yellow plants

2612 Views 26 Replies 3 Participants Last post by accordztech, Dec 14, 2009

accordztech

Discussion Starter · Sep 6, 2009

Hello, I setup a jbj 12 gallon a week ago and having a few issues with the plants. The dwarf baby tears turned yellow when i put them into this tank and seem very weak. In my old tank i put it in temporary they were green and nice. any ideas?

I just purcahsed a tetra laborett kit to test the water parameters. I also have 3wpg (6500k and 10000k)and co2 (the canister type that has a mixture from hagen). But the plant was that color before i put the co2 in.

My other plants are still green but showing signs like holes in the leafs. my anubus is still green but doesnt look like its thriving like in the other tank. Im using flourite black substrate.

so why is some of my plants yellow?

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accordztech

Discussion Starter · #2 · Sep 6, 2009

wow I calculated my ppm of co2 and im like at .9. I produce a co2 bubble every minute, but only have a bubble counter ladder to determine it. Im going to make a co2 reactor to make it more efficient with a power head sponge and some gravel. Hopefully that will make the co2 much more efficient. im also going to replace that silicone tube cause im suspecting now that it is leaking

here are some specs.

item-value-color
ph-7.5
no2-<.3 mg/l yellow
nh3 nh4- 0mg/l green/yellow
gh- 2 drops light pink
kh-1 drop sea blue

Any help would be nice.

JamesQuall

· #3 · Sep 6, 2009

Since you never mentioned about ferts, I will suggest a nitrate deficiency. Check out this site and looking into EI fert method. http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_nutrient.htm

Avi

· #4 · Sep 7, 2009

For yellowing leaves consider that the iron level may be deficient. But, that may just be one problem among many since your plants may not be getting enough of a number of elements that they need, from CO2, to nitrates, as already mentioned...work on the CO2, and think about dosing ferts like James suggests...your lighting is way higher than the other elements of photosythesis that are available in your tank so if you want to keep your lighting where it is it's essential that you spruce up those other things.

accordztech

Discussion Starter · #5 · Sep 7, 2009

I have some plant grow from nutrafin that is iron, should i put some of that?

kinda weird, years ago i had a planted tank that was bigger and never needed ferts or anything to set it up.

Where can I get those ferts? I hear that dry ferts are better. I dont like going to the pet stores here much cause its very hard to find, is there a place that any one reccomends or somewhere online wherer i can purchase it?

http://www.bestaquariumregulator.com/ferts.html is that a good place

any opinion is better than no opinion thank you!

accordztech

Discussion Starter · #6 · Sep 7, 2009

http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/index.asp

spectracide from lowes for kno3?

http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/micro-macro-fertilizers.html

so where and wut should i get hehe.

Avi

· #7 · Sep 7, 2009

accordztech said:
I have some plant grow from nutrafin that is iron, should i put some of that?

kinda weird, years ago i had a planted tank that was bigger and never needed ferts or anything to set it up.

Where can I get those ferts? I hear that dry ferts are better. I dont like going to the pet stores here much cause its very hard to find, is there a place that any one reccomends or somewhere online wherer i can purchase it?

http://www.bestaquariumregulator.com/ferts.html is that a good place

any opinion is better than no opinion thank you!

I think that you ought to look at it from this approach...you have a tank and you have lighting. And, the amount of lighting you have...if you want to stay with that...will demand that the other requirements that plants have keep up with that amount of light intensity. So, CO2 and ferts are essentially the "other" requirements. I agree that Estimative Index dosing would be a good option....

When you have a chance, take a look at these threads. They have some clear info on all of this...

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/fertilizing/15225-estimative-index-dosing-guide.html

http://www.ukaps.org/EI.htm

http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/aquatic-plants/33566-how-fertilize-planted-tank-rev-1-2-a.html

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/fertilizing/15225-estimative-index-dosing-guide.html

Hehe...There's a lot there...so just take your time.

I use
http://aquariumfertilizer.com/

...which you mentioned and I find them really reliable. There are others though. I put the dry ferts directly into my tank using measuring spoons, according to the regime mentioned in one of those links above, for the size of my tank. It's really pretty simple and don't be overwhelmed by it all.

But, once you get all of this down, and provide the basics to your plants, everything will work out. You have the potential to have a really nice planted tank with a wide variety of incredible plants including nice red ones.

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accordztech

Discussion Starter · #8 · Sep 7, 2009

Thank you very much for this information. Now in the meantime with trtying to get some ferts together and everything, im not doing killer damage to my plants am I? There are no fish to worry about inside the tank just yet, id rather have everything running right and correctly before I even add them in there.

