Plants Melting

[moss_fanatic]

Beginners Info Sheet
++++++++++++++++++

Tank Dimensions (LxWxH): 2ft x 1ft x 1ft
Lighting Intensity(No of Watts) : 72
Type of Lighting (FL/PL/MH) : PL
No. of Hours your light is on: 8
CO2 Injection Rate (bps) : 1
Type of CO2 (DIY/Liquid/Tank) : Tank
Method of Injection (e.g. Diffusor/Reactor): Ceramic Diffusor
Substrate Used : JBL Aquabasics
How Thick is your base fert : 0.5cm
How thick is your gravel : 3cm
Liquid Fertilizers Used : Sera Florena
Frequency of fertilization : once per week
Tank Temperature : 27 degrees Celcius
Type of Filter (overhead/internal/canister) : Canister
Filter media used : Ehfi Substrate
How long has your tank been set up : 3 weeks


Chemical Properties (Fill what you can)
---------------------------------------

Carbonate Hardness (kh): 4
Total Hardness (gH):
PH : 7.2
NH4 (ppm):
NO2 (ppm):
NO3 (ppm):
PO4 (ppm):
Fe (ppm):

Bioload (Your Fish and Plants)
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33 X boraras briggitae
6 X Cardinal Tetras
2 X Otos

Java Fern
Java Moss
Lagarosiphon Major
Unknown plant
Ranalisma Rostrata
Tonina sp
Anubias Nana 'Coffefolia

Describe your problem :

My Tonina sp is melting, starting from the roots and slowly browning all the way to the top. Don't have any advanced test kits to measure nitrate ammonia and iron.... Same for my ranalisma rostrata... leaves are melting away.. the other plants like nana coffefolia , lagarosiphon and the other unknown plants are doing well...

the tip of my java fern seems to be melting but i cant confirm. the colour is different from its normal green... its deeper in colour

[PeterGwee]

Get the CO2 issue down first...(crank it in till you get a pH of 6.6 for your KH). No nutrients will work well if the CO2 is bad with that amount of light blasting at the tank. Once you get the CO2 down, you should consider getting nutrients like KNO3, KH2PO4 and Seachem equilibrium. Check out the estimative index method by Tom Barr on how to use such nutrients.

Oh, you have a tad too much critters for that tank size...if you grow the plants well, you might be able to get by it without issues but you shouldn't bet on it.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[lorba]

The different color at the tip of the java fern indicates growth. Not to worry.

[moss_fanatic]

Hi Peter,

Should I slowly lower the pH by adding ketapang juice to my aged water before water change? Any other alternatives to lowering my pH slowly without shocking my fishes?

[PeterGwee]

No, plants want the CO2 and not some pH. pH and KH are measurements used to determine CO2 levels and nothing more. Want more CO2, add more.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[moss_fanatic]

Hi Peter,

So, you mean I should turn up my CO2 bps?
I don't really quite get you. Mind if you can explain again?
Sorry

[ranmasatome]

Peter is it right then to assume this??

Lowering pH Does not equal to raising Co2 (amount of Co2 in water does not increase if we use ph/kh chart)
Increasing Co2 = lowering pH=more dissolved Co2 in water

???

[mordrake]

[quote:e8582260d4="ranmasatome"]Lowering pH Does not equal to raising Co2 (amount of Co2 in water does not increase if we use ph/kh chart)
Increasing Co2 = lowering pH=more dissolved Co2 in water

???[/quote:e8582260d4]

yes.

when you use additives, ketapang leaves, peat, etc to lower your ph other than increasing co2, the ph/kh relationship to measure co2 levels no longer apply.

[a_scape]

This symptom is exactly the same like mine.
Please make sure that your tank get proper CO2 supply

[David]

Peter.....I think to add on, his lighting period is alittle short?

I will agree with Pete on the issue of the PH to KH relationship.......for a KH of 4 and PH of 7.2, ......you are really short of CO2 in the water column.......there is also another consideration is that NH4 at higher or alkine water becomes more toxic and changes to NH3 which can be lethal to plants...as plants themselves store a small amount of NH4 in their system and changes to NH3.....

[ranmasatome]

Hmm...okay guys in this case how to estimate the correct level of Co2 if say someone was using ketapang leaves or have drift wood taht give out a tannic acid??

[David]

the effect of the leeching from driftwood or leaf will not alter the PH in a manner that will throw off your reading.

[ranmasatome]

but sometimes if ph shift by .1 or .2 there can be quite a big difference no?? So lets say....in a situation where the ph is altered alot...then how to measure amount of dissolved Co2 in water?