Anubias yellowing,with black dots/spots and holes

[Fishfinder1973]

This is something that I’ve never had a problem with.
I’m thinking Fe and potassium deficiency.
Anyone any idea?
Much appreciated.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Yellowing leaves and holes are definite signs of deficiencies in nutrients.

Which nutrients are lacking exactly, I am uncertain to be honest.

Do you add ferts to the tank at all?

If you don’t add ferts then perhaps a once weekly dose of liquid ferts the day after water changes would be beneficial for these plants imo.

I only say add ferts the day after water changes purely because some dechlorinators may affect the efficiency of ferts by binding some of the nutrients within.

 

[Byron]

I agree, we need to know what if any nutrients/fertilizers you are now using. Light can sometimes be an issue, being too bright for shade plants like Anubias, but I don't think that is the issue here.

I will just mention that adding any single nutrient, such as iron or potassium, is almost always detrimental nd can cause worse iues for plants (and fish for that matter). Plants need 17 nutrients, and in a certain proportion. Comprehensive fertilizers are easiest at providing this, if nutrient supplementation is needed (fish and fish foods and water changes all provide some nutrients but they may not be enough).

Iron is highly dangerous. I have had floating plants killed when I added additional iron (someone told me to, before I knew better). Iron is a micro-nutrient and in a good quality comprehensive fertilizer there will be sufficient iron in balance with everything else. Iron can also cause algae problems. Potassium is relatively harmless by comparison, but on its own is not going to make much difference if something else is missing or insufficient.

 

[Fishfinder1973]

Thanks for the replies.
I was adding a quarter of the recommended dose of potassium a week and about half the recommended dose of iron.I stopped adding them when this issue began.
It’s as if it’s spreading through the anubias plants one by one.
The only other plant I have is sessiliflora,which looks ok,though growth has slowed.
When I’m at work the light is off.The tank only gets about 5hrs of light from a bulb,but it does get natural light,but not directly.
Weekends see the lights on around 16hrs in total.
I’m not getting any algae growing,anywhere in the tank,I don’t know wether that’s a good thing or bad thing (no algae)

 

[Byron]

Thanks for the replies.
I was adding a quarter of the recommended dose of potassium a week and about half the recommended dose of iron.I stopped adding them when this issue began.
It’s as if it’s spreading through the anubias plants one by one.
The only other plant I have is sessiliflora,which looks ok,though growth has slowed.
When I’m at work the light is off.The tank only gets about 5hrs of light from a bulb,but it does get natural light,but not directly.
Weekends see the lights on around 16hrs in total.
I’m not getting any algae growing,anywhere in the tank,I don’t know wether that’s a good thing or bad thing (no algae)

With this information, I am inclined to suggest that the iron is the cause of the Anubias failing. Anubias is a slow-growing plant, so it needs significantly less nutrients than the sessilifora for example, and that means too much of something like iron has even more of a detriment. But at the same time, the other nutrients are likely insufficient.

I would recommend a comprehensive fertilizer, like Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium, or, because you are in the UK you can get The Nutrient Company's products, and their TNC Lite would be good. It has all required nutrients except nitrogen and phosphorus, but these are already in abundance in a tank with fish that are (presumably!) being fed. Phosphorus in fish foods is more than sufficient for plants. And aquatic plants take up nitrogen as ammonia/ammonium, and there is not usually a shortage of that in a fish tank. TNC Lite.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Pets at Home carry the Tropica line, which has both nutrient tablets and a liquid fertiliser.
I've used both to no ill effect and probable good effect.

 

[Fishfinder1973]

Thanks everyone.
I will need to order tnc lite,as none of the lfs have it,they only have tnc complete and tnc carbon.I do have flourish.
I did a water test and the ph was below the api ph range.This is weird as my ph is normally 6.6 solid.
The nitrates were also through the roof,above 80.
The tap water has a ph of 7 and 0 nitrates.
One of the filters was also running very slow,like a blockage.
I did a 80% water change and cleaned the filter,which is now working full again.
Thanks again all

 

[Byron]

Thanks everyone.
I will need to order tnc lite,as none of the lfs have it,they only have tnc complete and tnc carbon.I do have flourish.
I did a water test and the ph was below the api ph range.This is weird as my ph is normally 6.6 solid.
The nitrates were also through the roof,above 80.
The tap water has a ph of 7 and 0 nitrates.
One of the filters was also running very slow,like a blockage.
I did a 80% water change and cleaned the filter,which is now working full again.
Thanks again all

If the "Flourish" is the Flourish Comprehensive Supplement, it is OK to use that. The nitrogen and phosphorus is very low in this.

High nitrates and low pH is a sign of excess organics, so larger and/or more frequent water changes, not overstocking and not overfeeding, will help. Both nitrate and pH should always be consistent from test to test, never varying, in a stable system.

 

[Fishfinder1973]

I changed the substrate out about a month ago,changed it to sand.I bet I’ve caused a cycle.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I changed the substrate out about a month ago,changed it to sand.I bet I’ve caused a cycle.

That sounds credible, especially if it was from a gravel. (Gravel has better flow through it and, I believe, houses more beneficial bacteria than sand, but that should be a discussion for another thread).

 

[itiwhetu]

This is the sort of thing that happens when playing with fertilizers, sometimes you get it right sometimes it's a miss. You most probably don't need Fertilizers at all for your plants.

 

[Spyro]

This is something that I’ve never had a problem with.
I’m thinking Fe and potassium deficiency.
Anyone any idea?
Much appreciated.
View attachment 144201

That looks like it could be disease.
Check if the rhizome has soft and yellowish/brownish parts. If it's not hard to touch and green = throw out the plant

 

[Fishfinder1973]

Good shout spyro.I checked when I did the water change and their ryzomes.They are firm and healthy enough.

 

[Fishfinder1973]

If the "Flourish" is the Flourish Comprehensive Supplement, it is OK to use that. The nitrogen and phosphorus is very low in this.

High nitrates and low pH is a sign of excess organics, so larger and/or more frequent water changes, not overstocking and not overfeeding, will help. Both nitrate and pH should always be consistent from test to test, never varying, in a stable system.

Meant to say Byron,it is the flourish comprehensive