Help for a beginner please

[Tizzah]

Hello,

I've kept cichlids (in plantless tanks) for many years, but have decided to now try and keep discuss in a planted tank.
The tank has been up and running for a month or so. Because the water around my area in south Wiltshire is so hard and alkaline I was advised to by an RO-unit if I was going to be keeping discus.

I am having real problems with paticularly my amazon swords. The leaves are developing initially yellow areas and then become brown. Some leaves become limp and translucent. This is also the case for the small , fine green foreground plants which have now all but died. The Red plants don't seem to be thriving much either. There has been an insidious development of some rather grubby looking brown algae on the glass and heater too.It doesn't seem to be affecting the plants too much yet.

By reading other postings I had initially thought that this was iron deficiency, but I would have thought that the substrate, weekly addition of Nutrafin Plant Gro and satisfactory chleated Iron levels (Nutrafin test) would go against this? I wondered then whether it was magnesium deficiency due to using RO water?

Is using RO water a no-no for planted tanks? Is mixing tap and RO-Water better?

I would be grateful for members' thoughts, along with any comments about my set up. Unfortunately I've just noted that one of my clown loaches has white spot. I was planning on using Interpet "Anti White Spot" containing Formaldehyde 5,000mg and Malachite Green Oxalate 47mg. Is this a problem?

Many thanks,


Tank Size: 48" x 24" x 24
Fish: 5 x small Clown loaches, 5x Silver Hatchetfish. Planning on adding 6 small (approx 3.5") discus soon.
Substrate : 6 x Caribsea Eco Complete Aquarium Plant Substrate 20 kg covered in a 2-3cms silver sand
Water : RO water corrected for TDS & pH with Kent RO rite
Lighting: 1 x 46" T5 54W (Arcadia Original Tropical Pro) & 1 x 42"T5 54W (Arcadia J5 Plant Pro)
Photoperiod : 11am - 7pm - 8 hours.
CO2: None - have just ordered some liquid soluble CO2
Filtration: 1 x Eheim External Filter Professional 3 2075
pH : typically 7.4 - 7.5
Nitrate / Nitrite / Ammonia 5 /0 / 0-0.1 mg/L
Iron Non-Chelated Iron 0
Chelated Iron 0.25 mg/L ( Apparently within the ideal range)

Plants essentially the java plants 60" discus collection
Crypt Nevillii,
Ech Tennellus
Pygmy Chain Sword
Crypt Wendtii
Green Ludwigia
Amazon Sword
Red Amazon
Lobellia Cardinalis
Red Ludwigia
Indian Fern
Vallis Corkscrew lrg
Hygo Polysperma
Vallis Torta
Barclaya Longifolia
Crypt Balansae
Aponogeton Crispus
Nymphea Stellata
Red Hygrophillia
Rotala Macrandra
Ammanaia Senegalensis
Red Vallis Spirallis

 

[amy4342]

Hi. Can you please provide some more information - tank size, what filter are you running, what lights and at what intensity and photoperiod, are you using co2, substrate, fertilisers used and tank maintenance will all help.
Thanks

 

[Tizzah]

Thanks,

Tank Size: 48" x 24" x 24
Fish: 5 x small Clown loaches, 5x Silver Hatchetfish. Planning on adding 6 small (approx 3.5") discus soon.
Substrate : 6 x Caribsea Eco Complete Aquarium Plant Substrate 20 kg covered in a 2-3cms silver sand
Water : RO water corrected for TDS & pH with Kent RO rite
Lighting: 1 x 46" T5 54W (Arcadia Original Tropical Pro) & 1 x 42"T5 54W (Arcadia J5 Plant Pro)
Photoperiod : 11am - 7pm - 8 hours.
CO2: None - have just ordered some liquid soluble CO2
Filtration: 1 x Eheim External Filter Professional 3 2075
pH : typically 7.4 - 7.5
Nitrate / Nitrite / Ammonia 5 /0 / 0-0.1 mg/L
Iron Non-Chelated Iron 0
Chelated Iron 0.25 mg/L ( Apparently within the ideal range)

Plants essentially the java plants 60" discus collection
Crypt Nevillii,
Ech Tennellus
Pygmy Chain Sword
Crypt Wendtii
Green Ludwigia
Amazon Sword
Red Amazon
Lobellia Cardinalis
Red Ludwigia
Indian Fern
Vallis Corkscrew lrg
Hygo Polysperma
Vallis Torta
Barclaya Longifolia
Crypt Balansae
Aponogeton Crispus
Nymphea Stellata
Red Hygrophillia
Rotala Macrandra
Ammanaia Senegalensis
Red Vallis Spirallis

 

[Themuleous]

Hi,

I've broken this down to make it easier

By reading other postings I had initially thought that this was iron deficiency, but I would have thought that the substrate, weekly addition of Nutrafin Plant Gro and satisfactory chleated Iron levels (Nutrafin test) would go against this? I wondered then whether it was magnesium deficiency due to using RO water?

I have real trouble pinning a specific symptom on a particular deficiency, much better in my book to add plenty of everything then you know it cant be a nutrient deficiency

Is using RO water a no-no for planted tanks? Is mixing tap and RO-Water better?

Not at all some people (Ed Seeley for example) use 100% RO and don’t have any problems (that I know of ) Tap water will provide some useful nutrients, but its by no means essential.

I would be grateful for members' thoughts, along with any comments about my set up. Unfortunately I've just noted that one of my clown loaches hawhite s spot. I was planning on using Interpet "ti Whitete Spot" containing Formaldehyde 5,000mg and Malachite Green Oxalate 47mg. Is this a problem?

I don’t see a problem with this, but I've not used this product in a planted tank so I could be wrong.

To add, I think you have two options. Reduce the light to one light tube which would reduce the plants demands for ferts, or run two tubes and add extra ferts into the tank. I also think you could do with CO2, 2xT5 bulbs is quite a bit, and I'm sure the plants would appreciate the added CO2. Liquid carbon is ok, but gas CO2 is better in my book. There are two guides on setting up a DIY CO2 system to help keep costs down.

Hope that helps

Sam

 

[Dolly Sprint 16v]

One vital bit missing - RO water does not contain Phosphates and a nominated amount Po4 is required to ensure good plant growth. Nitrates could be a little higher eg 15- 20 ppm.

Regards
paul.