Reply With QuoteHow long has the tank been set up?
Hello everyone,
I've just setup a new planted tank last week and have been monitoring it closely. Some of the plants are growing with new leafs coming out, but can't say that the plants are healthy.
Plenty of yellowing here and there. The pennywort shows a yellow spot, the crypt's new leaf is yellowing with dark ot its edge, and the anubia's veins looks like it's been to the gym. The hair grass just doesn't spread. I tested the ammonia level and it hit the 10mg/l mark. PH is about 7.5 to 8.
Been reading plenty of articles but always end up confused. Iron? Manganese? CO2? Can't be everything at the same time, right? Right?
Probably some sifu here can help to advise what's wrong with my tank?
In term of equipment, probably i made a few bad choices for my tank but I have to live with it now.
Size: 10G
Substrate: H.E.L.P Advanced Soil
Lighting: aquazonic slim led 50cm, 18W
CO2: low tech. No injection.
Filter: eheim something, internal filter.
Ferts: seachem flourish, everybother day. 5 API root tabs here and there.
How long has the tank been set up?
It's about a week, with water change done every 2 days. Is it normal to have so many plant issues before the tank is cycled?
I haven't put any fish on the tank btw.
Hair grass usually comes in the emersed form when bought. They will take a while to convert to their immersed form and then they will spread. So little spreading will be seen initially. Furthermore, since yours is a low tech tank, this process will take longer.
Crypts generally don't like to be replanted or moved. They tend to melt away when replanted before growing back.
For the fast growing stem plants, their old leaves could be yellowing due to either conversion from emersed to immersed form or their leaves could have been damaged during transport.
If new leaves are yellowing or not growing right, then it is likely due to nutrient deficiencies. Monitor the growth of new leaves especially on fast growing plants.
Your lighting seems fine. But I think nutrients might lack at some point. Low tech tanks usually use a richer base substrate like potting soil. Dosing traces alone is not sufficient. Plants need a whole range of macro and micro nutients.
Need to be patient with the tank especially since it's a low tech tank. Plant growth will be slow.
Cheers,
JJ
+1Originally Posted by jiajuen900
Also I think not bb has been established to convert the ammonia into useful forms for the plants, just give it some time
Thank you guys for the comments ☺
Check your pH testing kit or meter... with active soil substrate, the pH should be in the acidic range, not alkaline.
The tank is newly set up so the plant is going through transition just like some of the bros here commented.I would do water change like once a week rather than every 2 days.
Crypts plants are very sensitive to water parameter changed.
I feel if really want good planted no matter what we need co2.
I'm also at that stage. Tried almost everything but no success. .so co2 maybe my answer.
I think co2 will definitely make it easier, but im still trying to learn without it -- for now. Adding co2 means that i have to learn how to do it without causing ph to drop too low or algae bloom. One day maybe 😊.
Anyway, i bought more test kits and apparently my PUB water is really soft, 0 dGH. So I added seachem equilibrium (+iron and potassium) and it looks way better now. So i guess it really lack of nutrients in the beginning.
Resistance is futile, you will be administrated!
No CO2 does not mean no nice plants. Plenty of plants can grow nice under moderate light without CO2.
References:
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...post-your-pics!
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...light=low+tech
But giving the plants a source of C helps a lot. Try Seachem Excel or an equivalent product (Easy Life has one).
Pennywort is a hungry and fast growing plant... a good indicator plant for nutrient deficiency. Check this chart for symptoms: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=113834
By the looks of it, your Pennywort was complaining about K.
Also, make it a point to remove dying leaves... often I find that the old dying leaves make me think that my tank is not responding to my tweaks to the tank. Plus dying leaves leak stuff that usually encourage algae. Massive leave die off from plants like crypts also spike the ammonia/ammonium.
To start your planted tank good, first is a good substrate (if you want rooted plants).
Second is a good general planted tank fertiliser. There are many out there. Just follow the instructions. But stick to one brand for most of the other fertilisers as the brands usually have their own philosophy and their product lines are designed to compliment each other.
Third, 2 Things to do that won't hurt your plants even if they don't really need it or help algae: provide C (either CO2 or C-supplment like Seachem Flourish Excel) and K (Dosing weekly to 20ppm using K2SO4 is a good and cheap option. Flat 5ml teaspoon to 300 litres of water will give you approximately that). These 2 you don't need to stick to the brand you choose above.
Do NOT overdose Excel (or equivalent product). Anecdotal evidence indicate that they seem to harm shrimps and maybe fish in high concentrations. Never pour Excel on top of fish or shrimp. Best if you dilute in about a cup of tank water then pour in.
If you are using Seachem Equilibirum, adjust your dosage to hit about 4dGH (including what comes with your tap water and in-tank build-up over time). Then adjust your K2SO4 dosing down to compensate for the K that comes with Equilibrium. K is pretty safe, so you need not target exactly 20ppm. Guidelines recommend 20 to 30ppm.
These are the foundations you need to establish as a basis before tacking the rest of the deficiencies.
Last edited by vinz; 2nd Mar 2015 at 15:40.
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