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Plants dying!!

C

cichlidfam

Member
Joined
10 Jul 2011
Messages
93
Location
Manchester
Hi guys,

My names matt, it was suggested by a fellow BCA member to join here after having trouble with my plants.

I currently have the bow front 260ltr 4ft fluval tank running with a fluval FX5 pump. My lighting is 2 x t5 glo tubes, one being plant glo and the other daylight glo. I have my lights on between 10-12 hrs a day, then switching to blue leds at night.

I currently dose my tank once a week with liquid fertiliser, i also use the clay balls pushed into the substrate.

The substrate is a mix of shingle, imported sand from thailand and playsand, all was washed and boiled prior to use. Its around 4 inch deep.

My floating salvinia grows really well, so good infact that i give it away on a monthly basis. I have some java fern and anubis on bog wood but that is neither growing or showing signs of dying, its my Amazon swirds which are.

I just cannot keep them alive, after a few weeks the leaves start thinning and turning brown. I cut off all dying leaves hoping the strong survive but they don't.

My water is very soft and ammonia is 0, Ph is around 5.8-6.5, nitrates <50.


I hope i have supplied enough information for you.

Regards

Matt
 
What ferts are you using? Also maybe try splitting the once a week dosing to daily. What temperature is your water. I can't see it being anything to do with soft water as mine is very soft and my echinodorous ocelot is thriving. Could it be possible that you ones you have have been grown emersed and are adapting? What's the new growth like. I know when I used to have swords they were very fert hungry.
When you say your fern and anubias isn't growing that could be insufficient food for them. Also are you injecting co2 at all?
 
Alastair said:
What ferts are you using? Also maybe try splitting the once a week dosing to daily. What temperature is your water. I can't see it being anything to do with soft water as mine is very soft and my echinodorous ocelot is thriving. Could it be possible that you ones you have have been grown emersed and are adapting? What's the new growth like. I know when I used to have swords they were very fert hungry.
When you say your fern and anubias isn't growing that could be insufficient food for them. Also are you injecting co2 at all?
Click to expand...


Hi,

I use JBL Ferropol and also the JBL clay balls that you push into the substrate, my water temp is between 78 - 80.

I do not use co2, i know it helps alot but in my last 3 set ups I've never used it and my plants have always thrived, the only difference in this set up is more water and different substrate. My previous tanks have always been below 180 ltr and used gravel instead of the sand i use now.

The place i buy them from have grown them in tanks with gravel substrate and over hanging lights.

Thanks for your reply

Matt
 
The jbl plant food lacks any nitrogen or phosphate which your plants need. I used to use it but never saw any results. I'd try switching to tropica nutrition plus and am positive youll see a much better difference with in a week or two. Again if you get this, dose daily The jbl balls or ok I pop them under my crypts but again these dont provide all the essential nutrients needed.
 
Thanks ill give that ago then, i see you live in manchester, i live in salford. Where do you buy your plants from?

I go to Oasis and also B.A.S to buy mine.

Matt
 
Ahhh cool, not too far from me then mate. I tend to differ with plants as to where I get mine. Maidenhead aquatics in Ashton, the green machine online for more rarer plants and excellent customer service , theplanttank.co.uk are really good too and price wise excellent.
I've never been to oasis yet but have been meaning too for a while. What's it like.
 
its great for marine fish, they also have a good selection of tropical fish, including cichlids. They sell some plants but not alot.
 
I'll have To bob over then. The abyss in Stockport is great for fish and plants. They sell tropica plants too. Let us know how you get on with the tropica stuff. Fingers crosses it should do the trick. There's plenty of great advice on here to read through too and the help on here is great.
 
The flows great, my tank is drilled so i have one side pointed up and the other pointing down towards the substrate.
 
one thing i never mentioned....my tank has sunken leaf litter and alder cones so theres tannins present in the water, its not really that bad,just a slight tint,could this be hindering the plants performance?
 
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