• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Plant Melt, Why has this happened?

A

AJ Aquascaper

New Member
Joined
14 Feb 2022
Messages
12
Location
Devon
Hello everyone.

I'm finding this quite perplexing! I've never encountered this much melt as this scape has.
This scape is 1 month old.
23C temp,
CO2 injection at 3 BPS.
More than 5x flow to the total volume of water.
The tank is a AquaNano60 so 100 litres.
Dosing with Easy Life Profito.
Even now, my buce, hygrophila pinnatifida and even my windolov is started to melt?!

The one thing I have saw that is odd. My Ph is 6, I expect this due to CO2. However my Kh is around 34d of Hardness. Could this be why?! I've ordered Seachem Alkaline Buffer. Any advice here. All welcome. Thank you in advance!
 

Attachments

  • 273741957_636441237573979_893882627013016775_n.jpg
    273741957_636441237573979_893882627013016775_n.jpg
    113.9 KB · Views: 176
AJ Aquascaper said:
Hello everyone.

I'm finding this quite perplexing! I've never encountered this much melt as this scape has.
This scape is 1 month old.
23C temp,
CO2 injection at 3 BPS.
More than 5x flow to the total volume of water.
The tank is a AquaNano60 so 100 litres.
Dosing with Easy Life Profito.
Even now, my buce, hygrophila pinnatifida and even my windolov is started to melt?!
Click to expand...
What substrate are you using? Plant melt is usual can happen in tanks using soils that leach ammonia, and risk is higher if you are using in vitro plants. Plants will also need to adapt from emersed to submersed state when the tank is new. Some plants will just lose leaves during this period, others can melt. What you are describing seems normal in a one month old tank with a rich substrate.

You also need to provide <more details> about your tank: lights, light period, fertilisation regime, full tank shot...

AJ Aquascaper said:
However my Kh is around 34d of Hardness.
Click to expand...
You mean 3.4° dKH or 34° dKH? How did you actually measure this value? If is 34° dKH, that would be an extreme level of carbonates. You would have to select specific livestock and plants adapted to those conditions, since those levels are not suitable for a majority of plants.
AJ Aquascaper said:
Could this be why?! I've ordered Seachem Alkaline Buffer. Any advice here. All welcome. Thank you in advance!
Click to expand...
Your pH seems to be fine, although you need to explain when did you measure 6 pH - before or after CO2 injection. More important than the pH value is its stability during CO2 injection. Those chemicals will not solve any problem or address the root cause of the problem, assuming there is a problem in first place.
 
Last edited:
AJ Aquascaper said:
However my Kh is around 34d of Hardness. Could this be why?! I've ordered Seachem Alkaline Buffer.
Click to expand...
HI @AJ Aquascaper How do you measure KH ? 34 degrees is an astronomical number... must be a misprint. I assume its either 34 ppm or 3.4 KH - either way its fine and you shouldn't add any alkaline buffers (and Alkaline buffers raises KH and pH btw,).

This tank is still very much immature being only 1 month old. It might be a CO2 issue and/or your light levels are too high. I am not sure what your getting with Easy Life pro in terms of fertilizer... we will have to know how much you dose as well and more additional details about your tank - especially a full tank shot and how you apply CO2.

Welcome to UKAPS! :)

Cheers,
Michael
 
Hey! Wow, this is a wake up haha. I'm looking to learn tons more! I must have read it incorrectly or at least, misunderstood. So with the Kh. I'm using the NT Labs Test kit. The Kh test goes yellow after the second drop. I'm sure it says each drop is 17.5 degrees....

Lighting is on for 8 hours per day, co2 comes on 1 hour before the light comes on and an hour before the lights go off to save gas. Substrate I'm using is a mix of Fluval Stratum and Tetra Soil. The ferts say 10ml per 100 litres weekly. So I apply accordingly. Best to stop ordering that Seachem Alkaline Buffer then?
 
This is what my tank is like now. Minus some plants melting.
 

Attachments

  • 273968007_509584020511064_8315809262392002860_n.jpg
    273968007_509584020511064_8315809262392002860_n.jpg
    135.4 KB · Views: 113
  • 273498432_470895381166907_8821736339627496339_n.jpg
    273498432_470895381166907_8821736339627496339_n.jpg
    110.4 KB · Views: 114
I feel doubtful the lighting is enough. Also, there is a glass top to this so there is even more restrictive amount of light getting to the plants. I was thinking about getting TwinStar 600SA
 
This is my lighting. I'm convinced this is an issue as well
 

Attachments

  • 273695709_461106768831307_101338915565758363_n.jpg
    273695709_461106768831307_101338915565758363_n.jpg
    93.6 KB · Views: 104
  • 273742331_236098838736921_3691980213649525985_n.jpg
    273742331_236098838736921_3691980213649525985_n.jpg
    58.6 KB · Views: 117
AJ Aquascaper said:
Wow. Okay fair enough! That isn't my issue then!
Click to expand...
Your dKH value isn’t, but what about lighting, CO2 and fertilisation? If you’re running high tech (which you are with the addition of CO2) then you need to add NPK as part of your fertilisation. Do you have a drop checker? If so, what colour is it? How did you arrive at 3bps of CO2?
 
I have my regulator, solenoid value and a built into bubble counter. I just tweak it so I get 3 BPS. My drop checker is a solid green colour
 
AJ Aquascaper said:
I feel doubtful the lighting is enough. Also, there is a glass top to this so there is even more restrictive amount of light getting to the plants. I was thinking about getting TwinStar 600SA
Click to expand...
lighting is very very very unlikely to be the problem. plants grow with surprisingly little amount of light. the problem is probably co2 and flow, i'd recommend adding a powerhead to bump up your 5x turnover to atleast 10. and get the DC lime green and double check with a ph pen
hypnogogia said:
Yes, 2dKH is fine. There are some folks here that run their tanks at 0 dKH.
Click to expand...
the only way:cool:
AJ Aquascaper said:
Wow. Okay fair enough! That isn't my issue then!
Click to expand...
yes definitely
MichaelJ said:
Well then, @AJ Aquascaper you should switch to an actual complete fertilizer solution such as TNC Complete.
Click to expand...
agreed.
the light looks fine, i've seen those in person.
 
plantnoobdude said:
lighting is very very very unlikely to be the problem. plants grow with surprisingly little amount of light. the problem is probably co2 and flow, i'd recommend adding a powerhead to bump up your 5x turnover to atleast 10. and get the DC lime green and double check with a ph pen

the only way:cool:

yes definitely

agreed.
the light looks fine, i've seen those in person.
Click to expand...
Ah okay fab! This is all great news as I was close to spending £250 this morning and getting a twinstar haha. I'll get a complete food. You guys recommend the TNC Complete?

Also, I ordered a Ehim Surface skimmer. I think this should help with the flow rate. One hopes haha. I'll cancel my order for the Alkaline Buffer
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top