Big Plant Problems :(

[TomShootsPhoto]

Good day or night, depending on where you live!

So it's me again, I am asking one last question to get my tank back on tracks.


Since I've updated to the 300L tank, I've been trying to get it planted- fully.

I have bought so many plants, but all of them end up looking very very very bad.
Here are some pictures of my current plants:
http/imgur.com/a/BEV5C

I have sand substrate, maybe that's the problem?

As for stocking I have 4 bronze corys, 2 clown loaches (I know, they have to be in groups of six), 1 Angelfish and 1 bristlenose catfish.

I feed the fish once every day, and I feed algea waffers to the loaches and the BN, so that they wont nibble on my plants.

The problematic plants are: - Amazon Sword
- alternanthera rosaefolia (I think)

Any help is very much appriciated! Thank you all!

 

[SombreroBanana]

Looks like CO2 deficiency to me. I'm sure somebody else will chime in.

 

[DrRob]

I'd go for CO2 as the culprit as well. If you're low tech then pulling back the lighting period may help.

 

[TomShootsPhoto]

Thanks guys, I thought about adding CO2 to my tank but it seemed so expensive
Since it's a 300L tank.

What CO2 system do you guys recommend?

About my lights... I run two 96 cm 36W glo lamps, one purple and one yellow.
I thought that these where good for the plants...

How many hours do you think I should run
my lights?

Thanks a ton guys!

 

[mike455555]

the sword looks like its going from emsesrsed to submerged form to me

 

[DrRob]

Personally, I'd just shorten the photoperiod to 6-8 hours.

It could possibly be a flow issue if there's not a lot of movement around the plants.

 

[TomShootsPhoto]

Hmm yeah, I've been told that there is no flow in
my tank. Would 1-2 powerheads on each side of the tank
Solve the problem?

Also, can I position the powerheads at the top
Of the watercolumn so that gas exchange is occuring?

Thanks!

 

[DrRob]

You can put them in many places, so long as there's a good ripple to the surface you'll get the exchange. Position them where you see movement in all the places that were stagnant before. I only have 4100lph of flow in my 255l at the moment.

 

[TomShootsPhoto]

Thanks!! It seems like two strong powerheads are the answer to every question that I had before, so I'll be buying them!

What gallon/H preformance do you recommend in a 300L tank?

Also, if persay I wanted to buy a CO2 system, what system do you recommend? Or should i just skip the CO2 all together??

Thabks a lot for you help!! It means a lot!

 

[DrRob]

Flow for any tank, at least 3x volume turned over in an hour. Going up to 10x in a heavily planted high tech tank. Anything in between....in between.

If you want a CO2 system for that size tank and cost is a factor then go for a fire extinguisher/pub bottle system.

 

[snazy]

Good flow in means of a second filter or/and powerheads will solve a quite a few algae problems. The way the leaves look on the third picture, as if they were "eaten" by diatoms(brown algae) that occurs in newly setup/low flow tanks.
That red plant won't grow without extra CO2. You need to stick with either low tech or go all the way to high tech but sand substrate is not ideal for a lot of plants(gravel even less), though I use sand and most of mine grow fine.
Is the java fern to the left of one of the driftwood pieces planted in sand or something else? It's rhizome can't be burried as it will rot, so will the anubias you have that also seems planted in the sand? I maybe wrong, but just how it looks on the pictures.
The cabomba looking plant was never lucky in my tanks, always melted away, could have been too warm for it, I don't know.
As previously mentioned, the sword could be adjusting to the new conditions, get some root tablets for it as it needs it's nutritients from the roots and newish sand hardly has anything to give.
You don't need to go with CO2, but a lot of plants would benefit from micro ferts. Pick your plants carefully, research what's easier to grow, how tall they grow, plan where to put it if it grows to full size and then spend money on it if you are certain enough. There are countless types of plants that look wonderful and are easy enough growing in any conditions. All that matters is how you plant it, not what you plant it with.

 

[ian]

This isn't that much to worry about Tbh...these plants are melting and dropping their old emersed leaves, look a the alternantherea, the new soot at the top has nice red leaves. I would pinch the tops off these and replant. Leaving probs about an inch showing. They will grow and sometimes keep the red without c02. Some plants are just pigmented red and alternantherea is on of them.it might not be the vibrant red when you bought it, but you'll stil get some red.

On the sword, those are also old leaves, the need to come of to promote better growth from the new shoot. So, just trim em off.

Sand is fine for growing plants, you don't always need specialist substrates to grow nice plants. As long as the water column is dosed correctly the substrate plays a much smaller part.

 

[TomShootsPhoto]

Good flow in means of a second filter or/and powerheads will solve a quite a few algae problems. The way the leaves look on the third picture, as if they were "eaten" by diatoms(brown algae) that occurs in newly setup/low flow tanks.
That red plant won't grow without extra CO2. You need to stick with either low tech or go all the way to high tech but sand substrate is not ideal for a lot of plants(gravel even less), though I use sand and most of mine grow fine.
Is the java fern to the left of one of the driftwood pieces planted in sand or something else? It's rhizome can't be burried as it will rot, so will the anubias you have that also seems planted in the sand? I maybe wrong, but just how it looks on the pictures.
The cabomba looking plant was never lucky in my tanks, always melted away, could have been too warm for it, I don't know.
As previously mentioned, the sword could be adjusting to the new conditions, get some root tablets for it as it needs it's nutritients from the roots and newish sand hardly has anything to give.
You don't need to go with CO2, but a lot of plants would benefit from micro ferts. Pick your plants carefully, research what's easier to grow, how tall they grow, plan where to put it if it grows to full size and then spend money on it if you are certain enough. There are countless types of plants that look wonderful and are easy enough growing in any conditions. All that matters is how you plant it, not what you plant it with.

Thank you so much! I'll buy the powerheads!

Flow for any tank, at least 3x volume turned over in an hour. Going up to 10x in a heavily planted high tech tank. Anything in between....in between.

If you want a CO2 system for that size tank and cost is a factor then go for a fire extinguisher/pub bottle system.

Thank you! I saw the fire extinguisher, I need to check if the CO2 ones are sold in my area. Thanks a bunch!

This isn't that much to worry about Tbh...these plants are melting and dropping their old emersed leaves, look a the alternantherea, the new soot at the top has nice red leaves. I would pinch the tops off these and replant. Leaving probs about an inch showing. They will grow and sometimes keep the red without c02. Some plants are just pigmented red and alternantherea is on of them.it might not be the vibrant red when you bought it, but you'll stil get some red.

On the sword, those are also old leaves, the need to come of to promote better growth from the new shoot. So, just trim em off.

Sand is fine for growing plants, you don't always need specialist substrates to grow nice plants. As long as the water column is dosed correctly the substrate plays a much smaller part.

Thanks! I'll groom my plants later

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Immersed to submerged but I'd get some flow, 10 x turnover per hour.