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There ara too many holes…

Ömer Karaahmet

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Thread starter
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16 Jun 2021
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Location
Mannheim/ Germany
Hello folks,
There are holes in my plants and there is a layer of oil on the water. I do 50% water changes twice a week. I use Tropica specialized Nutrition also Seachem Excel. Lighting time 8 hours. Co2 is always sufficient. What should I do to make my plants healthier and without holes?
 

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Pin holes is a classic sign of-
Fluctuating or insufficient CO2 for light level- do your plants pearl from pin holes? or did they as the pin holes started
or
Plants being eaten by livestock esp if plants are not healthy or hungry livestock

We need more details as @GHNelson points out.

Have you done a pH profile and what pH drop do you have or DC colour change
How much TSN (Tropica Specialized Nutrition) are you dosing plus tank size, TSN is a bit on the lean side for CO2/high light tanks at standard doses

The layer of oil on the water suggests there is a possible lack of flow/turnover in tank which would also lead to Fluctuating [CO2], a surfce skimmer may be needed which will remove the scrum and help improve gas exchange in the tank
 
Pin holes is a classic sign of-
Fluctuating or insufficient CO2 for light level- do your plants pearl from pin holes? or did they as the pin holes started
or
Plants being eaten by livestock esp if plants are not healthy or hungry livestock

We need more details as @GHNelson points out.

Have you done a pH profile and what pH drop do you have or DC colour change
How much TSN (Tropica Specialized Nutrition) are you dosing plus tank size, TSN is a bit on the lean side for CO2/high light tanks at standard doses

The layer of oil on the water suggests there is a possible lack of flow/turnover in tank which would also lead to Fluctuating [CO2], a surfce skimmer may be needed which will remove the scrum and help improve gas exchange in the tank
Hello again everyone, I have installed the tank with dry start for about 3 months and it has been filled with water for 1 month. It's a nano tank (32x21x24cm). Filter Cristal Profi e402. I'm actually injecting CO2 almost one bubble per second and the DP is always green. I do a 50% water change twice a week and dose 4 pumps of TSN (Tropica Specialized Nutrition) with each change. I also dose 2ml of Seachem Excel with each change. The light I use in the aquarium is ChihirosC2 Led, it works 8 hours a day. There are not many creatures in the aquarium yet, only one Siamese algae-eating 4 nerita snails and 7-8 shrimps. Ph is between 6.5-7.2 , I use R/O water and remineralize the water. TDS value is usually between 120-150ppm.
By the way, Last week my Bucephalandra melted and I had to remove it.

I don't want to use a surface skimmer because the tank is too small anyway. The surface skimmer will look very ugly.
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it has been filled with water for 1 month.

By the way, Last week my Bucephalandra melted and I had to remove it.

This seems like classic new tank syndrome. Your tank is still new and not fully cycled - Bucephalandra melt is very common in tanks that are not fully cycled.
In which case, just be careful not to overreact, just wait for the tank to mature and stabilise, which some say occurs around 6-8weeks?
 
Nice tank. Watch the SAE they are supposedly vegetarian but 1 of mine decided he liked shrimp and has near cleaned out the population in his particular tank. The others are fine and don't bother the shrimp at all. The offender is going to find a new home when I can catch the b........
 
Hi all,
Nice tank.
It certainly is.
Pin holes is a classic sign of-
Fluctuating or insufficient CO2 for light level-
The Phyllanthus fluitans also have pin holes. So I'm going to say that it isn't a CO2 (or only a CO2) issue.

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In which case, just be careful not to overreact, just wait for the tank to mature and stabilise, which some say occurs around 6-8weeks?
That should give you a bit more idea.
and dose 4 pumps of TSN (Tropica Specialized Nutrition) ............ I use R/O water and remineralize the water.
How much TSN (Tropica Specialized Nutrition) are you dosing plus tank size, TSN is a bit on the lean side for CO2/high light tanks at standard doses
The composition of TSN is in <"this thread">, can I ask what you remineralise your water with? It maybe you are <"deficient in one of the essential nutrients for plant growth">. I might try a bit more fertiliser.
The layer of oil on the water suggests there is a possible lack of flow/turnover in tank
It does. @Ömer Karaahmet what filter media do you have in your filter? Because planted tanks have <"plant/microbe biofiltration"> you aren't entirely reliant on filter micro-organisms for nitrification.

cheers Darrel
 
Hi all,

It certainly is.

The Phyllanthus fluitans also have pin holes. So I'm going to say that it isn't a CO2 (or only a CO2) issue.

52d15ef6-f0fa-4e44-866b-3ed5249dd6f1-jpeg.jpg



That should give you a bit more idea.


The composition of TSN is in <"this thread">, can I ask what you remineralise your water with? It maybe you are <"deficient in one of the essential nutrients for plant growth">. I might try a bit more fertiliser.

