I have been trying to grow healthy plants for couple of months but I was not successful. I'm kind of frustrated as I did everything I could, I did re-escaping, re-planting, tried different fertilizers, different CO2 injections, added an extra filter but no success yet. The plants do not grow well and leaves edge become brown and then dark. it looks like a deficiency rather than algae.
The following is my final setup followed by some pictures.
Didiplis Diandara is the most successful one. They grow fine, but still some of the leave edges are getting brown.
Staurogyne repens leave edge are getting brown and then dark, even the new plant start getting brown edge after 2-3 days after planting. Some of the Eleocharis Mini leaves are green and the rest are getting dark. I think the grow is not fast enough as well.
Hydrocotyle tripartit old leaves edge and the loose root are getting brown and new one get brown after a while.
I know the main problems can be poor CO2 injection and water flow but I think I have enough water flow with two filter and enough CO2 as my drop checker is between green and yellow and I see oxygen bubbles come from the plants.
so I'm thinking to try two other options that I have not tried yet. I'm not sure if they help.
Thanks,
Amir
The following is my final setup followed by some pictures.
- Tank size: 120 x 45 x 45 (240 litre)
- Light: Arcadia over tank luminaire with 4 x T5 54w
- 1 x Tropical (54w) and 1 x freshwater pro(54w) (7 hours a day) starts 4pm to 11pm
- 1 x Freshwater pro (54w) and 1 x Plant pro(54w) (4 hours a day) starts 6pm to 10pm
- Filter: 2 x 2217 Eheim filter, 2000 l/h in total. one biological and one mechanical. out flow lily pipes in front and back in opposite directions with different diameters to not interrupt each others flow.
- CO2: 2KG pressurised CO2 injection with Aqua Medic reactor 1000, connected to mechanical filter as I think it has more flow. More than 7 8 bubble per seconds using gUsh glass bubble counter, Drop checker is between Green and yellow. starts from 2pm to 10pm.
- Fertiliser: EI Dosing. Macro and Micro liquid solution in 500ml bottles and dosing 50ml 3 days a week and do the water change on a day 7.
- Macro Solution: 500 ml tap water with
- 10 x 5/8 tsp Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)
- 10 x 3/16 tsp Monopotassium Phosphate (KH2PO4)
- 10 x 5/8 tsp Magnesium Sulphate (MgSO4)
- Micro Solution: 500 ml tap water with
- 10 x 3/16 tsp TNC Trace
- Macro Solution: 500 ml tap water with
All dry powders bought from aquarium plant food.
- KH: 13. GH: 17 using not expired API test kit, Temp: 26c
- Fish and invertebrates: 10 giant Amano Shrimp + 5 Octo + 20 Teras
Didiplis Diandara is the most successful one. They grow fine, but still some of the leave edges are getting brown.
Staurogyne repens leave edge are getting brown and then dark, even the new plant start getting brown edge after 2-3 days after planting. Some of the Eleocharis Mini leaves are green and the rest are getting dark. I think the grow is not fast enough as well.
Hydrocotyle tripartit old leaves edge and the loose root are getting brown and new one get brown after a while.
I know the main problems can be poor CO2 injection and water flow but I think I have enough water flow with two filter and enough CO2 as my drop checker is between green and yellow and I see oxygen bubbles come from the plants.
so I'm thinking to try two other options that I have not tried yet. I'm not sure if they help.
- Increasing the EI dosage: but normally by EI dosing, plants do not get more than what they want?
- Using RO water: maybe my KH and GH is not ideal? maybe I have some harmful minerals in my tap water? I have seen in a forum that Tom Barr mentioned that they do care about the high KH as it affects the CO2 absorption but I don't know if my KH is high enough?
Thanks,
Amir
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