[Bsqrd]

Bought a couple tanks in March, a 55g and 30g(36w x 12d x 16h). Got the 50g going immediately, and have Vals, crypt, and sword plants under 4x 13w 5000k CFL mounted horizontally, 10 hours light. Plants growing well. The 30g I had 3/4 water and various plants ( mostly vals) floating under single T8 Aqua glow light at 10 hrs/day. April 7 decided to start 33g with PFS and planted tank (and seeded filter)...plants growing. Apr 14 switched 33g to 2x CFL 13w 5000k mounted horizontally. Plants doing ok. Added couple sword plants week or so ago. Now plants seem to be dying off. WC was approx 50%/week but bio load very low with 2 Kribs and approx 8 guppies. Have now reduced WC to 25% per week and upped light to 12 hrs. Is it possible too much light and should I reduce light to 8 hrs? No ferts are added. Oh yes, added an air stone last week too just for surface agitation. Filtration Fluval205. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks everyone.

 

[MamaJu]

Do you have pictures? What substrate are you using? Are the leaves turning yellow or melting away?

 

[Zapins]

Please post good quality close-up photos of the new and old parts of the plants.

Also, the number of tanks and what is going on with them is confusing the way it was posted.

So you have four tanks? A 55g, a 50g, a 33g and a 30g ?

 

[Mirkinator]

Please post good quality close-up photos of the new and old parts of the plants.

Also, the number of tanks and what is going on with them is confusing the way it was posted.

So you have four tanks? A 55g, a 50g, a 33g and a 30g ?

Yes please do, so then we can all go "OHH - AHHH" and marvel at zapins acute knowledge of plant deficiencies. Then siphon his knowledge into our own heads

 

[Bsqrd]

Sorry for confusion. I have 2 tanks. One is a 55g and doing fine. Second is a 30g and that is where plants seem to be melting away. Lots of Val leaves floating around. New Swords have leaves starting to look thin. Substrate is PFS in both tanks, and both have MTS (snails). WC water for both tanks from barrel; heated with aquarium heater and aerated with stone and some Nutrafin Aqua+.Water is very hard (400ppm) I think and pH 7-7.5. New Val shoots are lighter green colour and recently I have not noticed any new ones. Hope this info helps.

 

[Mirkinator]

Sorry for confusion. I have 2 tanks. One is a 55g and doing fine. Second is a 30g and that is where plants seem to be melting away. Lots of Val leaves floating around. New Swords have leaves starting to look thin. Substrate is PFS in both tanks, and both have MTS (snails). WC water for both tanks from barrel; heated with aquarium heater and aerated with stone and some Nutrafin Aqua+.Water is very hard (400ppm) I think and pH 7-7.5. New Val shoots are lighter green colour and recently I have not noticed any new ones. Hope this info helps.

He also needs is some up close pictures of them (the plants) old parts and new parts

 

[Zapins]

Thanks Mirkinator , yes close up photos are a must. The more the better.

 

[Raymond S.]

Not enough light in there.
CFL need to be mounted virtical.

 

[Bsqrd]

Hope this pic is what you want. Sorry it rotated!

 

[Zapins]

By dying I assume you mean the Sagittaria grass looks like it is dying? This is from trimming it like grass. When the leaves are cut they tend to die back rather than seal off like real grass. You can trim it this way, but the plant doesn't really take well to it.

The sword looks alright. I see one leaf that has a few spots on it which may be very early potassium deficiency.

 

[Bsqrd]

Tnx for the reply. There are actually 3 leaves suffering on the Sword. I have not trimmed anything in the tank...that is why I am puzzled to see so much floating dead leaves etc. I am going to go longer between water changes ( if testing permits). Just noticed baby Kribs in the tank so will try not to disturb things too much right now.

 

[Zapins]

Congrats on the fry! Raising kribs is loads of fun.

I only see one bad leaf on the sword. Any chance you can get a close up shot of the other two and the dead floating leaves?

 

[Bsqrd]

Seem to only be able to attach one photo at a time so look for another post.

 

[Bsqrd]

Here is another.

 

[Zapins]

The brown leaf at the back of the plant there, is it possible to cut it off and take a photo of it in full view? It looks like the tip has died and the leaf is dying back towards the stem?

If so this may indicate a nitrogen deficiency rather than a potassium deficiency.

Take a look at the nitrogen deficiencies in other plants to see which one it matches more closely: www.deficiencyfinder.com

 

[Bsqrd]

Floating plant debris. Val's in background

 

[Bsqrd]

Just wanted to be sure on a question. All things being equal, adding an air stone to a tank should NOT have any effect on plant growth. Correct? Or am I out to lunch....again! Tnx.

 

[Zapins]

Adding an air stone to the tank can degas the water of CO2 (sort of like shaking soda removes all the CO2 bubbles) which would slow down plant growth quite a lot. It should not cause plants to die though, just persist with almost no growth for long periods of time.

 

[Bsqrd]

Ok thanks. Just noticed today that plants are starting to melt a bit in my 55g tank one too. Air stones are the only thing I have done different in the last couple weeks. However, since both ranks are showing similar signs, something must have changed. Added air stones to get some surface agitation because I dropped the level of return canister hoses to below water surface in an effort to reduce the 'running water' noise.

 

[fish jihad]

While crypts and swords are easy growers, your low bioload and no ferts may be a factor. They need to get nutrition from somewhere. Perhaps some flourish a few times a week would be good