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Plant stopped growing? What I am doing wrong?

Ks198

Member
Joined
29 Apr 2017
Messages
60
Location
Bromley
Since 3,4 months ago, I found that my plants stopped growing. See the picture 3 months ago and now. You can see some of plants have almost completed vanished. They simply stopped growing and eventually unrooted. I am not sure what has caused the issue. Since a month ago, I started to putting TNC completely every day, but seem have little help. Also, every week, I have been putting some Flourish Potassium.
A months ago, I have also bought some plants again, Aponogeton Crispus, Bacon Caroliniana and Valliseneria Spiralis Bunch. Seems the only one doing okay is Bacon Caroliniana. Aponogeton Crispus is hardly visible (see pic 3) and Spirallis is dying I think (see pic 4)
Can you please help me to diagnose the issue? I had tetra substrate complete and sand on top from 2 years ago. Is this because the substrate ran out of nutrition? Maybe lack of co2? But I never had co2 tank.
Some pictures,
See the picture 5 from about 4 months ago. Even back then, you can see some of the plants on the back (I can remember the name), lost all the leaves, excepts some new ones on the top.

Picture 4 is what you see now. Most of old plants are gone now.


Picture 1,2,3 shows current plants aren’t doing well either.


What i am doing wrong? Need change substrate? Need co2? Thx a lot for your advise
 

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Last edited:
You are right.
You need new substrate, CO2 and preferably, double the lighting. I've got three of Juwel tanks running and that works for me.
Tetra substrate complete is a very poor choice. Try Tropica Soil on a bed of Tropica Substrate. Go gangbusters and supercharge your plants.
There are plenty of options described this forum for CO2 systems, such as the cheap and reliable fire extinguishers with welding regulators. Otherwise you might as well not bother with lighting.
Look out for a high power overhead light like the Fluval Quadruple T5. I'm buying these units up as fast as they are advertised, but if you can beat me to it - they are a great investment :shh:. My IQuatics unit was faulty and the guy was rude :bawling: and these units make maintenance very difficult. But boy do I like Fluval. You could also look at some of the high tech LED options and there is plenty of advise on this forum.

So for the Juwel range (which were basically designed in the STONE AGE :mad:) you need to work in this order: substrate>CO2>lighting
Good luck and message me if you need any specific help. I have upgraded many of these tanks and you're going to get there too :)
 
Thank you Simon. Very informative.

I bought the co2art co2 kit. Will try it on first. Changing substrate sounds a big pain to me. Any tricks to do it?
 
Changing Substrate
I don’t think there’s an effortless way to do this

Filipe Oliveira just did an excellent video on rescaping a tank


Good direction on fish removal
- use any food safe bin that is sufficient size for your fish number/size
- add an air stone or Eheim mini up filter or Eheim 350 skim (I have a couple of these now, well made, quiet, great for temporary tanks)
- Ember tetras in the video immediately hid but I can often (easily) net most fish, it’s important not to chase fish for any length of time as this exhausts & stresses them, then they’ll be going into a temporary home which will usually continue some degree of stress
- don’t feed fish in the holding bin unless you’ve set up the filter on it (they can much more easily go without food than deal with ammonia etc)

Once livestock are out, just drain tank thoroughly - push substrate away from one corner, I like to heap substrate in middle of tank like an island, syphon all water, wait a bit and syphon again (it’s much less messy to scoop and transport drier substrate - note this can be heavy even with much of the water drained)
If you’ve used gravel, be careful not to scratch glass (one major advantage of Tropica etc Aquarium Soil is the complete lack of scratch factor)

Of course this is all much easier with something like the Python No Spill Clean and Fill (which isn’t all that difficult to jury rig, just be careful to use food/drinking water grade hose - depending on country, garden etc hose may be treated with anti-mould/anti-fungals)
 
I bought the co2art co2 kit. Will try it on first. Changing substrate sounds a big pain to me. Any tricks to do it?
I agree with Alto. I use the largest Really Useful Storage Box to house fish. I find them to be really good for growing plants and various cultures. I never thought to check that they were food safe, but they have worked so far.

