Brown Leaves

[RBurkett]

Hi,

My name is Rachel and I have recently set up my first fish tank, hence the reason for joining this forum which I find very helpful.

I have a 60L Tropical Tank with 1 Mollie and 5 Tetras. I am using an 18" 15W Arcadia FO15 Light which I have on for about 8 hours a day, a Fluval U2 filter system and two airstones.

I have planted several live plants in the gravel but some of the leaves on one species have started to turn brown, {Plus the shell I have in the tank has also turned brown} can anyone PLEASE HELP !!!

{See link to picture above}

I do weekly water changes of 5 litres and use stress zyme. Should I be using anything else and if so how often.

I hope anyone out there can help.

Rachel

 

[VaegaVic]

Hi there,
Just a couple of things, the picture you posted, the link is broken, so for everyone else viewing this topic here's the fixed one.

Secondly, that plant in the picture is well known as a form of spider plant, a terrestrial plant that does not survive well in water and will just normally rot down.
Thirdly, you mention it's going brown as is a shell, that sounds like diatom algae which is very common in newly set up tanks and it normally burns itself out after a while. The reason I say this is because if it was just dying off, it would become stringy and yellow and then turn brown, where as it seems the algae is also growing on an ornament.

Fourthly, I would increase the amount of water you change per a week to about 6L min or 12L ideal. You say you use stress zyme, is that with a dechlorinator as well?

 

[mark4785]

The leaves of that plant are definitely covered in diatoms (as the above person mentions) as the diatoms that have formulated on my slow-growing plants look exactly the same.

 

[mtv8dmarine]

Hello Rachel and welcome! As the two above me stated the brown spots are diatoms. Diatoms are very common in newly set up tanks and are often simply a result of overfeeding. There are other factors too but this is the most common. Unfortunately, once they appear they most often stick around for awhile. They will go away in time though. For some, they go away as fast as they appear. For most, they last a little while longer.

A planted tank will out compete the diatoms in time. You can get a few otocincluses to help with the diatoms as they are great algae eaters but do need to be fed in the absence of algae.

Has your tank cycled yet? I might assume yes since you have diatoms but I'd just like to be sure...If so, you can stop using stress zyme because you will have already established your beneficial bacteria.

I just want to make sure as well that you are using a dechlorinator such as Stress Coat or any of the other multitude of products out there for this.

Diatoms don't actually harm anything. They just look ugly. You can wash it off your shell when you do weekly cleanings...or more frequently if it bugs you. The same applies for your plants or anything else it collects on.

As stated earlier, the plant you have in the pic is a terrestrial plant. When I bought my first plant it was one of those as well. I quickly learned after that it was really for a terrarium and removed it before it could rot. Beginner mistake and nothing to be ashamed of. =) All of us have made silly errors along the way too at one point or another.

 

[RBurkett]

Hello Rachel and welcome! As the two above me stated the brown spots are diatoms. Diatoms are very common in newly set up tanks and are often simply a result of overfeeding. There are other factors too but this is the most common. Unfortunately, once they appear they most often stick around for awhile. They will go away in time though. For some, they go away as fast as they appear. For most, they last a little while longer.

A planted tank will out compete the diatoms in time. You can get a few otocincluses to help with the diatoms as they are great algae eaters but do need to be fed in the absence of algae.

Has your tank cycled yet? I might assume yes since you have diatoms but I'd just like to be sure...If so, you can stop using stress zyme because you will have already established your beneficial bacteria.

I just want to make sure as well that you are using a dechlorinator such as Stress Coat or any of the other multitude of products out there for this.

Diatoms don't actually harm anything. They just look ugly. You can wash it off your shell when you do weekly cleanings...or more frequently if it bugs you. The same applies for your plants or anything else it collects on.

As stated earlier, the plant you have in the pic is a terrestrial plant. When I bought my first plant it was one of those as well. I quickly learned after that it was really for a terrarium and removed it before it could rot. Beginner mistake and nothing to be ashamed of. =) All of us have made silly errors along the way too at one point or another.

Hi, Many thanks for your reply. I am new to looking after fish and I am learning as I go along. I will remove the plants and clean my shell like you have suggested. I do use a dechlorinator {Tapsafe} when I do a water change. My tank is a 60L tank and I have been changing 5L, would you change more? Also how often should I put plant feed in? Thanks for your help. Rachel

 

[RadaR]

Should be changing around 12litres per week. Make sure the filter floss isn't clogged up weekly too.
What and how much you need to dose is all dependent on lighting. With 15W over 60litres you shouldnt need to dose macro nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) but just a micro nutrient supplement. Dose two times a week. Once after water change and once three days after water change. Here is a good one. Dose 4ml, two times week (I'm aware the instructions say otherwise ).
I'd turn the airstones off during the day too. Your fish will be fine and your plants will thank you for it.