Swords and Java Problem

[adamhawk]

I've had amazon swords for long time and they don't seem to be happy, though they have never died off they don't do much and leaves go holey after not to long, nothing is in tank to eat it and I have ferts and add liquid CO, also the Java Fern was doing amazing in my tank, then one day they decided to have holes everywhere on every single one. Its not an algea attack and the levels are all spot on. Any suggestions.

 

[LancsRick]

What ferts are you dosing?
Any snail issues?
Any change in livestock recently?
Any change in lighting?

 

[adamhawk]

Im dosing using Flourish Excel, I have MT Snails but they are never on plants, No change in livestock and lighting is and always has been T5 on for around 7 hours aday.

 

[LancsRick]

That's not a complete fertiliser, which is why you're seeing holes appear (symptom of lack of ferts). Consider TPN+ or James' Planted Tank equivalent.

That said, I'm still learning - no doubt one of the more experienced guys will be along soon.

 

[adamhawk]

I've had lots about TPN+ - is that all that would be required as far as ferts go? And where could I purchase it from?

 

[Alastair]

You can purchase tpn+ from the forum sponsors, or even their own all in one Pre mixed ferts which work out much cheaper. Fluid sensor online or aquarium plant food. Your plants aren't getting any of the nutrients needed. Like rik said, your adding flourish exel which is just liquid carbon, running lights for 7 hours a day but not adding any ferts.


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[Antipofish]

I can recommend Fluid Sensor online. I have recently swapped to EI ferts and noticed amazing differences since doing so. You can buy large or small quantities of the various salts depending on the size of your tank, so it wont cost much at all. I spent about £20 including a dosing bottle (already had one which was my empty TPN+ bottle, lol) and that will give me enough for well over a year. Buying premixed ferts (which as Clive has stated in his article which can be found ....http://www.ukaps.org/EI.htm are 95% water) is a more expensive option.

 

[adamhawk]

I can recommend Fluid Sensor online. I have recently swapped to EI ferts and noticed amazing differences since doing so. You can buy large or small quantities of the various salts depending on the size of your tank, so it wont cost much at all. I spent about £20 including a dosing bottle (already had one which was my empty TPN+ bottle, lol) and that will give me enough for well over a year. Buying premixed ferts (which as Clive has stated in his article which can be found ....http://www.ukaps.org/EI.htm are 95% water) is a more expensive option.

So are you using TNC Complete? What is best out of TNC Complete or TPN+ and where can you buy TPN+ from, I've tried google.

 

[Antipofish]

I can recommend Fluid Sensor online. I have recently swapped to EI ferts and noticed amazing differences since doing so. You can buy large or small quantities of the various salts depending on the size of your tank, so it wont cost much at all. I spent about £20 including a dosing bottle (already had one which was my empty TPN+ bottle, lol) and that will give me enough for well over a year. Buying premixed ferts (which as Clive has stated in his article which can be found ....http://www.ukaps.org/EI.htm are 95% water) is a more expensive option.

So are you using TNC Complete? What is best out of TNC Complete or TPN+ and where can you buy TPN+ from, I've tried google.

Im not using either Adam. I mix up my own in the way described in the thread I linked to. I have two bottles, one micro ferts and one macro ferts and I dose them on alternate days, again as per Clive's thread.

I use MgSO4 (magnesium sulphate), KH2PO4 (Monopotassium Phosphate) and KNO3 (Potassium Nitrate) for my macro ferts and then TNC Trace (which contains Fe/Iron, Mn/Manganese, Zn/Zinc, B/Boron, Cu/Copper and Mo/Molybdenum) for the micro ferts. Mix these with water in accordance with Clive's article and Bob's your uncle

Alastair was kind enough to get me onto EI ferts and its something I imagine I will never look back from, both financially and from the aspect of plant health.

 

[adamhawk]

Would love to make own but don't have the mind for it, same as I'd love CO2 but can't get head around it. What is the best Ferts then that I can buy online? and would I then only use that and nothing else? ta.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Could it be potassium deficiency?

 

[adamhawk]

Could be, but then almost yes if the florish excel is rubbish, so what is the best all in one fert that you all recommend?

 

[Antipofish]

Would love to make own but don't have the mind for it, same as I'd love CO2 but can't get head around it. What is the best Ferts then that I can buy online? and would I then only use that and nothing else? ta.

I thought the same way as you about EI till Alastair told me how simple it is. Im happy to tell you what to buy and how much you need to mix if you like. Otherwise TPN+ is probably the best option, or as someone else mentioned one of the equivalents. I have always found Aqua Essentials to be great at advising, and also Fluid Sensor online. But there are other sponsors on here too. In addition you may find that you would benefit from Easylife Easycarbo depending on what plants you are going to grow and what your light levels/duration are. But again, lots of us on here will be happy to advise you what you need to know and CO2 is not difficult as long as you follow some basic principals.

 

[Alastair]

Could be, but then almost yes if the florish excel is rubbish, so what is the best all in one fert that you all recommend?

Flourish excel isn't rubbish mate, it's an organic form of carbon that you dose into the tank instead of pressurised co2 or aswell as. Its the same stuff as easy carbo. The reason your plants aren't doing well is that your having 7 hours of how ever much light your running, your dosing excel (liquid carbon) but not adding any fertilisers. Theres many routes to go, either the ei route, look for tropica nutrition plus, however I think they've re branded there fertiliser under a different name now, but you can still find it online, or get one of the all in ones from fluid sensor online eg tnc complete, or aquarium plant foods all in one Pre mixed, or aqua essentials aqua nourish. It's down to personal choice


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