Plants turning brown

[nijat11]

Hello everyone!
I have the following problem. Some of my plants are turning kind of brown. It mostly happens with Rotala wallichii, Rotala H'ra and limnophila aromatica.
Additionally my Ludwigia Rupens Rubin not turning Red.
Here is my tank parameters:

1. 800 liters 180smx80smx55sm
2.Running for 7 months
3.Filtration: Sump; 1 chamber multiple multiple sponges, 2-3 chambers seachem matrix and biohome (total 35kg). seachem purigen.
4. WRGB. 14:00-22:00 (W:80%, B:80%, R:80%, G:50%) 22:00-23:00 (WBR:15%)
5. ADA Amazonia V2 and fine gravel, root tabs in gravel
6. Installed 6 weeks ago. CO2 Reactor from Aquamedic + 2000l/h pomp. Controlled by PH controller + separate valve for night. During the day pH drops from 7.5 to 6.2. Drop checker get lime green.
7. Fertilizers Tropica Specialized every day 20ml and Tropica Premium every day 10 ml. Also dosing additional PO4
8. Every 7-10 days 50%
9. Palnts are multiple cryptocorynes, multiple echnidoruses, multiple buchephalandras, Rotala Roundofolia, Rotala Orange Juice, Rotala Wallichni, Alternathera reckini mini, Alternather Cardinals, Golden Nesaea, Ludwiga Super Red, limnophila hippuridoides, multiple anubiases, Java ferns, Java moss.
10. Lime Green During the day.
11. Stock: angelfish - 12; Rummy Nose Tetra - 30; Kardinal Tetra - 12; Black Neon Tetra - 10; Corrydoras Sterbai - 10; Corrydoras Panda -10; Apistograma Ramizeri -4; Apistograma Columbian -2; Apistogramma cacatuoides-2; Ancistrus -4; L333 - 2; L340-1; Nerite Snails - 10.

Here are images.
Could you please help?
Thank you in advance.

 

[Myrtle]

I'm no expert but that looks like algae, to me. Does it rub off the leaves easily?

 

[hypnogogia]

Agree, it looks like algae to me.

 

[nijat11]

Okay, how to deal with that algae? I can not use RO water because don't have a place to generate and store water, my SiO2 level (silicate) is very high and probably it is causing brown algae. I added some otos, but not helping much.
Any other ideas?

 

[Myrtle]

It might be worth doing a new post i the algae section with all the details. Other than being able to identify it, that's about my limit with algae...

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Okay, how to deal with that algae? I can not use RO water because don't have a place to generate and store water, my SiO2 level (silicate) is very high and probably it is causing brown algae.

There is nearly always enough silicon (Si) to support diatom growth. They can only take up the silicon <"in the form of orthosilicic acids"> and diatoms are incredibly effective at it. You could try adding <"some Hornwort"> (Ceratophyllum demersum) , it is also silicified. I have snails Physella acuta and Planorbella duryi and <"they probably help"> as well.

Fertilizers Tropica Specialized every day 20ml and Tropica Premium every day 10 ml. Also dosing additional PO4

I'm actually going to guess that this is a nutrient issue, more than an algae one, and that the plants can't make use of the additional CO2, because one of the mineral elements is <"Liebig's limiting nutrient">.

If the new leaves really are pale? I'd say that your Rotala looks like it is <"showing signs of iron (Fe) deficiency">. This is much more likely if your tap water is <"hard and alkaline">?


I'd try a <"complete fertiliser"> for a while, I'm keen on <"Solufeed 2 : 1 : 4">, but there are other options.

cheers Darrel

 

[nijat11]

Hi all,

There is nearly always enough silicon (Si) to support diatom growth. They can only take up the silicon <"in the form of orthosilicic acids"> and diatoms are incredibly effective at it. You could try adding <"some Hornwort"> (Ceratophyllum demersum) , it is also silicified. I have snails Physella acuta and Planorbella duryi and <"they probably help"> as well.

I'm actually going to guess that this is a nutrient issue, more than an algae one, and that the plants can't make use of the additional CO2, because one of the mineral elements is <"Liebig's limiting nutrient">.

If the new leaves really are pale? I'd say that your Rotala looks like it is <"showing signs of iron (Fe) deficiency">. This is much more likely if your tap water is <"hard and alkaline">?

View attachment 207026
I'd try a <"complete fertiliser"> for a while, I'm keen on <"Solufeed 2 : 1 : 4">, but there are other options.

cheers Darrel

Hi Darrel. Thank you very much for the response. As you mentioned, I have a hard water around 400 ppm and from tap ph is 8.0-8.2.
I have attached photos of floating plants, do you still think that I have nutrient deficiency ?
Also we dont have that sodium here in the Netherlands. I have purchased salts from Plantedbox to do something like EI method. Do you think it will work?
Thank you in advance.