If you’ve used gravel, be careful not to scratch glass (one major advantage of Tropica etc Aquarium Soil is the complete lack of scratch factor)
This is a fantastic point. That is why I recommend Tropica.
 
I agree with Alto. I use the largest Really Useful Storage Box to house fish. I find them to be really good for growing plants and various cultures. I never thought to check that they were food safe, but they have worked so far.


This is a fantastic point. That is why I recommend Tropica.
Thx. After using co2 for 1 months now. I can see the plants are growing again. It’s not there yet, but the trend looks okay. I might consider to change the lights as well. Thx all
 
I agree with Alto. I use the largest Really Useful Storage Box to house fish. I find them to be really good for growing plants and various cultures. I never thought to check that they were food safe, but they have worked so far.


This is a fantastic point. That is why I recommend Tropica.
What do you think of juwel multilux led light unit? I have a juwel 180 litter with normal t5 light at moment. Not sure the one suggested quadruple would fit or not?
 
I had tetra substrate complete and sand on top from 2 years ago. Is this because the substrate ran out of nutrition?
Have you added substrate root tabs (as in Filipe Oliveira linked video)?

Juwel 180 with twin fluorescents? HOT5?
(lighting manufacturers often list CRI, Kelvin and Lumens for specific T5s etc, I believe Giesemann and Juwel do as well)

Juwel new LED lighting is nice, especially the HelioLux but you can also have a very nice tank with T5s etc
 
Have you added substrate root tabs (as in Filipe Oliveira linked video)?

Juwel 180 with twin fluorescents? HOT5?
(lighting manufacturers often list CRI, Kelvin and Lumens for specific T5s etc, I believe Giesemann and Juwel do as well)

Juwel new LED lighting is nice, especially the HelioLux but you can also have a very nice tank with T5s etc

Yeah twin fluorescent.

What root tab you recommend? I think I will find something that I can just insert rather than changing the substrate. Easy life or Seachem?
 
The Fluval T5 HO Quadruple would fit your tank. The thing I like most about it is that it flips up completely, I also like the look of black aluminium and the excellent build quality. It takes standard tubing sizes, which means there is a huge variety of bulbs to choose from, and they tend to cost a lot less. It also lets me see my floating plants and pencilfish from the top, easy access. I have not had a play about with the Helialux or Multilux because they do not give me anywhere near as much light intensity, the unity is less accessible, and I wasn't convinced by the chroma of light produced in my tanks. I reckon it comes down to personal choice. I am very glad that things are now looking up for you - well done :thumbup:
 
Since 3,4 months ago, I found that my plants stopped growing. See the picture 3 months ago and now. You can see some of plants have almost completed
vanished. They simply stopped

growing and eventually unrooted. I am not sure what has caused the issue. Since a month ago, I started to putting TNC completely every day, but seem have little help. Also, every week, I have been putting some Flourish Potassium.
A months ago, I have also bought some plants again, Aponogeton Crispus, Bacon Caroliniana and Valliseneria Spiralis Bunch. Seems the only one doing okay is Bacon Caroliniana. Aponogeton Crispus is hardly visible (see pic 3) and Spirallis is dying I think (see pic 4)
Can you please help me to diagnose the issue? I had tetra substrate complete and sand on top from 2 years ago. Is this because the substrate ran out of nutrition? Maybe lack of co2? But I never had co2 tank.
Some pictures,
See the picture 5 from about 4 months ago. Even back then, you can see some of the plants on the back (I can remember the name), lost all the leaves, excepts some new ones on the top.

Picture 4 is what you see now. Most of old plants are gone now.


Picture 1,2,3 shows current plants aren’t doing well either.


What i am doing wrong? Need change substrate? Need co2? Thx a lot for your advise

Water Changes!
hoggie
 
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