C. Helferi

cradleoffilthfan · 04-25-2012, 03:41 PM

......well, I hope I am wrong and it's something else, but here goes. I have a 75-P ADA tank.....it's 30"x18"x18" I have a dual bulb T5HO fixture (Coralife Aqualight)....fair reflectors I guess. Anyway, I also have Glosso in the tank and pressurized co2. The Glosso is doing OK, it's growing, but the C. Helferi's leaves are turning brown in spots, starting at the tips mostly. I only have a nitrate test kit, and it reads about 20 ppm. I am dosing a modified EI right now. I dose everything twice a week including CSM+B, P2SO4, KH2PO4, all 1/8tsp. I check the nitrate levels before dosing KNO3 though since the plants were just planted about a week and a half ago. It's not like I can say it's heavily planted because I just planted the plants and the tank hasn't "Filled In" yet. In the tank is the C. Helferi, Glosso, Narrow Leaf Java Fern, and Anubias nana petite. Everything else seems to be growing OK(the glosso is growing a bit in the vertical direction though which makes me suspect a lighting issue.....but I would have expected the Glosso to die before the C. Helferi if the light intensity was the issue. What do you guys think? Thank you in advance for the help.

JasonG75 · 04-25-2012, 04:31 PM

How long has the Helferi been in the tank?

"C. Helferi's leaves are turning brown in spots, starting at the tips mostly" These plants are grown Emersed, so they take a while to adjust to submerged life.

Lighting is definatly important because they require a lot.

cradleoffilthfan · 04-25-2012, 05:51 PM

Well, they went into the tank about a week ago.....actually I planted them on the 15th of April. It's been 10 days to be exact. Maybe it just hasn't been long enough? I guess I should expect the same from the Glosso since I did not start them emersed. I would have, but I also ordered the narrow leaf java fern and C. Helferi at the same time and don't have much experience with growing aquatic plants emersed......I figured with all the large plants I ordered, submersed was the way to go.

cradleoffilthfan · 04-27-2012, 08:19 PM

just posting some pictures of the C. Helferi....I will try to get before and after pictures. It has almost been 2 weeks since first setting up the tank. Here is the progress so far. I am dosing a modified EI. 1/8 tsp of all but KNO3 and that is just primarily because there are sufficient nitrates in the tank right now it's at 20ppm nitrate.

cradleoffilthfan · 04-27-2012, 08:20 PM

pictures to come shortly.

cradleoffilthfan · 04-27-2012, 08:33 PM

cradleoffilthfan · 04-27-2012, 08:35 PM

cradleoffilthfan · 04-27-2012, 08:37 PM

The Glosso is growing, but I thought it would be lower, this is why I included a picture of the light fixture above the tank. It just looks like it needs to be wider......the C. Helferi better be just getting adjusted to life under water, because it looks like crap

lol. well not really laughing honestly. Is this just it getting used to submersed life? I hope so.

cradleoffilthfan · 04-28-2012, 03:00 AM

This is what the C. Helferi looked like 2 weeks ago, just in case you wanted a before and after assessment. And the glosso looked like this 2 weeks ago.

**OVT** · 04-28-2012, 12:47 PM

I hate to say this, but that Coralife light is junk. I have it in a 4 x T5HO over a 40B and it just does not put out enough light, especially compared to a Tek light fixture. I wish I did not try to save $100 and went with a Tek.

The reflectors are pretty bad and the distance between bulbs is too close.

cradleoffilthfan · 04-28-2012, 04:17 PM

I think I am going to place it on Craigslist and buy a different light. Probably going to go with a Catalina light.....I have been talking to him online about a custom light for my tank. We'll see what happens....hopefully my plants survive for just a while longer......the Glosso is doing remarkably well, at least it's growing and green. The C. Helferi on the other hand.....

cradleoffilthfan · 05-03-2012, 03:29 AM

Just purchased a 30" Catalina fixture.......It will come with 3 24" bulbs......2 switches and 3 HO balasts.......I think the bulbs are 24 watt.......the only thing I was concerned about was the bulbs were going to be a plant gro kind, I think he said 5000K.....Hopefully this works, I was thinking they might have the 6700K but I guess not....I might just have to buy different bulbs later, but at least the 24" bulbs I can find around here are ok....not like my Coralife fixture, you pretty much have to buy the bulbs from them because of the specific size.

happi · 05-03-2012, 03:42 AM

how exactly are you diffusing the co2? i dont think that lights are your main problem.

cradleoffilthfan · 05-03-2012, 03:44 AM

co2 is being diffused by an inline GLA diffuser. This one actually

http://greenleafaquariums.com/co2-di...ffuser-12.html

cradleoffilthfan · 05-03-2012, 03:46 AM

also have a GLA double drop checker. Co2 indicator is at yellow. No fish or inverts. Just plants at the moment.

