[JeffHerr]

I've had Java Fern for years in my aquarium. About 6 months ago, I started seeing holes in the leaves. (Right about the same time Black Brush algae started, but perhaps unrelated). Is this a nutrient deficiency? If so, what's missing? Nitrates remain about 10ppm, no ammonia, no nitrite. Dose Flourish once weekly, Flourish Excel 3 times a week, Flourish Trace every other day. I supplement with Flourish Nitrogen as needed and add 5ml Flourish Iron once weekly**. I have 130 watts of compact fluorescents over a 55gal tank with about a 10 hour photo period split in half separated by a 1-hour break.
I'm stocked with perhaps 20 small tetras and danios currently but that had been more like 12 until just recently. I used to keep the tank at 77, but realized the larger of my two heaters had died likely months ago without noticing, so while the remaining buffered the temp, it was mostly 71-73.

See pics attached.

Thanks so much for the help!

 

[JeffHerr]

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[amberoze]

From the information given... the temp might be what caused the problem. Get the temp back on track and sees if that has any effect. Everything else looks great.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[BruceF]

FWIW The last time I had that problem I….
Cut out all the browning leaves.
Upped the ferts, especially K and the micros
And increased the water changes.

I do think it might be related to the algae which is why I cut out most of the discolored leaves. I increased the ferts at first doubling the amounts. This was followed by an outbreak of various green algae. So I kept doing weekly water changes and reduced the dosing but kept the k and the micros high.

I do think it likes the higher temp but I can’t say for certain.