JamesC
Member
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
Any update on this tank Sam?
James
Any update on this tank Sam?
James
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Sam's 4ft nightmare, I mean journal
- Thread starter Themuleous
- Start date
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
Hi James, sorry I missed this, I've been rather busy lately. Thanks for the interest.
Basically no, the plants still look shocking. I added some new HC and that just lost its leaves, with the new leaves quickly turning brown just like the other plants in the tank. I'm certain its due to the light, so I've removed the legs and have hung the luminary another 3" higher than it was. Perhaps I pushed the plants to hard under the 3x54w lighting for too long. Its been over a month since I reduced it to 2x54w, but that's done little if anything. I did add the new HC after reducing the lighting to two tubes, so it must be something that's wrong with the set up as it is.
Here are some photos as it is now.
This is the new HC, which has been in the tank for around 2 weeks.
He's the original stuff.
I only raised the lighting a few days ago so it still early days as to whether its helped. I'm still using RO and tap.
Would mulm affect the plants? there is quite a bit already.
I really have no idea whats going on.
Sam
Hi James, sorry I missed this, I've been rather busy lately. Thanks for the interest.
Basically no, the plants still look shocking. I added some new HC and that just lost its leaves, with the new leaves quickly turning brown just like the other plants in the tank. I'm certain its due to the light, so I've removed the legs and have hung the luminary another 3" higher than it was. Perhaps I pushed the plants to hard under the 3x54w lighting for too long. Its been over a month since I reduced it to 2x54w, but that's done little if anything. I did add the new HC after reducing the lighting to two tubes, so it must be something that's wrong with the set up as it is.
Here are some photos as it is now.
This is the new HC, which has been in the tank for around 2 weeks.
He's the original stuff.
I only raised the lighting a few days ago so it still early days as to whether its helped. I'm still using RO and tap.
Would mulm affect the plants? there is quite a bit already.
I really have no idea whats going on.
Sam
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
Everyone else please feel free to chip in here and help me out as well!
Sam
Everyone else please feel free to chip in here and help me out as well!
Sam
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
I'd love to chip in but not sure I can help!
I know if the plants are covered in dirt\mulm in my tank some do go brown, low lying\carpet plants are more susceptible to browning, I suspect as that is where the crud settles.
I wouldn't like to say this is the sole cause though, either way I suppose a good clean up of all the mulm can not be a bad thing
I'd love to chip in but not sure I can help!
I know if the plants are covered in dirt\mulm in my tank some do go brown, low lying\carpet plants are more susceptible to browning, I suspect as that is where the crud settles.
I wouldn't like to say this is the sole cause though, either way I suppose a good clean up of all the mulm can not be a bad thing
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
Haha thanks all the same Matt
Sam
Haha thanks all the same Matt
Sam
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
Any one else got any ideas? I'm getting desperate, dont make me say the 'M' word!
Sam
Any one else got any ideas? I'm getting desperate, dont make me say the 'M' word!
Sam
Ed Seeley
Member
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
I'm perplexed Sam. What's the flow like in and around the HC? Could the luml be building up in there a bit as the flow there isn't very high?
I'm perplexed Sam. What's the flow like in and around the HC? Could the luml be building up in there a bit as the flow there isn't very high?
JamesM
Member
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
First thing I'd do is cut the hc right back now that you've dropped the lighting. Are you dosing excel? hc loves that stuff.
First thing I'd do is cut the hc right back now that you've dropped the lighting. Are you dosing excel? hc loves that stuff.
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
Total puzzler, hey? See I'm not a crap aquascaper, I just cant get the plants to grow!
The flow in the tank is very good, I can see the plants moving. All the plants show the same symptoms, the HC is the worst but the HM and P.helferi do it as well.
I have cut the top off the HC at the front but it still the same. Its barely growing at the moment.
Bloomin' annoying, I had the same trouble in my nano which is my I gave up on it after 2 years of not growing anything
Sam
Total puzzler, hey? See I'm not a crap aquascaper, I just cant get the plants to grow!
The flow in the tank is very good, I can see the plants moving. All the plants show the same symptoms, the HC is the worst but the HM and P.helferi do it as well.
I have cut the top off the HC at the front but it still the same. Its barely growing at the moment.
Bloomin' annoying, I had the same trouble in my nano which is my I gave up on it after 2 years of not growing anything
Sam
Mark Evans
Expert
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
your tap water dont contain cyanide does it?...
no really, have you checked your water report for anything sinister?....
very strange mate, and i can only feel that its very disheartening, keep the faith
your tap water dont contain cyanide does it?...
no really, have you checked your water report for anything sinister?....
very strange mate, and i can only feel that its very disheartening, keep the faith
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
Haha not that I know of! I would have thought the fish would be more affected than the plants? I have plants in my non-plant tanks and they are all fine. Easy plants but no a sign of anything similar to this. I must admit I don't know of anyone else who has a hi light tank in the local area with decent plants.
Here's the report if you wouldn't mind having a look at it for me? I do use RO cut with tap so the concentrations in the tank will be less than those reported.
http://www.thameswater.co.uk/water-qual ... witney.pdf
The thing that makes me think its not the water is that I did in the early days grow the HC fine and the nano did manage one scape when the HC grow OK and I'm not doing anything different water wise now than then.
