Just confused and don't know what I am doing..that all

TriniB · Post by **TriniB** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:05 pm

I have a 37gal tank (Just like the one at the CCA/PVAS/GWAPA) planted with Amazon swords, anubias, Vals and crypts. I do weekly water change at about 20 to 30 percent. My lighting is one 30" coralife fluorescent (I know I need more light but it's a lowlight tank). The tank get about 10-12 hrs of light.

Problems:--
Crypts leaves started to disintegrate so I stopped dosing with fertilizer and did a 50% water change. Crypts have stabilized.

I have a lot of spots on the leaves of all plants.

Amazon swords leaves are getting yellow and one of them has died.

Vals seem to be not growing.

What is the correct dosing method for aquatic plants that I have?
Are there anything I can do to reverse the black spots on the leaves?

In need of advice...

TriniB

ingg · Post by **ingg** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:50 pm

Crypts always melt when put into new water parameters, or sometimes just when moved. Are these newer additions?

Amazon swords are not typically low light plants - turning yellow and fading out sounds to me like not enough light for them.

Black spots - algae, or holes?

TriniB · Post by **TriniB** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:56 pm

Tank was setup around the Christmas Holidays..Dec. 22nd

looks like algae not holes.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:12 pm

Hmmm...that's 28 watts over 37 gallons. That's less than 1 watt per gallon. I would start by adding another 30" light.

Crypts, Amazon swords and Vals are all heavy roots feeders. You might try using root tab fertilzers to feed those plants.

Post by **krisw** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 6:43 am

Also, what type of substrate is in this tank? As Aaron mentions, most of these plants require a good substrate, or root tabs.

Finally, is the bulb in the light fixture a bulb designed for plants? Generally, that would be one from 5000K to 12000K on the light spectrum. Or, one that says "daylight" or "full spectrum."

Ghazanfar Ghori · Post by **Ghazanfar Ghori** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:26 am

Are you adding any CO2? If not, I'd atleast add a DIY unit - makes a huge
difference even in low light tanks.

John G · Post by **John G** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:01 am

Let me second what Aaron suggested, and try to put it in context. There are four areas that control how your plants proper: The substrate, the water (various compounds the plants and algae can use, including CO2), the light, and the â€œenvironmentâ€