Indicator Plants for water changes

[Johnc]

I hate changing water. I have discovered that I need to change water only when the new leaves of a couple of my plants start rotting... at this point when i change water, the situation is arrested and everything appears to be back to normal. I have some idea of which of my plant will be first to indicate i need to change water.

Just wondering if anyone else has the same experience and what is your 'water change indicator plant'?

/John

[juggler]

John:

For me, if I don't do regular water change, the floating plants like frogbits, salvinia will be the first to show signs of poor growth.

BTW - not sure if you have read the following thread about gadgets that can ease the help in water change.
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=13445

If not, another option is to switch to low-tech so there's no water change at all.

Cheers!

[flyinmysoup]

Hi Koah Fong:

My java ferns seem to be browning pretty fast. Using a 36W PL on a 18 inch tall 2 footer. Low tech, no CO2. I only top up water daily. Weekly dosing of TMG. Would water changes help in the condition of my java ferns then? The frogbits you gave me the other time are multiplying, but they are rotting at the edges. I would think something's wrong in my tank. Any suggestions?

[Johnc]

John:

BTW - not sure if you have read the following thread about gadgets that can ease the help in water change.
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=13445

Thanks for your reply Koah Fong, I have a DIY water change device, and it does not take a lot of effort and is not very messy either. Only that i hate to see the water go to waste (so i use the water to wash the floor or the filter media, etc; but it is not often i need to do that!). Also, with the children running around, water changing can be a hazard. Sigh...

So far, after the initial break-in period, i found that i needed to change water about once in 6 or 7 weeks. The fishes are happy. The plants are OK. If i stretch beyond that my tiger lotus starts to deteriorate.

/John

[|squee|]

Can that be the normal "signs of defieniceny" in plants? Trace elements and potassium being used up, so new leaves display defienices and water changes replenish that?

[PeterGwee]

Don't like water changes, go non-CO2 then. Read up on the article that Tom wrote which I posted in the beginner section.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[Johnc]

Don't like water changes, go non-CO2 then. Read up on the article that Tom wrote which I posted in the beginner section.

Regards
Peter Gwee

Read that, and may try it in future. But for now, it is a little too late as i have lapis sand. I use DIY CO2 (budget too tight to buy a cylinder), when once my CO2 ran out when i was attending a conference, my tank was infected with a few kinds of algae. Sigh...

/John

[Johnc]

Can that be the normal "signs of defieniceny" in plants? Trace elements and potassium being used up, so new leaves display defienices and water changes replenish that?

Actually, water changes does more than that. It also titrates concentration of some desirable and undesirable chemicals that gets built up because of evaporation and uneven rate of consumption by the plants (eg. chloromine, lead, and even carbonates, nitrates, nitrites etc).