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Why do my plants looks so bad
- Thread starter Richardod
- Start date
Hi,
I think you might be missing the point. Water that is high in alkalinity will resist pH changes by definition. All that means is that small pH changes will indicate large changes in CO2 concentration, so you need to pay attention to these small changes.
So if you measure the alkalinity of your water to be, say, 10dKH, then a pH change from 7.3 to 6.8 means a positive change in CO2 concentration of around 33 ppm (not really but in the ballpark). You did not mention what your alkalinity is, so if you have a KH test kit or if you can read it from your municipal water report then we'll have a better idea. In any case the injection rate seems to be producing the right amount at the right time so now we ought to look at how you have your pumps set up and at how the filter outlet(s) are oriented. Can you show a picture of that?
Cheers,
Picture above shows the two circulation pumps both facing forward
Filter outlet is directly behind them , next to the heater which you can just see in the background.
Water from outlet flows directly forward towards front of the tank.
DKH is 12
PPM GH/KH is 214.8
Hi Richard,
OK, also looks like a little BGA on the front right which you ought not to be getting if your KNO3 dosing is correct.
When last have you cleaned your filter? Is is chock full of media? Flow rate through the filter can slow as it becomes dirty.
Also try increasing the injection rate gradually and aim for incremental (0.1 unit).
It looks like the lower front of the tank has more problems than elsewhere, is that correct? If so then you've lost significant amount of flow.
Are those stones on the left naturally brown or are they brown due to algae? I can't quite make it out.
Cheers,
OK, also looks like a little BGA on the front right which you ought not to be getting if your KNO3 dosing is correct.
When last have you cleaned your filter? Is is chock full of media? Flow rate through the filter can slow as it becomes dirty.
Also try increasing the injection rate gradually and aim for incremental (0.1 unit).
It looks like the lower front of the tank has more problems than elsewhere, is that correct? If so then you've lost significant amount of flow.
Are those stones on the left naturally brown or are they brown due to algae? I can't quite make it out.
Cheers,
Hi,
the lower front I would say has most algae problems, though definetly got better since I lowered the light. ( the sand has remained clean now )
The stones are Dragon stone so they are Brown but they get dirty on top ( a darker brown colour) I clean them with a toothbrush every fortnight.
I clean the filter every three weeks with aquarium wate,r the flow rate is definetly not affected by any clogging in the filter.
The front lower of the tank I would guess definetly has the poorset water circulation I'm not sure what I can do about that as I have been advised that all circulation pumps should be pointing towards the front of the tank
the same as the filter outlet.
the lower front I would say has most algae problems, though definetly got better since I lowered the light. ( the sand has remained clean now )
The stones are Dragon stone so they are Brown but they get dirty on top ( a darker brown colour) I clean them with a toothbrush every fortnight.
I clean the filter every three weeks with aquarium wate,r the flow rate is definetly not affected by any clogging in the filter.
The front lower of the tank I would guess definetly has the poorset water circulation I'm not sure what I can do about that as I have been advised that all circulation pumps should be pointing towards the front of the tank
the same as the filter outlet.
OK, that would all be connected to the lighting level. I don't recall exactly what type of light or what kind of intensity control you have but if it had been turned up to too high of a setting then that would have triggered these problems.
As far as the pump output orientation goes, it is the correct strategy to point them all towards the front.
Again, it's difficult to tell from the photos, but the carpet plants on the left look a little on the yellow side. It's unclear whether that is a color balance issue with the photo, whether it is due to some nutrient deficiency, or whether the leaves are actually coated with the same diatomic algae that is on your dragon stone. Can you get a better close up photo of that area or can you clarify? If it is diatomic, then using your fingers, you should be able to wipe it off. If it is a nutrient deficiency then suspicion should be pointed at a NO3 shortfall, which would be corroborated by the BGA on the right. Can you remind me again of your KNO3 dosing?
All of this could have been triggered by high light and the tank may recover by the action of lowering the intensity as you have done and have seen the reduction of algae in the sand.
Cheers,
The KN03 dosing is part of a stock solution which is made up of the following
Macro Solution
The plants at the rear of the tank seem to be losing all thier lower leaves leaving very long bare stems as well.
Looking at the macro solution do you think I need to make any changes ?
Or would I be better off buying a premixed all in one fert
Macro Solution
- 6tsp Potassium Nitrate
- 2tsp Potassium Phosphate
- 9tsp Magnesium Sulphate
- 500ml Water
- 30ml dosed every other day three times a week ( tank is 190L )
The plants at the rear of the tank seem to be losing all thier lower leaves leaving very long bare stems as well.
Looking at the macro solution do you think I need to make any changes ?
