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Plant deficiency?

3.2K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  BlueSky99  
#1 ·
I've looked at charts but I still don't know what I'm missing. The plants that are showing troubles are Moneywort and Brazilian Pennywort.

The moneywort is doing fine right now, but sometimes the leaves begin to turn yellow then transparent.
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The brazilian pennywort was doing great for the past couple of months, but it has slowly started dying and the leaves turn yellow and get pinholes in them, and sometimes the stem melts (and new growth is small and dies).
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The tank is 10 gallons with dirt and sand cap, and I dose 8mL of Seachem Flourish Comprehensive weekly.
Lighting: 15 watt 18" Aqueon Floramax T8 fluorescent bulb
Nitrates: 5ppm
pH:7.8
 
#2 ·
How much light? Any CO2? For how long have you had the tank?

5ppm NO3, are you sure? Some tests don't show differences between 5 and 0 very well. If you are not supplying NO3, and the tank has been running for a couple of months, and the light is on the strong side, this would be my first guess.

Can you post a full tank shot to see how things are doing overall? Are some plants growing great, and just the ones you mention don't?
 
#4 ·
How much light? Any CO2? For how long have you had the tank?
I leave the light on for 10 hours. No CO2. I've had the tank set up since January 9, 2015.

5ppm NO3, are you sure? Some tests don't show differences between 5 and 0 very well. If you are not supplying NO3, and the tank has been running for a couple of months, and the light is on the strong side, this would be my first guess.
Yes, I use the API Master Test Kit, and nitrates have ranged from 2.5-5ppm since the tank has cycled.

Can you post a full tank shot to see how things are doing overall? Are some plants growing great, and just the ones you mention don't?
The moneywort grows great, but every month/couple of months some of the leaves turn yellow and die (and I also need to move the anubias so it isn't blocking light). The two Anubias Frazeris in the back have been growing 1-2 new leaves every month, and the smallest leaves are from when I first bought the plants.
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#3 ·
Yes a full tank shot would help.
Without knowing that plant well I'd say you may not have enough light for it.
The Pennywort is in need of potassium I believe. You are only dosing micro ferts, no macros. Any plant that gets all/most of it's nutrients from the water doesn't get enough of them with just a dirt sub and not having complete ferts in the water.