Problems with my red lotus - pictures

[PlantedTankLover]

My red lotus leaves are becoming thin and clear and almost like they are rotting away. Ideas?

[Digs]

Ive only had luck with red tiger lotus with co2 injected tanks. Ive had the leaves rot away to nothing and then as soon as co2 was added id have a huge plant 2 weeks later.

[PlantedTankLover]

Dont want to add c02. this is a low tech tank. How can I add iron? by liquid? I do have some Excel I have not used.

[hydrosparky]

Then you should DIY CO2 using yeast and whatnot. It would still be low tech.

[PlantedTankLover]

Not wanting to do any c02 at all.

[Hoppy]

Unless you have a FishNeedIt light you have too much light to do without CO2 and a good fertilizing scheme, like http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=21944 With that much light the other plants are probably using up the limited amount of nutrients available, and that, plus the lack of CO2, is causing the leaves to die. I have that plant in a low light tank with DIY CO2 and it is doing very well.

[OVT]

Some more info would be helpful: are all leaves are rotting, are they in full light or total shade, are the new leaves coming out, did the stems got broken?

The leaf damage looks very much like what I get when the leaves break the surface or when they were left in the air for too long (like during a large water change).

When the leaves die off normally, they look very different: the entire leaf goes to light orange then to very bright magenta, then translucent.

As with anything else, there could be multiple reasons, not all related to light or direct fertilization.

A 75 Tall under 4 x 65w of CFL with no co2 and no fertilization:



My 'lotus farm' with co2:

[PlantedTankLover]

They are in full light, right in the center of the tank. The stems also looked like they are fraying and I often find they have snapped and I have broken leaves floating.

[OVT]

Snapped stems, huh? No aggressive fish that does not like them? Stems rubbing against driftwood/stones in the current? How's the rhizome: are the roots coming out of the substrate? The free-floating leaves: are the ends of the stems rotting or it's more of a clean break? I rarely see a free-floating leaf, only when the entire stem is already fully rotten.

Just fishing, hoping to stumble on something that's probably right in front of us.

[PlantedTankLover]

If you look at the first picture, you can see one of the stems, all frayed. It's not rubbing agains anything, its a center piece in the tank. the roots are growing into the substrate. I did change from PFS to eco complete and sand mix last week and noticed when I did so there was not much re growth from the roots from the last time I replanted it. I dont know if any of my fish would be eating it. Whenever I come around they act like they are starving and swim to the top for food. lol. From my stock list in my signature, see any problem fish?

[Aquatic Delight]

i'm sorry i know this way off topic, but what kind of camera are you using?

[OVT]

No, I do not see any problem fish

Did this start happening before you switched substrates or after? I assume that you had to re-plant most if not all plants in order to switch. Did you trim the lotus's roots (you should have)? If this started after you switched substrate, then I think we are getting closer.

[PlantedTankLover]

Sorry ovt. I stopped getting notices about replays on this thread but got your message on my other one. No this has been going on way before the substrate change. I would say a few months now. I did trim the roots of all plants but noticed the ones in the lotus had not grown much since the replanting before.

And the camera is just the one on my cell phone.