Black spots and hair balls?

[FishFan]

Black spots as in burn mark like or is it black hair balls?

Regards
Peter Gwee

Hi Peter,

Sorry to hijack this thread but I am experiencing both of these symptoms to some of my plants. Is it a lack of some nutrients and something else?

[StanChung]

i think he will ask you fill up form first...hehehe

[FishFan]

Tank Dimensions (LxWxH, specify units): ~ 90L

Lighting Intensity(No of Watts) : 72W
Number and type of Lighting (FL/PL/MH) : PL
Age of light bulbs : 12 months
No. of hours your lights are on : 9

CO2 Injection Rate (bps) : - 2bps
Type of CO2 (DIY/Cylinder) : Cylinder
Method of Injection (e.g. Diffusor/Reactor) : Reactor

Liquid fertilisers Used (Product name. E.g. Seachem Flourish) : Pao Pao Long & Rainbow Trace Elements
Fertilization regime (Frequency and amount per dose) : PPL 1.8ml/ week, RTE 1 ml/ week after Water Change (WC)

Other fertilisers (Product name. E.g. Root Monster) : Some Root Monsters and other fertiliser tablets

Other additives (Product name. E.g. Seachem Prime) : Seachem Prime during water conditioning, Seachem Flourish Excel (~1ml/ week after WC)

Type of Filter (overhead/internal/canister, Product name/model if possible) : Ehiem Ecco 2234
When was the filter last washed :2 weeks
Filter media used : Fine and Coarse filter foam, EHFISUBSTRAT
When was the media last changed : 2 weeks
What was changed : Fine filter foam, 1/3 ceramic rings

Age of setup (i.e. since initial setup or last major re-do ) : 2 weeks since major re-do

Water change frequency : Weekly
Amount changed : 20 - 30%

Water surface movement (None/gentle/turbulent) : Gentle
Circulation (None/gentle/turbulent) :Gentle

Tank Temperature :27-28degrees C

Chemical Properties (Fill what you can)
-------------------------------------
KH (dKH): 5
GH (dGH):
pH : 6.6
NH4 (ppm): 0
NO2 (ppm): 0
NO3 (ppm): 40
PO4 (ppm):
Fe (ppm):

Bioload (Number and type of fish and plants)
------------------------------------------
15 x Cardinals
4 x Gold tetras
2 x Oto
15 x Yamato
Hygrophilia Difformis, Vallisneria, Rotala Rotundifolia, Ludwigia Repens, Hornwort, Blyxa Japonica, E Tennullus (I think), some other unknown stem plant (could be Ceratophyllum demersum).
Describe your problem : (1) New leaves of the E Tennullus are yellowish with black spots. Older leaves have small black hairs growing from black spots. (2) The stem of the possible Certo D is very thin and the internodal distance is rather big. Also many side shoots forming from the main stem.

[PeterGwee]

You have nutrient and CO2 related issues. I would recommend you get KNO3 (Potassium nitrate), KH2PO4 (Potassium Dihydrogen phosphate), Seachem Equilibrium and a more established trace mix like Tropica Mastergrow or normal flourish (not trace!..just the normal old flourish) for nutrients.

Routine
Trim/remove the affected plant leaves. Scrub the tank real good.
Clean the filter if needed
Do a large 50-80% weekly water change.
Run a UV for a day if you have it (not needed..just an option if you have the equipment to zap the zoopores)
1/4 teaspoon of Seachem Equilibrium only after water change
1/4 teaspoon of KNO3 3x a week
1/16 teaspoon of KH2PO4 3x a week
5ml of trace mix 3x a week a day apart from the KNO3/KH2PO4

For the CO2 part, check the pH/KH 1 hr into the photoperiod. What is the CO2 level? Check a couple of times in the day. What is it again? If all is higher than 25-30ppm, check the current bubble rate. Add a hair more say 1bps to 1.1-1.2bps for example and then note the critter response for the entire day or two especially the last few hours for that day. Make sure you wait a day or two between each bubble rate changes and note the critter response carefully. Keep adding more slowly till you the end point where no improvement in plant growth and when you get gasping fishes and then back off from there a bit. (Have moderate surface movement and shut the CO2 off at night when you do this. Be around when you make the changes! Do not wonder off and be around for the entire day. It will take sometime to get to the good level but be patient.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[FishFan]

Hi Peter,

Thanks so much for the suggestions. Will get a bottle of Seachem Equilibrium this weekend.

I'm about to finish my liquid fert and have already bought some Lushgrow Aqua and Micros. Could I use Lushgrow instead of KNO3 and KH2PO4? What would be a good fertilisation regime? I now only add liquid fert after weekly 30% water changes.

Used to add Baking soda to increase my kH to 5dH. However, I've noticed that it seems that the kH has not changed even with my weekly water changes. Currently using the test kit from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. Could something be wrong?

Cheers!

[PeterGwee]

I don't have much experience with LushGro Aqua nor like it since it lacks flexibility in dosing for me. You might want to seek help from Juggler on how to use it. KH2PO4 is necessary since PO4 is not added in Aqua.

For the KH issue, measure the tap water and see what the value is. Do a large 80% water change and measure the KH immediately. See any difference.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[FishFan]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your reply.

Juggler, able to advise on dosing for LushGro A & M? Thanks!