Im slightly discouraged at my planted tank but now that you guided me im commited to have a nice and beutiful tank.

Just took a look at my plants, my anubus nana is peraling like there is no tomorrow. Yes there is brown algae on it but there is a steady stream of bubbles arising from the plant crazy! hah just thought id say that

accordztech

Discussion Starter · #9 · Sep 7, 2009

wow there are 13 items for the ferts, I dont need all of them right?

This website seems easier, you think if i just get this package ill be set?

http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/micro-macro-fertilizers.html

Avi

· #10 · Sep 7, 2009

Well, the ones offered in that package at Greenleaf are the ones that you'd need, with the possible exception of the potassium sulfate so you can order them at either of the web vendors. Then you put them in on the schedule for your sized tank according to the way it's laid out in the links that I posted for you.

I'd also test your water's KH and GH to determine that hardness levels you have. If the water is low, then you'd also need to get a GH booster so you can keep your water's hardness at reasonable levels.

I wouldn't bother putting any additives in until you get the CO2 levels up to where you want them. Instead, cut back on the number of hours that your lights are on. Once you get the ferts and start dosing with the CO2 going in, you should plant the tank more heavily and put the lights back on to a normal schedule.

accordztech

Discussion Starter · #11 · Sep 7, 2009

I dont really know how to test gh and kh but I assume that you put regular tap water and test it. I did that, it took one drop of dh and kh to change color. so that means my water is to soft?

honestly i think my results of my tank were off cause i didnt see the very small color change with 1 drop gh.

one of those websites says "K2SO4 is not required for dosing unless you need the extra Potassium (K). This K is found in KN03 and KH2P04. Dosing these two according to above will yield sufficient K levels."

Do I need a kit to test the potassium?

so all i need is kno3, gh booster, k2so4, kh2po4, csm+b. Im up to 31 bucks from plantedaquariumfertilizer which is about 40 minutes from me.

Avi

· #12 · Sep 7, 2009

You seem to be doing it correctly...and assuming that your test kits are reliable, then you do have soft water from your tap, which...again assuming...is what you're using for your water changes and so your aquarium water would benefit from the addition of the GH Booster.

accordztech

Discussion Starter · #13 · Sep 7, 2009

do you think ill still need the k2so4?

Avi

· #14 · Sep 7, 2009

I don't think you have to.

accordztech

Discussion Starter · #15 · Sep 8, 2009

thanks i orderd all that except the k2so4

do you think ill need a potassium test kit?

Avi

· #16 · Sep 8, 2009

I don't have a postassium test kit. I'm not at all familiar with them and I don't know if they are capable of giving accurate results. Maybe yes, maybe no...maybe someone who's used them can add that to this thread. But, I'd say that you can do without one...just look for good growth and if, in the unlikely event that you don't get good results with the EI-dosing along with the CO2 and lighting that you'll have with it, then there are ways of figuring out what the cause is...including insufficient potassium. I doubt very much that you'd see that.

accordztech

Discussion Starter · #17 · Sep 10, 2009

ok I got my ferts.

I have:

gh booster
kh2po4
kno3
csm+b

I wont be using csm+b yet
routine:
10- 20 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 1/8 tsp KNO3 (N) 3x a week
+/- 1/32 tsp KH2PO4 (P) 3x a week
+/- 1/4 tsp GH booster once a week(water change only)
50% weekly water change

1. is this a good cycle to dose?
2. also I was reading and some say that its not great to do those doses all at once, or are they talking about other things like the csm+b with those ferts?
3. can I do these doses 3 days in a row, then rest for 2 days then do a water change? I just dont want to do water changes on the weeked, so if i start today then i can rest during the weekend....

thank you!

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Avi

· #18 · Sep 10, 2009

Why wouldn't you dose the CSM+B? Those are the micros.

I do the KNO3 and the KH2PO4 on the same day, putting it right into the tank using a measuring spoon. On alternating days, with that, I do the CSM+B. On the day that I do the 50% water change, I start the regime with the KNO3, KH2PO4 plus the GH Booster to get the hardness right.

accordztech

Discussion Starter · #19 · Sep 10, 2009

ok thanks, ill do the 3 days a week.

today ill put the gh booster, kno23, and kh2po4.

tomorrow ill put the csm+b

then alternate, so by monday i can do a water change? and then add gh booster, then wendsday start the whole regime again?

Avi

· #20 · Sep 10, 2009

I start the regime with the KNO3, KH2PO4 and GH Booster on Mondays when I do the water change...Tuesday, the CSM+B....Wednesday, the KNO3 and KH2PO4...Thursday, CSM+B...etc. Then on Sunday I don't add anything.

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