Base fert depleted?

[|squee|]

I have a 1.5 feet tank set up at the begginning of this year. Over the course of time, I've decided on glosso and Blyxia Japonica as my main plants in a sort of Amano-ish tank. The problem is, on one side, the japonica is dark green and healthy, while the japonicas on the other side are yellow green. The glosso is starting to become slightly light green too.

Is it the problem of age, or is there a possbility of the base fert being depleted? I vaguely remember putting about 0.5 - 1 cm for my base fert layer, as it was my first planted tank. How? If the base fert is indeed depleted, can I substitute with "root monsters" and/or liquid ferts?

Thanks

[barmby]

You may want to elaborate more on your tank parameters such as sizes, Gal of water, fertilization regimen, CO2 content in water and etc.

As far as I know, these two plants that you named is not the easiest plant to grow without low temp, high CO2, high light and right amount of fertilization...

As mentioned, give as much info as possible.

[juggler]

Is the light reaching the Blyxas on both sides the same?
How about swapping some stalks from both sides and see how they grow over time?

[Plantbrain]

This might seem strange but it might be an excess, not an depletion.

Excess mulm can make a section "sour". Vacuum the area that is problematic. Take the base fert, add water to make "mud", place in the freezer. Take ice cube out and place under section.

The organic build up can cause too much reduction in a substrate.
Old leftover roots, rotting leaves, not uprooting sections peroidically will cause this over time. I uproot and plant only the tops in most of my tanks.
This habit prevents this.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[plantmania]

Or you can use those fertilizer stick like "root monster" from ocean free...

[bclee]

[quote:b57ef5e341="plantmania"]Or you can use those fertilizer stick like "root monster" from ocean free...[/quote:b57ef5e341]

As Tom has mentioned, it is unlikely that it is a depletion problem.

I, too, am having problem with my substrate. I have too much organics in my substrate and is causing all sorts of problem. I have placed a lot of peat in my substrate, I am suspecting that I am having too much peat and it is breaking down too fast. I have about 1+ inch of peat covered with 1 inch of Onyx. I have a problem with runaway KH and GH. The KH and GH is constantly rising and I have KH>12 and GH>15. I think it is the humic acid reacting with the MgCO3 and CaCO3 in the Onyx and releasing it into the water column.

Now, I am slowly trying to get over this problem by rotating my plants around. I am not sure whether it will work though. Otherwise, I might just have to tear down my tank.

Tom, can you give me some advice too in what to do with my substrate short of tearing it down and re-do...

BC

[plantmania]

Well you never really know what might be really wrong, as this tank is his and his parameters are unclear. Since depletion is the problem, one way is to use fert sticks....Of course I might be wrong .

[Plantbrain]

A little self doubt there huh? Haha

1" of peat and 1" of onyx is too shallow, you need 3" of onyx over that.
Otherwise the peat is being oxidized too fast and influencing the water column.

It does not hurt to uproot and replant tops.
I like it and have always done this.
It keeps the substrate cleaner, I also lightly vacuum up any waste, leaves etc and then do the large water change.

Vacuuming deeply the area can help and does no harm, I do not add substre fert's to any of my tanks other than a little peat and mulm to start the tank out, but once started, I might vacuum once a year or so.


I'll do a 1/4 section each week, replant/prune and re adjust the slope etc.

Regards,
Tom Barr