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Plants don't look fine. Help

N_F_S

Seedling
Joined
29 Oct 2020
Messages
23
Location
Portugal
Hello,

As I have explained in my introduction thread, I spent the last month reading every corner of this forum, and I had started my first tank 3 days ago.

Setup:
  • Tank: 170x50x60
  • Filter: 2 x OASE Biomaster 850 Thermo
  • CO2: Pressurised CO2
  • Lights: 3x Chihiros RGB Vivid 2, on 8h day =(1h ramp up + 6h 80% + 1h ramp down)
  • Substrate: First Layer JBL Volcano, Second Layer Tropica Aquarium Soil, Third Layer ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia (I want to use tropica+volcano only, but during the scape I needed more soil and my bfs only as ADA available)
  • Fertilisers: Tropica Plant Grow Premium

Log:
  • I planted 3 days ago
  • 50% water change every day
  • 5 Tropica Fertiliser pumps every day
  • CO2 = 7B/s and drop checker almost yellow
  • Due my Amazonia Soil, my GH drops from 5dh to 2dh and Kh from 3kh to 1kh. On day 2, I raised my GH to 8dh and today (day 3) I raised KH to 4dh

Issues
  • My plants don't look very nice. Maybe it's normal in the beginning because the roots are not established, but since it's my first tank ever, I start to panic about.
  • Montecarlo pearling in the very first day, but since day2 are struggling and some leaves are almost white.
  • Christmas moss, start to exhibit yellow in the end of the leaves
  • The other plants, are with mix colours in the leafs or with twisted leaves
  • In day 3, only red plants and Anubias are pearling.

I will post photos from my drop checker, and entire aquarium, and more photos with some plants problem examples.

My LFS are from the opinion that I should remove my Filter output tubes along the back of the tank, and install the 4 pipes on the same side of the tank(2 output and 2 input). The output, should use only the output hole without any tube, like lily pipes. From what I have seen here, I think it isn't the best for the flow.

My LFS are specialised only in aquascaping and managed by a very well known scape, and I feel they have very knowledge about it. But, of course, they recommend whatever works for them, and don't mean other scenarios are not equal good or best. So your opinions are very important.

Do you think the problem are related with the filter flow and location? My drop checker are in the opposite side of the CO2 output, and are yellowish.

thank for you help, and sorry for my English, but isn't my first language.
 

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Hi, i would say this is fairly normal. I usually find it takes at least 2 weeks for plants to settle in, especially in a brand new tank with an uncycled filer. In that time plants adapt to being submerged, shed old leaves and generally look a bit sad and unhappy.

Keep doing what you are doing, trim off any rotting plant material and look out for new growth coming through. If that new growth is healthy then all is good.
 
Can you add fast growing stems at the back . Filter outflow along the back is a well proven method(Ceg expert) so shouldn't be a issue.
 
This is normal, plants need to adapt to underwater life which takes a while, realistically 3 weeks. Plants will melt, some may not recover.

I would say lower you lighting levels, 3 of those lights even at 50% is pretty powerful.

Also it looks like you need a lot more plants, especially fast growing stem plants. That's an expensive set up, so makes sense to spend a decent amount on plants otherwise you will resent it if it doesn't go well.

My general rule to planting is, if it's a big set up spend 10-15% of your total budget on plants.
 
Thank you for all replies. Helps a lot.

Actually, all my plants are growing very fast and a lot of healthy new grow, despite the old leaves are ugly. The really exception are Montecarlo, where I don't see much new grow.
 
Hi, i would say this is fairly normal. I usually find it takes at least 2 weeks for plants to settle in, especially in a brand new tank with an uncycled filer. In that time plants adapt to being submerged, shed old leaves and generally look a bit sad and unhappy.

Keep doing what you are doing, trim off any rotting plant material and look out for new growth coming through. If that new growth is healthy then all is good.
When you say, to trim off rotting plant material, you are talk complete remove dead leaves?

Can you add fast growing stems at the back . Filter outflow along the back is a well proven method(Ceg expert) so shouldn't be a issue.
I know, I already saw a lot of posts from Ceg about this, and it was the reason why I don't change after my lfs advice. I have doubts because the CO2 diffuser. I'm using one in-tank diffuser, and I don't know if Ceg method are with only one CO2 input. With 2 CO2 outputs(each side), I'm sure my filter position are the most effective. I will stick on this for now :)

In the future, I want to have 2 in-line CO2 outputs, one in each filter. I started with in-tank first, only because I have read that inline are more difficult to tune the CO2 than in-tank. Since I'm newbie, I want to do baby steps on this, to avoid caos.
 
When you say, to trim off rotting plant material, you are talk complete remove dead leaves?


I know, I already saw a lot of posts from Ceg about this, and it was the reason why I don't change after my lfs advice. I have doubts because the CO2 diffuser. I'm using one in-tank diffuser, and I don't know if Ceg method are with only one CO2 input. With 2 CO2 outputs(each side), I'm sure my filter position are the most effective. I will stick on this for now :)

In the future, I want to have 2 in-line CO2 outputs, one in each filter. I started with in-tank first, only because I have read that inline are more difficult to tune the CO2 than in-tank. Since I'm newbie, I want to do baby steps on this, to avoid caos.
Yes, trim off any obviously rotting leaves. With stem plants (like Rotala or AR Mini) that might mean you end up with bare stem with a few leaves at the top. That's OK. After a couple of weeks cut the stems quite near the base, leave the 'stumps', then replant the nice top sections. You can discard the bare stem middle bits or just replant them too and they will start to put out new shoots after a week or less.
 
I'm back on this.

6 days after the setup, almost all the plants are recovering the good shape. My main issue is with the Rotala Rotundifolia 'Green'. The stems that are growing fast, are losing all the leaves, because all them turn transparent. It seems better in the dark time, with some grow and new green leaves, and in the end of the light time, almost all leves are transparent. The shorter steams are very green...

Here some photos.

I'm wondering if it isn't to bad to be only issues to adapt to his immersed form.
With all I have read here, and because the plant are on the back, and right behind the part of the sprayer that are missing, I think in CO2 problem. But, the plants at the right and left Side, are in very good shape...
And I have some pogostemon helferi with transparent tips all over the tank, but only the tips...
 

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As others have mentioned, I would recommend giving it some time. If you're on top of your water changes, dosing nutrients properly, and have good flow, it should just be a matter of time before things settle in. There's a lot going on in a new tank, including ammonia leaching from soil, bacteria being established, and rapidly swinging water parameters. I've had tanks look like that for the first 2 weeks before things really begin to thrive. Sensitive plants like mosses can go completely brown for a multiple weeks before bouncing back to a rich green. Stem plants will often shed leaves as they transition. 6 days in just seems too short to diagnose a problem if you're handling the above well.
 
As others have mentioned, I would recommend giving it some time. If you're on top of your water changes, dosing nutrients properly, and have good flow, it should just be a matter of time before things settle in. There's a lot going on in a new tank, including ammonia leaching from soil, bacteria being established, and rapidly swinging water parameters. I've had tanks look like that for the first 2 weeks before things really begin to thrive. Sensitive plants like mosses can go completely brown for a multiple weeks before bouncing back to a rich green. Stem plants will often shed leaves as they transition. 6 days in just seems too short to diagnose a problem if you're handling the above well.
sorry for overeating, but it’s my very first tank and this steams seems very bad. Thank you
 
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