It does. @Ömer Karaahmet what filter media do you have in your filter? Because planted tanks have <"plant/microbe biofiltration"> you aren't entirely reliant on filter micro-organisms for nitrification.

cheers Darrel
I am very happy for the answers, thank you very much. I use GreenAqua GH+ to remineralize the water and use JBL Micromec and Sera Slporax mini as filter media. There is also fiber cotton for pre-filtering. I'm thinking of renewing and using Seachem Purigen, which I used for a few weeks in my old tank, with Bleach. It's been a month and I guess the tank still hasn't matured… That's interesting. I used DENNERLE Bacto Elixier Bio about two weeks ago to help. I'm thinking of keeping a Galaxy Raspora, but I'm afraid and I don't want to harm those beautiful creatures. Do you think I can add any fish to the tank?
 
I'm thinking of keeping a Galaxy Raspora, but I'm afraid and I don't want to harm those beautiful creatures. Do you think I can add any fish to the tank?

I have installed the tank with dry start for about 3 months and it has been filled with water for 1 month. It's a nano tank

I don't think you'd have any problems adding the fish due to the tank not being cycled but I would have concerns about adding these fish to such a small tank. I appreciate rasboras are a small fish, and I'll state I don't keep them, I do however believe they can become quite boisterous towards each other if they're cramped for space.

I'd also suggest the siamese algae eater will soon outgrow this tank and will probably have to be re homed.

Maybe others will advise who keep them.

Anyways to answer the original question, I don't think you'd have any issues regards the tank not being cycled if its had a dry start and then running for a month with water in it.
 
2ml of Seachem Excel with each change
Best done daily as it only lasts 24hrs light breaks it down, best to dose before lights on, unless your spot dosing algae - if you was just dosing liquid carbon only at water change IMO I would class it as fluctuating CO2.
Nice tank.
:thumbup: - yes a great start

The Phyllanthus fluitans also have pin holes.
well spotted - I missed that :oops: and the CO2 bubbles from the atomiser are being move around quite a bit which suggests flow isn't poor

I would double the TSN dose or use the standard weekly dose daily for a few weeks and see if things improve/don't get worse or just increase it as @dw1305 suggests

I don't want to use a surface skimmer because the tank is too small anyway. The surface skimmer will look very ugly.
Agree 100% - bit surface scum isnt good, I would try and increase surface aggitation - if you can - this will change the pH profile also 😬
Have you done a pH profile - which is the only way to confirm the [CO2] is stable from lights on till CO2 off
 
If that's Vallisneria...its not the greatest lover of Liquid Carbon...... plus I would test for any nitrite as your Bucephalandra has melted recently!
 
I don't think you'd have any problems adding the fish due to the tank not being cycled but I would have concerns about adding these fish to such a small tank. I appreciate rasboras are a small fish, and I'll state I don't keep them, I do however believe they can become quite boisterous towards each other if they're cramped for space.

I'd also suggest the siamese algae eater will soon outgrow this tank and will probably have to be re homed.

Maybe others will advise who keep them.

Anyways to answer the original question, I don't think you'd have any issues regards the tank not being cycled if its had a dry start and then running for a month with water in it.
Thank you for your answer, You are right, I will probably need to move the SAE to another tank. I will try to keep the Galaxy Rasbora, I hope I will be successful.
 
Best done daily as it only lasts 24hrs light breaks it down, best to dose before lights on, unless your spot dosing algae - if you was just dosing liquid carbon only at water change IMO I would class it as fluctuating CO2.

:thumbup: - yes a great start


well spotted - I missed that :oops: and the CO2 bubbles from the atomiser are being move around quite a bit which suggests flow isn't poor

I would double the TSN dose or use the standard weekly dose daily for a few weeks and see if things improve/don't get worse or just increase it as @dw1305 suggests


Agree 100% - bit surface scum isnt good, I would try and increase surface aggitation - if you can - this will change the pH profile also 😬
Have you done a pH profile - which is the only way to confirm the [CO2] is stable from lights on till CO2 off
Ok then from now on I will dose 0.5 ml excel every day. I'll add a GIF of the flow below and a picture of DP. When I increase the liquid fertilizer ratio, I am worried that there is too much NO3 and NO3 in the tank.
 

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My own experience is that Excel and other gluts are bad stuff that do more harm than good, and that holes in leave can be a sign of K-defiency.


"There is the law of Aquariums, which states that For Any Piece of Advice no Matter how Insignificant, there is a completely contradictory and equally emphatic piece of advice"
 
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I added Bucephalandra again and put Seachem Purigen in the filter. I also built a DIY Light Screen. When I tested the water everything looks normal, but the Bucephalandras are starting to melt again. What could be the problem?
 
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