04-25-2012, 03:41 PM	#1
cradleoffilthfan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 323	C. Helferi ......well, I hope I am wrong and it's something else, but here goes. I have a 75-P ADA tank.....it's 30"x18"x18" I have a dual bulb T5HO fixture (Coralife Aqualight)....fair reflectors I guess. Anyway, I also have Glosso in the tank and pressurized co2. The Glosso is doing OK, it's growing, but the C. Helferi's leaves are turning brown in spots, starting at the tips mostly. I only have a nitrate test kit, and it reads about 20 ppm. I am dosing a modified EI right now. I dose everything twice a week including CSM+B, P2SO4, KH2PO4, all 1/8tsp. I check the nitrate levels before dosing KNO3 though since the plants were just planted about a week and a half ago. It's not like I can say it's heavily planted because I just planted the plants and the tank hasn't "Filled In" yet. In the tank is the C. Helferi, Glosso, Narrow Leaf Java Fern, and Anubias nana petite. Everything else seems to be growing OK(the glosso is growing a bit in the vertical direction though which makes me suspect a lighting issue.....but I would have expected the Glosso to die before the C. Helferi if the light intensity was the issue. What do you guys think? Thank you in advance for the help.

04-25-2012, 04:31 PM	#2
JasonG75 Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 1,498	How long has the Helferi been in the tank? "C. Helferi's leaves are turning brown in spots, starting at the tips mostly" These plants are grown Emersed, so they take a while to adjust to submerged life. Lighting is definatly important because they require a lot. __________________ *The Fraternity of Dirt #26* *Just because its dirt doesn't make it low Tech*** 75 Dirted http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...d-upgrade.html

05-03-2012, 03:42 AM	#13
happi Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (20/100%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 2,291	how exactly are you diffusing the co2? i dont think that lights are your main problem. __________________ Happi's Ultimate Fertilizer http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=179668

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04-25-2012, 05:51 PM	#3
cradleoffilthfan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 323	Well, they went into the tank about a week ago.....actually I planted them on the 15th of April. It's been 10 days to be exact. Maybe it just hasn't been long enough? I guess I should expect the same from the Glosso since I did not start them emersed. I would have, but I also ordered the narrow leaf java fern and C. Helferi at the same time and don't have much experience with growing aquatic plants emersed......I figured with all the large plants I ordered, submersed was the way to go.

04-27-2012, 08:19 PM	#4
cradleoffilthfan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 323	just posting some pictures of the C. Helferi....I will try to get before and after pictures. It has almost been 2 weeks since first setting up the tank. Here is the progress so far. I am dosing a modified EI. 1/8 tsp of all but KNO3 and that is just primarily because there are sufficient nitrates in the tank right now it's at 20ppm nitrate.

04-27-2012, 08:20 PM	#5
cradleoffilthfan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 323	pictures to come shortly.

04-27-2012, 08:33 PM	#6
cradleoffilthfan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 323

04-27-2012, 08:35 PM	#7
cradleoffilthfan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 323

04-27-2012, 08:37 PM	#8
cradleoffilthfan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 323	The Glosso is growing, but I thought it would be lower, this is why I included a picture of the light fixture above the tank. It just looks like it needs to be wider......the C. Helferi better be just getting adjusted to life under water, because it looks like crap lol. well not really laughing honestly. Is this just it getting used to submersed life? I hope so.

04-28-2012, 03:00 AM	#9
cradleoffilthfan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 323	This is what the C. Helferi looked like 2 weeks ago, just in case you wanted a before and after assessment. And the glosso looked like this 2 weeks ago.

04-28-2012, 12:47 PM	#10
OVT Carpe Diem (View User Tanks) PTrader: (117/100%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: SF East Bay Area Posts: 2,378	I hate to say this, but that Coralife light is junk. I have it in a 4 x T5HO over a 40B and it just does not put out enough light, especially compared to a Tek light fixture. I wish I did not try to save $100 and went with a Tek. The reflectors are pretty bad and the distance between bulbs is too close.

04-28-2012, 04:17 PM	#11
cradleoffilthfan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 323	I think I am going to place it on Craigslist and buy a different light. Probably going to go with a Catalina light.....I have been talking to him online about a custom light for my tank. We'll see what happens....hopefully my plants survive for just a while longer......the Glosso is doing remarkably well, at least it's growing and green. The C. Helferi on the other hand.....

05-03-2012, 03:29 AM	#12
cradleoffilthfan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 323	Just purchased a 30" Catalina fixture.......It will come with 3 24" bulbs......2 switches and 3 HO balasts.......I think the bulbs are 24 watt.......the only thing I was concerned about was the bulbs were going to be a plant gro kind, I think he said 5000K.....Hopefully this works, I was thinking they might have the 6700K but I guess not....I might just have to buy different bulbs later, but at least the 24" bulbs I can find around here are ok....not like my Coralife fixture, you pretty much have to buy the bulbs from them because of the specific size.

05-03-2012, 03:44 AM	#14
cradleoffilthfan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 323	co2 is being diffused by an inline GLA diffuser. This one actually http://greenleafaquariums.com/co2-di...ffuser-12.html

05-03-2012, 03:46 AM	#15
cradleoffilthfan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 323	also have a GLA double drop checker. Co2 indicator is at yellow. No fish or inverts. Just plants at the moment.