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Plant health issues, help appreciated.

Calrus

Seedling
Joined
29 Oct 2019
Messages
21
Location
Hartlepool
Evening all, as the title says, my plants are suffering a bit, and I could do with some help identifying the problem.
Details are...
270l
Twinstar 1200s set at 40% 7hrs a day
Co2 4hrs before lights on off hr before lights out
Drop checker green, In line diffuser
2 x hydor pro 600 filters 1300lph
Outlets either end of tank spray bars along the back
Using apfuk fertiliser at there recommended dosing. Also some dtpa fe, as I've very hard water.
50% wc per week
I've anubias, bucephalandra microsorium, hygrofilia, pennywort and some floating plants that I can't remember the name of.
Stocking is cherry shrimp and guppies and a cpl amano shrimp.
Its been set up about 3months now but I've only swapped to apfuk ei fertiliser a week ago, which has made the surface plants and pennywort a lot greener, was dosing tnc, everything was pale green. I'm hoping the rest of plants will follow suit after a few more weeks. I've some gsa and a bit of Staghorn algae which I assume the new fertiliser regime will help. Some of the bucephalandra new growth is very light, a lot lighter than the pics show, and some pinholes in areas as well. So would you carry on as I am and wait it out or change anything im doing? Thanks for taking the time to read through this.
Russ
 

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Hi all,
and some floating plants that I can't remember the name of.
Nile Cabbage (Pistia stratiotes).
Also some dtpa fe, as I've very hard water.
Its been set up about 3months now but I've only swapped to apfuk ei fertiliser a week ago, which has made the surface plants and pennywort a lot greener, was dosing tnc, everything was pale green. I'm hoping the rest of plants will follow suit after a few more weeks.
The plants look OK, and the fact that they've greened up is promising.

I'd probably keep on with your present dosing regime. If the plants have been deficient in any of the non-mobile nutrients (like <"iron (Fe))"> it takes a while for the new leaves <"produced to be healthy">.

cheers Darrel
 
Thanks Darrell.
I was given about 10 of the floaters, with some guppies id purchased. Its filled four tanks know.
This is my first high tech set up, and the help I receive from the far more knowledgeable folk on here puts my mind at rest.
Russ
 
Evening all, as the title says, my plants are suffering a bit, and I could do with some help identifying the problem.
Details are...
270l
Twinstar 1200s set at 40% 7hrs a day
Co2 4hrs before lights on off hr before lights out
Drop checker green, In line diffuser
2 x hydor pro 600 filters 1300lph
Outlets either end of tank spray bars along the back
Using apfuk fertiliser at there recommended dosing. Also some dtpa fe, as I've very hard water.
50% wc per week
I've anubias, bucephalandra microsorium, hygrofilia, pennywort and some floating plants that I can't remember the name of.
Stocking is cherry shrimp and guppies and a cpl amano shrimp.
Its been set up about 3months now but I've only swapped to apfuk ei fertiliser a week ago, which has made the surface plants and pennywort a lot greener, was dosing tnc, everything was pale green. I'm hoping the rest of plants will follow suit after a few more weeks. I've some gsa and a bit of Staghorn algae which I assume the new fertiliser regime will help. Some of the bucephalandra new growth is very light, a lot lighter than the pics show, and some pinholes in areas as well. So would you carry on as I am and wait it out or change anything im doing? Thanks for taking the time to read through this.
Russ
After my opinion I would change this: First, I would increase the duration of lighting to 12 hours. 7 hours is much too short. What is the daylength in the tropics? Almost all your plants are shade plants, they show damage because they are lit too intesively. So reduce the intensity or use floating plants. Increases the duration of lighting, decrease intensity.
 
Evening all, as the title says, my plants are suffering a bit, and I could do with some help identifying the problem.
Details are...
270l
Twinstar 1200s set at 40% 7hrs a day
Co2 4hrs before lights on off hr before lights out
Drop checker green, In line diffuser
2 x hydor pro 600 filters 1300lph
Outlets either end of tank spray bars along the back
Using apfuk fertiliser at there recommended dosing. Also some dtpa fe, as I've very hard water.
50% wc per week
Hello,
Actually, from the photos, the tank looks quite OK to me and you should verify that the pinholes are not due to predation.
I do see a bit of paleness/yellowing on the Buce in photo #4. That crypt does look pinkish, but is that a deficiency, or is it just due to genetics. Difficult to say. Is it the same species as the ones in the background?

If you are convinced that these are not natural colors and that the holes are not due to predation - and if you are certain that the dosing is correct then it's wise to remember one of the basic tenets, which goes something like this:
"If you are dosing EI levels of nutrients, are injecting copious amounts of CO2 and are experiencing nutrient deficiency and CO2 related faults, then the only reasonable conclusion is that flow/distribution is suspect."

I can just make out the spraybars but I cannot see the orientation of the holes. The holes should be pointed parallel to the water's surface.

How much and what kind of media have you stuffed in those filters? Too much media means massive reduction in flow.
Ensure that there are no kinked hoses or other reduction in the hose diameter due to adapters or connectors.

How much of a drop in pH is there from gas on to lights on?

Cheers,
 
Thanks for taking a look for me.
The pink crypts at the front are flamingo, the others aren't.
The spray bars are parallel to water surface, also enlarged the holes to allow better flow.
I've biohome ultra in 2 of the 5 baskets in each filter with coarse sponge, medium sponge and filter floss spread across the remaining 3.
The c02 is only on one filter, which id like to ad another diffuser to the other filter to even the distribution out.
Also I've noticed that bba has started to show more lately.
The tank has a few snails, could be the culprits for the leaf damage.
I've only been using the drop checker to give an indication for c02 levels. I don't think I've got it dialled In 100% yet, which is why I'd like to ad a second diffuser on the other filter.
The paleness of the leaves has started to green up, since dosing more fe. Also the pennywort has grown and spread so the plants are more shaded now.
I was thinking of trying a longer light time, as someone who keep bucephalandra mentioned that they prefer a longer but not so strong lighting period.
 
Also I've noticed that bba has started to show more lately.
Yeah, that's a CO2 issue. Light intensity does the damage, so yes reducing it will help. Certainly adding another diffuser on the other side should help, but you ought to be able to use the single on and get good results. Again, you should not have to wait 4 hours for the DC to turn light green. Turning up the injection rate is always difficult if there are fish/shrimp in the tank but try doing it very gradually.

Cheers,
 
Thanks ceg0408.
I thought I needed to up c02. The drop checker is light green but I think I need to put it the other end of the tank rather than the end with the outflow of the diffuser.
I've been cautious upping it, due to the livestock.
I'll move the checker and add more c02 over the weekend whilst I can keep an eye on it.
With regards trimming the bba/algae affected leaves from the plants, is it ok to remove all the leaves at once as some are well covered and trimming would only leave a few good leaves, or do I just remove the worst affected?
 
With regards trimming the bba/algae affected leaves from the plants, is it ok to remove all the leaves at once as some are well covered and trimming would only leave a few good leaves, or do I just remove the worst affected?
Hi Calrus,
The US Marines recruitment department have a motto that goes something like: "We're looking for a few good men".
That's the best way to think about the leaves. Infected leaves NEVER get better. Additionally, any algae in the tank only produce more algae. So the idea is to kick algae in the groin and forcibly evict them from the tank. In the same way as when we prune land plants, jettisoning the weak and dying leaves allows the plant to distribute any remaining energy to the few healthy leaves.

Cheers,
 
Great way of putting it ceg4048.
I shall go on the offensive next water change, Sunday, and take no prisoners.
Thanks again.
 
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