Need help with the plants pls

[Sirkavu]

Hi Guys - hope you’re all good.

So, I have just set up my180l Juwel Rio tank - today is the 4th day BUT my plants are like this.

I honestly don’t know what to do - I’ve read so much and now I’m confused.
I have Tropica aqua soil, no CO2 - I use seachem and follow bottle instructions.
Lights are on for 6h a day. My heater only works when I put it on 32 - I found out today when I touched the water and it was off. I might just get a new one.

Should I get more supporting plants?

 

[Kezzab]

Hi, are you saying your water temperature is 32c? That's warmer than a lot of plants will enjoy.

More generally, your tank.has only been planted 4 days, the plants need a few weeks to establish so I'm not surprised they look a bit ropey.

Also, as you suggest, you could add a lot more plants.

And what seachem.product are you using? There are several.

k

 

[Franks]

co2 will have any plants sorted in a few weeks if setup correctly.

32degC is a bit warm!


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[Sirkavu]

Hi, are you saying your water temperature is 32c? That's warmer than a lot of plants will enjoy.

No, I’m buying a thermometer today but my tank is no where near to 26c, even though my heater is on 32. That’s why I think it might no be working, but I’ll track it with the thermometer.

More generally, your tank.has only been planted 4 days, the plants need a few weeks to establish so I'm not surprised they look a bit ropey.

Also, as you suggest, you could add a lot more plants.

So it’s normal? Should I trim the leave shown above?
Yeah I’m buying a lot more today. Is tropical freshwater aquarium fish shop trustful for plants? If so I’ll go there

And what seachem.product are you using? There are several.

I use Seachem Flourish.

Hey Fran, unfortunately I can’t afford it now bah...

Thanks for the replies above

 

[ian_m]

1. 32'C is rather hot, a thermometer will hopefully reveal if this is true. After having been through many many digital thermometers I use one of these.
https://www.jbl.de/en/products/detail/2495/jbl-aquarium-thermometer-premium
Needs no batteries, works all the time and costs less than a so called quality digital thermometer.

2. What Seachem products are your dosing ?

Flourish is only the micro elements. You will also need to dose a source of nitrogen, potassium & phosphorus as well as a form of carbon.
If low light, sometimes NPK & C can come from fish food & fish poo, but not always.

Plants look like they are suffering as newly planted and way way too much light. Reduce lighting period to say 4 hours, remove reflectors or even better use reflectors as light block to reduce the levels for say first couple of weeks until tank matures and plants settle in. Keep up frequent water changes to remove waste and prevent (along with lower light) algae "moving in".

 

[Sirkavu]

1. 32'C is rather hot, a thermometer will hopefully reveal if this is true. After having been through many many digital thermometers I use one of these.
https://www.jbl.de/en/products/detail/2495/jbl-aquarium-thermometer-premium
Needs no batteries, works all the time and costs less than a so called quality digital thermometer.

Done. Bought it already

2. What Seachem products are your dosing ?

Flourish is only the micro elements. You will also need to dose a source of nitrogen, potassium & phosphorus as well as a form of carbon.
If low light, sometimes NPK & C can come from fish food & fish poo, but not always.

I am just dosing the micro elements. Did twice this week and will do another next week - just one full cap and instructed. I will buy all those two you mention, only because I don't have fishes yet. Will buy some shrimps today unless you think I shouldn't'

Plants look like they are suffering as newly planted and way way too much light. Reduce lighting period to say 4 hours, remove reflectors or even better use reflectors as light block to reduce the levels for say first couple of weeks until tank matures and plants settle in. Keep up frequent water changes to remove waste and prevent (along with lower light) algae "moving in".

I did thought about reducing but was afraid. Will do it from today.
I don't have reflector only the tank lights-
Power 1x23 W DAY & 1x23 W NATURE
Kelvin 9000/6500
Lumen 5290
I also did water change on 1st, 3rd day and will do again on the 7th day - following Tropica 90day app hehe

Again, really thankful for your help messages.

 

[ian_m]

Will buy some shrimps today unless you think I shouldn't'

No no no no. They will die very quickly. The water will be quite toxic to fish & shrimps. You need to cycle your tank first, to allow the microbial flora & fauna to populate the tank and filter.

You need to add as many plants as you can, as they will help cycling, keep light low and short, add ferts, change water (some people add fish food or wee to help things along !!!) and just leave for say upto 8 (or more) weeks. This allows nitrifying bacteria to build up in the filter, tank water, plants, substrate, generally every where. The nitrifying bacteria convert fish/shrimp toxic ammonia and nitrite to harmless nitrate, which will feed the plants. Obviously adding plants will give you something to look at whilst it is cycling, as opposed to empty tank.

You can speed things up by using someone else's tank water or filter sponges or substrate etc as these will already be full of bacteria. I posted a dirty sponge to my mate when we set his new tank up. Worked a treat, ready to start almost instantly.

 

[Sirkavu]

You can speed things up by using someone else's tank water or filter sponges or substrate etc as these will already be full of bacteria. I posted a dirty sponge to my mate when we set his new tank up. Worked a treat, ready to start almost instantly.

I have a 34l tank and I wanted to change the filter today - cuz it’s time - can I cut the filter in half and put one half in this 180l tank and the other half in the small?

No shrimps, not like said in the app hehe and I’ll make sure the tank is like a nice Eden garden with many plants