Dirty Plants !

[Antipofish]

Another satisfied customer.
Another mind freed from the tyranny of The Matrix. 8)

Cheers,

Lol, its early days yet but it looks like it could be the solution. Meanwhile I took a few pics of the tank just now to show you/others what I meant...

This pic shows plants looking clean and fresh before this issue arose..

And here are three shots of different plants...

1)Pogostemon Helferi. See how the older, lower leaves seem to have collected dirt around the base....

2) Staurogyne Repens. Same issue...

3) And some Hygro leaves. Im not sure if this is the same issue but I have this on my crypts as well...

Is this dirt from the aquarium that has been circulated round ?

 

[spyder]

Glad to see the pictures, I've had this before and considered it an algae. Easy carbo helped along with constant trimming but I eventually ditched what was left of the plants. It was on Pogo Helferi too, just like your snap.

I took them from a slightly neglected low tech garage tank but they never really recovered.

 

[George Farmer]

That is algae. It's very common in newer setups; had it myself plenty of times. It will disappear all by itself after a while, assuming your conditions and maintenance are ok, which I'm sure they are. Otocinclus usually relish it too.

 

[spyder]

The hygro photo looks like the start of staghorn.

 

[Antipofish]

The hygro photo looks like the start of staghorn.

Hi Spyder, I have looked at the images on James' Algae Guide as suggested by Clive earlier and I don't think it is Staghorn, there are no filaments to this and its been on the leaves long enough that they would have formed if it was that. Cheers though. I am hoping what George said above is right Clive made some good suggestions about water maintenance and I have started to incorporate it into my shedule. I do hope that the invasiveness of my new water change regime has not pissed my male Apisto off so much that he is sick because of it. Can't imagine that being the case though.

 

[Antipofish]

That is algae. It's very common in newer setups; had it myself plenty of times. It will disappear all by itself after a while, assuming your conditions and maintenance are ok, which I'm sure they are. Otocinclus usually relish it too.

Thanks George. Maintenance has just improved following Clive's advice I am happy with my conditions. I am adding 7ml Easycarbo and 7ml TPN+ daily. 50 to 70% water changes twice weekly. CO2 on 2 hours before lights on, to bring dropchecker to a green (not lime green) and off an hour before lights off. Photoperiod 2x24w T5 unreflected for 7hours a day. Water params last time I checked (I dont test a lot) pH seems to be around the 6.4 mark most of the time, ammonia and nitrite never present when I have tested. 3dKH, 8dGH. Using Seachem Prime as dechlorinator. Can't think of any other info that might be relevant but please tell me if I have missed something or should be doing something else ?

I will get some more Ottos though.

 

[spyder]

The hygro photo looks like the start of staghorn.

Hi Spyder, I have looked at the images on James' Algae Guide as suggested by Clive earlier and I don't think it is Staghorn, there are no filaments to this and its been on the leaves long enough that they would have formed if it was that. Cheers though.

No worries, hope ya get it kicked. Just the odd leaf in the hygro shot has the characteristic dark green edge which is how I find it starts. As you have been changing a few things around over the past few weeks I'm sure it will settle down with your new and improved maintenance regime.

 

[George Farmer]

You system sounds excellent. Just be patient and I'm sure the algae will go away.

I get algae; it comes and goes. Just look after the plants, keep up the maintenance and you will be fine. The common error is to make too big a change in something, which usually results in more algae, as algae is generally more adaptable than higher plants.

 

[Antipofish]

You system sounds excellent. Just be patient and I'm sure the algae will go away.

I get algae; it comes and goes. Just look after the plants, keep up the maintenance and you will be fine. The common error is to make too big a change in something, which usually results in more algae, as algae is generally more adaptable than higher plants.

Cool thanks George How old does a setup have to be before it is not longer considered "new" out of interest ? I kinda hoped I was over the "new stage" lol. Having said that as I have been chopping and changing things (plants, filters, fish, CO2 method, CO2 levels) recently I expect it may as well be "new". Im hoping to get some H. Araguaia @ LW tomorrow, and some Crypt Wendtii Brown too, and then that ough to be it for a while. Gonna sit back, relax, do maintenance and hopefully enjoy watching it all grow (and that blardy Algae disappear).

Pity you can't make it down for the trip tomorrow, would have been cool to catch up Hope you and the family have a cracking Easter

 

[Matt Warner]

I get algae; it comes and goes. Just look after the plants, keep up the maintenance and you will be fine. The common error is to make too big a change in something, which usually results in more algae, as algae is generally more adaptable than higher plants.

Great advice George, I like your realist approach with the planted tank. At least you admit you have algae problems too just like everyone else. Some people act like they never ever get algae and it annoys me. Wherever there is light and water, you will always get some degree of algae whether we like it or not. I also like the fact that you like others on this forum never belittle people which is why people keep the hobby up and don't give up.

 

[Matt Warner]

Antipofish, just keep up on the water changes and you will be fine mate!

 

[Antipofish]

Antipofish, just keep up on the water changes and you will be fine mate!

Cheers Matty. Will keep on track

 

[Matt Warner]

Cool! How was the trip out today?

 

[Antipofish]

Cool! How was the trip out today?

Awesome day. Great to meet some new faces, put some to names, and catch up with some I already knew. MA in Morden was better than most in the chain and their prices were reasonable with a bigger selection of fish than most too. Not as many shrimp as I hoped for but you can't win 'em all. Interesting that their Corydoras Trilineatus were under a fiver and on the way home I stopped off at the MA in Brighton, where the same fish was £8 !! For a chuffing Trilineatus ! (Shame on you MA Brighton). On to Living Waters, next which was quite an experience for someone who had never been before. Quite the Tropical set up in every sense of the word. They had some wild caught Apistos which I would have seriously thought about buying but Darren noticed they had fry in the tank and took them off sale. I think there was other interested in them too from the group. I don't think I have ever seen as much moss. Heritage Aquatics on the way home, which had been billed as worth the trip, must have been having a bad day as it didn't impress me. Just bread and butter stuff really. I was hoping to find some chocolate gouramies but none to be had. Great day though. Now I am knackered.