Giving up with co2!

[Valleyglow]

Plants were ok before I added co2. I upgraded the standard fluval roma light to a fluval plant 3.0 as thought might need stronger lighting to balance to co2 and since plants looks awful. What is going wrong? Light on for 8 hours and still using tropica specialised ferts and flourish

 

[john dory]

You could try going back to your original light..but keeping co2.

 

[Kezzab]

I'd probably agree. The addition of co2 in itself should not cause a problem. But adding a much more powerful light could easily result in issues

The 'balance' thing is only partially true. Strong light does usually need co2, but co2 doesnt 'need' lots of light. Addition of co2 should help plant growth even in a low light tank.

 

[dino21]

Assuming the those pics are in order, before and after, could it be that before, your plants were being kept very slow growing, almost dwarfed, by those conditions and now with Co2 and lights they are really starting to grow strongly ?
Its noticable in the before pic that the plants leaves have a lot of algae on them suggesting very slow growth.

Some plants can look very different form the small specimens you can get in shops to when they are growing well in under proper conditions.
To see how you plants should look when grown under optimum conditions have a look in the Tropica web site.

 

[john dory]

To be fair,take away the algae and you have some decent growth.
Maybe a bit of tweeking is all that is required.

 

[G H Nelson]

tps://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/please-read-the-guidelines-for-plant-help.60671/

 

[PARAGUAY]

Can you raise the light? Cut the hours down for now

 

[Valleyglow]

Thanks all. I've reduced the light by 50% and will continue with 6 hours. They are still growing fast but just the condition isn't great. They are all producing a lot of roots on the stems which I woukd guess they are struggling to get the nutrients from the soil? I used tropica soil and to be fair I forgot to add root tabs but put those in a few weeks ago. This was scaped about a month ago and used the old plants. Maybe uprooting them and replanting hasn't helped? But I did put new plants aswell and they aren't good either so doubt its that. I bought some phosphates pads for filter, not put them in yet but shoukd I try that?

 

[Kezzab]

Phosphate is one of your main plant nutrients. So unless you have a specific reason you do not want to be removing it from your tank.

It's more likely your plants aren't getting enough nutrients. I'd review your fertiliser dosing levels.