Or would I be better off buying a premixed all in one fert
Last edited:
Hi Richard,
No there is no point in changing the nutrient scheme. This is a CO2/flow/distribution issue exacerbated by excessive lighting.
I had to search around because there are so many threads. This is the same tank as discussed in https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/getting-the-best-co2-circulation-in-a-trigon-190.51389/ s it not?
If so then it apears you removed the pump and added some wavemakers. You mention having a 1501 external as well. Anyway, it's a bit unclear what flow rating the wavemakers have or whether you have changed the orientation of the filter output.
Triangular tanks are really difficult in this regard and it would have been very easy to push the tank over the cliff with that Heliux LED everyone raves about but which can be quite destructive.
In any case, try to ensure that the output is reduced right down to around 20% for the time being.
You were clearly able to grow the carpet so there were a lot of changes and it's very difficult to know exactly where the fault occurs becauuse we can only get snapshots of what you have done. Are you still porting the gas through the filter intake?
What flow rating do the wavemwekers have?
You can do a 3 day blackout to try to rid the tank of the BGA and that will give the plants a break but the flow/distribution needs to be fixed.
Cheers,
AndreiD
Member
Also trim the plants which are badly affected by algae or melting , they will recover after the trim if they get enough co2 , if not they will melt and get algae again
Yes same tank.
I never had a pump just the 1501 filter then I added a couple of circulation pumps, although not identical they are both rated 800-1600 LPH https://www.warehouse-aquatics.co.uk/newa-wave-1-6-circulation-pump.html
Things have definetly improved since I lowered the lighting but I'm still getting a slight green algea on leafs and now small holes as well.
I have the co2 which is at 5BPS going straight into the filter intake, the orientation has not changed the out pipe is still at the rear of the aquarium pointing forward about three inches from surface.
Both pumps are pointing forward as well.
I somehow, I think need to find a way to distribute the co2 better , I knew corner tanks were challenging but not to this extent.
I never had a pump just the 1501 filter then I added a couple of circulation pumps, although not identical they are both rated 800-1600 LPH https://www.warehouse-aquatics.co.uk/newa-wave-1-6-circulation-pump.html
Things have definetly improved since I lowered the lighting but I'm still getting a slight green algea on leafs and now small holes as well.
I have the co2 which is at 5BPS going straight into the filter intake, the orientation has not changed the out pipe is still at the rear of the aquarium pointing forward about three inches from surface.
Both pumps are pointing forward as well.
I somehow, I think need to find a way to distribute the co2 better , I knew corner tanks were challenging but not to this extent.
Well...these tanks are weird, let's face it, but I've seen others make them work with not much more that you have at present. Just have a look at Ian Holdich's effort using nothing more than an internal filter and one wavemaker. Of course his light was stock: https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/trigon-island.12149/
I think that if you're ever going to have as strong a lighting as you were using, then you'll need a lot more bubble rate that 5bps.
Many folks assume that all you will ever need is a the mythical 30ppm of CO2 and then the lights can be turned up as high as wanted. The truth is that if the lighting is too high then the tank may need toxic levels of CO2 which will wipe out the fish.
Slowly try to get the pH to drop a little bit more by lights on. Use a combination of injection rate increase and turning the gas on earlier. You can always turn the gas off earlier as well, don't forget, so that you give the fish a break.
You can also try to raise the wavemakers closer to the water's surface. They seem a bit low in that photo to me. 3 inches you say? Well, OK, whatever is practical.
You can also play with their position further back or more forward as well. I cannot really say which will be better. Just have a play.
A good indication is if you see those plants in the front or in the middle moving. That tells you that you are getting flow to them.
We use the expression "gently rocking in the wind" to describe how they should be moving.
I might have mentioned this before, but if you have the filter filled with media then remove some of it to get better flow through it.
Cheers,
I think that if you're ever going to have as strong a lighting as you were using, then you'll need a lot more bubble rate that 5bps.
Many folks assume that all you will ever need is a the mythical 30ppm of CO2 and then the lights can be turned up as high as wanted. The truth is that if the lighting is too high then the tank may need toxic levels of CO2 which will wipe out the fish.
Slowly try to get the pH to drop a little bit more by lights on. Use a combination of injection rate increase and turning the gas on earlier. You can always turn the gas off earlier as well, don't forget, so that you give the fish a break.
You can also try to raise the wavemakers closer to the water's surface. They seem a bit low in that photo to me. 3 inches you say? Well, OK, whatever is practical.
You can also play with their position further back or more forward as well. I cannot really say which will be better. Just have a play.
A good indication is if you see those plants in the front or in the middle moving. That tells you that you are getting flow to them.
We use the expression "gently rocking in the wind" to describe how they should be moving.
I might have mentioned this before, but if you have the filter filled with media then remove some of it to get better flow through it.
Cheers,