Yeh to be honest I'm rather chuffed off with it, the 4ft has cost goodness only knows how much and this is the result. An oscar or two would be a darn sight easier to keep.
Thanks people, appreciate it.
Sam
Haha not that I know of! I would have thought the fish would be more affected than the plants? I have plants in my non-plant tanks and they are all fine. Easy plants but no a sign of anything similar to this. I must admit I don't know of anyone else who has a hi light tank in the local area with decent plants.
Here's the report if you wouldn't mind having a look at it for me? I do use RO cut with tap so the concentrations in the tank will be less than those reported.
http://www.thameswater.co.uk/water-qual ... witney.pdf
The thing that makes me think its not the water is that I did in the early days grow the HC fine and the nano did manage one scape when the HC grow OK and I'm not doing anything different water wise now than then.
Yeh to be honest I'm rather chuffed off with it, the 4ft has cost goodness only knows how much and this is the result. An oscar or two would be a darn sight easier to keep.
Thanks people, appreciate it.
Sam
Steve Smith
Member
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
Hey mate, I've just scanned through most of the thread and didn't see reference to any carbon alternatives. I just wondered if you'd tried dosing something like Easy Carbo?
Hey mate, I've just scanned through most of the thread and didn't see reference to any carbon alternatives. I just wondered if you'd tried dosing something like Easy Carbo?
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
I did try excel but not very consistently as I managed to kill all the silver tip tetras with it. You are right though I should try it.
Thanks for the help
Sam
I did try excel but not very consistently as I managed to kill all the silver tip tetras with it. You are right though I should try it.
Thanks for the help
Sam
John Starkey
Member
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
Hi Sam,sorry to see you are still haveing troubles,i have to second what steve uk says,since i have been useing easy carbo my plants look really good and thats on top of 5bps 0f co2 ,give it a try mate,regards john.
Hi Sam,sorry to see you are still haveing troubles,i have to second what steve uk says,since i have been useing easy carbo my plants look really good and thats on top of 5bps 0f co2 ,give it a try mate,regards john.
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
Cheers John, will do. Anything is worth a try.
Sam
Cheers John, will do. Anything is worth a try.
Sam
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
Hi guys,
I've had a thought. Because the tank is open top the water level goes down quite a bit during the week, added to which I try to keep the outlet on the powerhead so that is just breaks the waters surface so that it clears the scum and also oxygenates the water.
All this means the CO2 is not 100% stable, it very rarely goes into the blue, but it goes range from yellow to dark green during the week.
This I wouldn't necessarily say is unstable (Maybe I'm wrong?) but could these changes in CO2 concentration affect the plants in the way it has? It does seem a bit unlikely to me but worth a try. The only way to stop this would be to have the outlet below the waters surface enough that it doesn't affect the waters surface at all, but I risk gassing the fish and the surface scum is a PITA.
Thanks.
Sam
PS - Its early days but having raised the light up a bit over the tank and the HC has got even worse
Hi guys,
I've had a thought. Because the tank is open top the water level goes down quite a bit during the week, added to which I try to keep the outlet on the powerhead so that is just breaks the waters surface so that it clears the scum and also oxygenates the water.
All this means the CO2 is not 100% stable, it very rarely goes into the blue, but it goes range from yellow to dark green during the week.
This I wouldn't necessarily say is unstable (Maybe I'm wrong?) but could these changes in CO2 concentration affect the plants in the way it has? It does seem a bit unlikely to me but worth a try. The only way to stop this would be to have the outlet below the waters surface enough that it doesn't affect the waters surface at all, but I risk gassing the fish and the surface scum is a PITA.
Thanks.
Sam
PS - Its early days but having raised the light up a bit over the tank and the HC has got even worse
Steve Smith
Member
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
It might be worth moving your drop checker about the tank over the next few days and see if you can find any dead spots?
It might be worth moving your drop checker about the tank over the next few days and see if you can find any dead spots?
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
Yeh good idea, trouble is nothing grows (or at least very well) so dead spots are the least of my worries at the moment!
Sam
Yeh good idea, trouble is nothing grows (or at least very well) so dead spots are the least of my worries at the moment!
Sam
beeky
Member
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
As long as there's a gentle ripple in the surface of the water the oxygen exchange should be fine. I understand about breaking up the scum though. Perhaps the scum is also a symptom of the same problem? Not that that helps!!
As long as there's a gentle ripple in the surface of the water the oxygen exchange should be fine. I understand about breaking up the scum though. Perhaps the scum is also a symptom of the same problem? Not that that helps!!
beeky
Member
Re: Completely stumped - the saga continues
Looking back again I think mulm is the problem. Any kind of build up IME hows that the water isn't being circulated vigourously enough or the filter(s) aren't up to the job. If it settles on the leaves it will clog the pores.
How often do you have to clean the filter?
Looking back again I think mulm is the problem. Any kind of build up IME hows that the water isn't being circulated vigourously enough or the filter(s) aren't up to the job. If it settles on the leaves it will clog the pores.
How often do you have to clean the filter?
