Brown on plants

[SABWARNER16]

Currently fishless cycling a 3.5 gallon tank. I’m noticing brown spots on my sword. What could this be?

 

[mbsqw1d]

The browning could be a sign of low potassium. They're heavy root feeders and do well if you provide some root tabs in the substrate.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I agree with @mbsqw1d. If you were to get some root tabs, the green would most likely go away.

Flourish (Seachem) tabs are a good choice.

 

[SABWARNER16]

The browning could be a sign of low potassium. They're heavy root feeders and do well if you provide some root tabs in the substrate.

I have two in there that I just put in last week. So maybe I should just let them be?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I have two in there that I just put in last week. So maybe I should just let them be?

I would still get the root tabs, but leave them where they are. (I assume that was what your question was?)

 

[SABWARNER16]

I would still get the root tabs, but leave them where they are. (I assume that was what your question was?)

I meant last week I put in two root tabs. Should I just leave the plants alone now with their tabs and see if it clears up? Some of the roots are brown, but most of my plants in my other tanks are as well and they’re helping anchor them down. I guess I’m worried about root rot and then causing more ammonia to be released into the tank

 

[mbsqw1d]

How did you prepare it before planting? I had to remove most of the leaves on the A.Swords that I received in the post and the roots should be trimmed quite short (this does make them trickier to plant). Also, these plants are sometimes grown emersed and take some adjustment to submersed conditions. The brown leaves can be where the plant is absorbing some nutrients from the leaves in order to create new. Tbh i would leave it to do it's thing. Any ammonia produced from rotting leaves/roots will be absorbed by either the plants or the BB

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Could it be some diatom algae? My old eyes are struggling to see, lol. It's a new-ish tank, isn't it?

 

[SABWARNER16]

How did you prepare it before planting? I had to remove most of the leaves on the A.Swords that I received in the post and the roots should be trimmed quite short (this does make them trickier to plant). Also, these plants are sometimes grown emersed and take some adjustment to submersed conditions. The brown leaves can be where the plant is absorbing some nutrients from the leaves in order to create new. Tbh i would leave it to do it's thing. Any ammonia produced from rotting leaves/roots will be absorbed by either the plants or the BB

I actually didn’t know you were suppose to prep them haha.... oops. I just washed them off and stuck them in there. Are you suppose to trim brown roots?

 

[SABWARNER16]

Could it be some diatom algae? My old eyes are struggling to see, lol. It's a new-ish tank, isn't it?

Yes it is new. And it wouldn’t surprise me considering my other newish tank (up for three weeks) just had a diatom algae outbreak lol. But I have a betta in it already and do water changes, plus added snails so they’ve been helping.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Either way, don't think you need to worry very common to get some diatom in a new tank, and amazon swords do take a little while to settle in, like a lot of plants. They don't take long to grow massive roots, and the odd bit of rotting root shouldn't do much damage like mbsq said.

 

[SABWARNER16]

Either way, don't think you need to worry very common to get some diatom in a new tank, and amazon swords do take a little while to settle in, like a lot of plants. They don't take long to grow massive roots, and the odd bit of rotting root shouldn't do much damage like mbsq said.

Awesome! Is it safe to add fertilizer during cycling? I have a different cycling tank with sand as the substrate. I ran out of root tabs but I have Seachem flourish

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I don't see why not, but I don't know for sure. @mbsqw1d ? Whaddya think?

 

[mbsqw1d]

Yeh but try and use ferts that don't contain added nitrate or phosphate..
If you're in the UK, get TNC Lite
Otherwise, Seachem's Flourish

 

[SABWARNER16]

Yeh but try and use ferts that don't contain added nitrate or phosphate..
If you're in the UK, get TNC Lite
Otherwise, Seachem's Flourish

Okay I have flourish so I’ll stick with that. Thanks so much, ya’ll