Identify what algae you have for sure treat it accordingly.

Great link below on algae, causes and removal.

http://www.guitarfish.org/algae#greenspot

The reason for the water change is to reset things get decaying matter out if the tank help with algae removal. You will want to start on the ferts ASAP after that. I highly recommend using a EI dosing strategy to get things in order. It also sounds like your on the verge of needing co2 with your light amount.

[tetra73]

Hmmm...were you trying to do some experiment to see what would happen to your plants/tank if you neglect them for 5 weeks???? No pressurized CO2? Cut down the light, period. In your case, 5 weeks without ferts and any carbon substitute for plants and same light intensity? Your plants aren't growing and in fact dying and leaking nutrients back to the water column and later consumed by algae.....