 

[nijat11]

Or maybe should I increase micro dosage?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I have attached photos of floating plants, do you still think that I have nutrient deficiency ?

They look all right, but they definitely <"could be doing better">. The reticulated (net) pattern on the older Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) leaves is either magnesium (Mg) or iron (Fe) deficiency.

If it is iron, it happened a while ago. Have a look at <"Frogbit taken a turn">.

Also we dont have that sodium here in the Netherlands.

I'm not too bothered about the micronutrient mix, I actually just use the <"Solufeed 2 : 1 : 4"> with <"some added FeEDTA">. In the Netherlands you should be able to pick up a hydroponic fertiliser mix without too much problem, you just want one without any ammonium. A complete hydroponic fertiliser has to work, because if it didn't no-one would buy it. The same isn't true aquarium fertilisers where various companies get away with peddling <"what is basically water"> for very elevated prices.

......... Seachem Flourish may be a complete Fert and does contain some trace elements which many commercial ferts don't, although if using tap water you will be getting enough of these trace elements in your tap water to meet your plants needs. However Seachem Flourish is soo weak we had to disable it on the IFC calculator for a short time ...........

There aren't really <"Aquarium fertilisers"> there are just fertilisers.

I have purchased salts from Plantedbox to do something like EI method. Do you think it will work?

Should be fine. All ions are the same in solution, every potassium ion (K+) is the <"same as every other potassium ion">, the plant doesn't know where they have come from. You just need to make sure you have all <"fourteen mineral elements essential for plant growth">.

cheers Darrel

 

[nijat11]

Hi everyone again!
SInce this post I have started to dose EI method. Week ago I have planted new Rotala H'Ra. Today I again noticed brown dots on old leaves. Any ideas?

 

[nijat11]

UP. Help needed

 

[G H Nelson]

Add a few images, please!

 

[_Maq_]

(1) UV-C lamp.
(2) Advanced iron chelate.

 

[nijat11]

Add a few images, please!

I will add more images, just let the lamps turn on.

(1) UV-C lamp.
(2) Advanced iron chelate.

1. What is that and what purpose?
2. I dose additioanal Iron, and keep it at lest 0.6 ppm.

 

[erwin123]

Hi everyone again!
SInce this post I have started to dose EI method. Week ago I have planted new Rotala H'Ra. Today I again noticed brown dots on old leaves. Any ideas?

EI + hard water may result in stunted rotala.
may I suggest just dosing TSN 20ml a day which was your original dose. do not dose premium
Iron, dose 4 times a week, 0.05ppm each time, total 0.2ppm a week.

p.s UV-C breaks up the iron chelate so I wouldn't add chelated iron and turn on UV-C at the same time....

 

[_Maq_]

1. What is that and what purpose?
2. I dose additioanal Iron, and keep it at lest 0.6 ppm.

Ultraviolet lamp. Usually provided within a chamber which you may attach to the outflow of your outer filter. Kills algae and other pests while they pass though the chamber.
In your water, iron is a serious problem. You should get something "stronger" than Fe-EDTA.

UV-C breaks up the iron chelate so I wouldn't add chelated iron and turn on UV-C at the same time

True.

 

[nijat11]

EI + hard water may result in stunted rotala.
may I suggest just dosing TSN 20ml a day which was your original dose. do not dose premium
Iron, dose 4 times a week, 0.05ppm each time, total 0.2ppm a week.

p.s UV-C breaks up the iron chelate so I wouldn't add chelated iron and turn on UV-C at the same time....

Thank you for your advise. But I was batteling with bad growth for couple of months while dosing TSN, for my big tank it is a bit expensive and I think ineffective.

Ultraviolet lamp. Usually provided within a chamber which you may attach to the outflow of your outer filter. Kills algae and other pests while they pass though the chamber.
In your water, iron is a serious problem. You should get something "stronger" than Fe-EDTA.

True.

So taking all discussions. Do you still suggest to use UV-C? If yes, what benefits if give? What other iron do you suggest instead of Fe-EDTA?

 

[nijat11]

BTW, I`m using not EDTA, but DTPA Ijzer voor je aquarium: Fe DTPA 11% | PlantedBox

 

[erwin123]

Thank you for your advise. But I was batteling with bad growth for couple of months while dosing TSN, for my big tank it is a bit expensive and I think ineffective.

There are many different opinions, but i feel that TSN is a good formulation for an aquarium with hard water. Actually, its way better for hard water than EI since you have Rotala in your tank.

If you are dosing EI using DIY salts, you could simply dose a similar amount to what you were adding with when pumping TSN.

 

[nijat11]

There are many different opinions, but i feel that TSN is a good formulation for an aquarium with hard water. Actually, its way better for hard water than EI since you have Rotala in your tank.

If you are dosing EI using DIY salts, you could simply dose a similar amount to what you were adding with when pumping TSN.

Seems I will get rid of rotala