leaves turning black ..

[wahahaha8]

help....my tenellus leaves and some of my background plant are turning black in colour..what can i do ???

[juggler]

Is it algae?

How about telling us more about the tank by filling in the info sheet?

[vinz]

Even better, show some pictures if you can.

You have to tell us how it's turning black. Black stuff growing on it? Or is the leaf itself turning black (unlikely in the case of E. tenellus)?

[balacam]

[quote:41fd61c326="vinz"]Even better, show some pictures if you can.

You have to tell us how it's turning black. Black stuff growing on it? Or is the leaf itself turning black (unlikely in the case of E. tenellus)?[/quote:41fd61c326]

i also have the same problem. i hope you don't mind we also discuss my problem here.

my E. Tenellus has black spots. looks like those black spots on anubias (although i don't have anubia in this tank). i suspect it is spot algae because i also have spot algae on glass. is it possible to have spot algae on my E. Tenellus?
my tank is 2x1.5x1.5 with 2x36wx10hrs lights. co2 is 2bps.
other plants are stellata, hygrophila difformis, stricta, ambulia, crypt wendtii, balansae and moss

[wahahaha8]

[quote:1dd4fcb04e="juggler"]Is it algae?

How about telling us more about the tank by filling in the info sheet?[/quote:1dd4fcb04e]

i also dun noe whether issit algae anot cause me asking for my friend behalf... he just tell me that his plants leaves turning black colour...

[wahahaha8]

[quote:84326401fe="vinz"]Even better, show some pictures if you can.

You have to tell us how it's turning black. Black stuff growing on it? Or is the leaf itself turning black (unlikely in the case of E. tenellus)?[/quote:84326401fe]

pictures ...nope ..dun think so ....me asking for my friend.. think is the leaf itself turning black..thats what he told me lah ...he also new to the planted hobby so don't know how to describe loh..

[vinz]

Then hor, very hard to help you (and your friend) lor. :P

Seriously, we can only speculate. There are some plants (like star grass) that turn black when they die, but E. tennelus is not one of them. If ET is turning black, then most likely it's spots of BBA (black brush algae) growing on them.

If it's BBA, you can search the forum for BBA to find out how to get rid of them.

[chua]

I agreed with Vinz.

It must be BBA.

I also had it in my tenellus before. Remember to check the CO2 level as it is one of the likely causes.

[wahahaha8]

[quote:6ac7037aa1="vinz"]Then hor, very hard to help you (and your friend) lor. :P

Seriously, we can only speculate. There are some plants (like star grass) that turn black when they die, but E. tennelus is not one of them. If ET is turning black, then most likely it's spots of BBA (black brush algae) growing on them.

If it's BBA, you can search the forum for BBA to find out how to get rid of them.[/quote:6ac7037aa1]

ok..will info my friend...thanks

[hobbit6003]

Hi wahahaha8,

Yes, I do agree with Vinz that these black spots are a form of BBA/red algae.

My tenellus had got lots of them too! They emerge during a period of negligence, when the nutrient level is relatively low (NO3 12.5ppm, PO4 <0.25ppm, infrequent dosing of K and Mg, trace and iron). CO2, is high at 40ppm though.

At the same time, other stem plants such as Hygro. difformis and heterazanthera zosterfolia, a tonina sp and blyxa japonica are also suffering. The stems and leaves of these plants became smaller and breaks easily, some turned brown.

Save for tiny spots of BGA at the front glass near gravel level, there's no other forms of algae present.

Last week, I started turning my attention back to th tank, and started raising the nutrient level up (NO3 12.5ppm, PO4 0.5ppm, K 20ppm, Mg5ppm, trace and Fe), and have seen some improvement by begining of this week.

New tenellus leaves grew out fast and red, the spot BBA population on old leaves did not expand, the stems of other plants do not turn brown anymore, leaves are slightly bigger and greener. Photosynthesis rate have gone up significantly too, judging by the increase rate of pearlings.

I'm beginning to buy into the concept of providing the plants with enough nutrient, to the point of a mild excess, to outcompete the algae. You see, I was in the old camp of nutrient limitation to control algae growth.

Thus perhaps, you can ask your friend to find out what is the limiting nutrient in the tank and rectify accordingly.

Haha, yesterday, I've just up the ante, following the advice of Vinz, and increase the PO4 level to 1.5ppm, NO3 at 20ppm (accidental dosing, meant to get 10ppm). Let's just wait and see what happens.

Cheers,

Kenny
serial lurker in AQ