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Diagnosing plant issues

TarkMalbot

TarkMalbot

Member
Joined
15 Mar 2013
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172
Can anyone point me in the right direction to where I can find various symptoms and solutions to plant health and algae issues in a planted tank so I can keep my eye on things and know what changes I need to make.

I am sure I have read information in various topics but can't seem to pin point exact topics.

For example what causes browning on the tips of plant and what should you do to fix it?

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That looks like an emmersed echinodorus leaf to me. These leaves do eventually die as they can't revert to underwater living. The old leaves need to be trimmed. Trim from the base of the plant. You'll soon get new leaves.
 
Thanks I have been reading through the James' Planted tank page now.

And yes it is a Echinodorus Bleheri. As found here: http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/echinodorus-bleheri-p-5902.html

Its not the only plant I have issues with which is why I wanted a symptom, cause, and remedy guide so I could work things out for myself rather than ask about every problem I come across.
 
Hi all,
Ian Holdich said:
That looks like an emmersed echinodorus leaf to me. These leaves do eventually die as they can't revert to underwater living. The old leaves need to be trimmed. Trim from the base of the plant. You'll soon get new leaves.
Click to expand...
I'm sure Ian is 100% right.

Brown leaf tips are usually evidence of leaf senescence, often as a result of drying. In an aquatic plant (or one grown in an enclosed humid area) RH is 100% and all the leaf stomata are open. If you move that plant to a less humid area the plant will try and close the stomata, to halt the transpiration stream, but it won't be able to do this before the rate of evapo-transpiration has exceed the rate at which the xylem can supply water to the whole leaf. Because the tip and distal ends are furthest from the xylem this is the bit that dehydrates first. Once the tissue is damaged it senesces.

Same happens when a leaf dies "naturally", the plant withdraws the chlorophyll, starch etc from the leaf before abscission, again starting at the leaf tip.

cheers Darrel
 
I didn't understand all if that fully but it sounded good so I will just trim the plant by removing the leaves with the brown ends from the bottom of the plant.
Thanks.
 
Thanks. Yeah all my fish are doing great. I have spent 6 years learning how to look after them. It's the plants I am having trouble with and only been doing that a month or two and have been away for 4 weeks of that time!

I have even had damaged, ripped and wounded fish that have been brought back to full health and have about 65 fish at the moment and they all get along just fine. Although the Kribs are a little touchy at the moment whilst raising their fry. At least plants are good cover for them.
 
No I haven't. My water PH has always been too high for them to want to breed although that may change with Co2 injection. I haven't tried to breed and just let whatever happens happen. The Kribs just breed all the time! Lol
 
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