CO2 tablets

[Halawrence]

Ok I have a 5 gallon tank. I have been working to build up on my live plants. However they look like the need some help. I do use Aqueous aquarium plant food weekly as well as API Leaf zone weekly. Do I need to dose more than once a week? My plants are still growing great they just look poor. I have considered getting a CO2 booster because I do not want to do a CO2 system. I have also considered getting some CO2 tablets. I read that they work for smaller tanks. My water parameters are reading normally.

Also I am fixing to do a water change and fixing to do my weekly doses. So please excuse the pictures.

P.P.S
I have discovered pest snails and I am trying to get rid of them. They are not really big on my large plants but love my moss balls help!!

 

[Colin_T]

It is absolutely pointless adding carbon dioxide (CO2) to any aquarium containing Anubias or Marimo Moss Balls. They simply don't need extra CO2.

The only tanks that need supplemental CO2 are tanks that are full of fast growing true aquatic plants that get lots of light and lots of fertiliser. Plants are the prime focus of this type of tank and fish are a secondary thought.

There is plenty of CO2 in aquariums and it is produced continuously by the fish, shrimp, snails and bacteria living in the filter, gravel and on plants and ornaments in the tank. CO2 from the atmosphere also gets into the aquarium through the meniscus (water surface).

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If you have snails in the tank, pick them out manually and throw them in the garden to dry out, or squash them against the glass.

 

[eatyourpeas]

Are there any fish or inverts in the tank besides the snails you found?

 

[Halawrence]

Are there any fish or inverts in the tank besides the snails you found?

Yes a Male betta, 3 albino corey catfish, and a mystery sail. The 3 albino Coreys are new additions. The pictures of the tank are a little old. I redid the substrate so it looks a little different. The plants still look like they need a little help.

I got the Coreys after the pest snails killed two of my moss balls. Since my tank is small I am doing daily water tests for the next few weeks. Do I need to post a newer picture of the tank?

 

[eatyourpeas]

The reason I asked is because they may not be getting enough nitrogen or phosphate. API Leaf Zone does provide iron and potassium, but you may be lacking on other nutrients. If you are doing water changes too often you may not be allowing for enough nitrogen to feed the plants, or they are lacking other macro nutrients. @Colin_T is correct in advising against CO2 since these plants should be fine without it.

Your tank might be overstocked, so you may want look into that. Pest snails tend not to eat Marimo balls or plants unless there is decay. Do you have filtration? Also, what kind of lighting do you have and how long do you have it on for?

This will give you a sense of what to look for in terms of nutrient deficiency:

Plant Deficiency Picture Diagram

I took the time just now to go through and draw out most of the common plant deficiencies in pictoral form. This diagram is by no means an exhaustive reference for all deficiencies and certain plants vary in their symptoms, but in general most deficiencies will look something like the diagram...

www.aquaticplantcentral.com

I hope it helps.

 

[Halawrence]

The Coreys are very new. Like a acoupke of days new. The plants have looked like that for a while now. I have a top fin small filter that uses a carbon filter and then some a sponge in the back to slow water flow. I am using lighting that came with the tank. I have looked into getting another strip light but when I bought some of my plants it said low to moderate light... maybe I need a new light? I have my light on a timer. Currently it is a 12 hour light. Maybe I need to decrease it to and 8 to ten hour light?

 

[Halawrence]

The reason I asked is because they may not be getting enough nitrogen or phosphate. API Leaf Zone does provide iron and potassium, but you may be lacking on other nutrients. If you are doing water changes too often you may not be allowing for enough nitrogen to feed the plants, or they are lacking other macro nutrients. @Colin_T is correct in advising against CO2 since these plants should be fine without it.

Your tank might be overstocked, so you may want look into that. Pest snails tend not to eat Marimo balls or plants unless there is decay. Do you have filtration? Also, what kind of lighting do you have and how long do you have it on for?

This will give you a sense of what to look for in terms of nutrient deficiency:

Plant Deficiency Picture Diagram

I took the time just now to go through and draw out most of the common plant deficiencies in pictoral form. This diagram is by no means an exhaustive reference for all deficiencies and certain plants vary in their symptoms, but in general most deficiencies will look something like the diagram...

www.aquaticplantcentral.com

I hope it helps.

Also I do a water change once every week and a half. I would like to eventually get it to a 2 week water change. I test it at the week mark and week half mark just to make sure the water is ok. Honestly, I could probably do a water change every two weeks, but I just want to be safe.

 

[eatyourpeas]

Are the new leaves looking bad, or just the old ones?

 

[eatyourpeas]

Also, how big is your water change?

 

[Halawrence]

The new ones look okayish. I do 50 to 70% depending on the water parameters.

 

[eatyourpeas]

What plants are they? If you have anubias or java fern they should not be planted in the substrate but secured to hardscape. Plants that go in the substrate may benefit from root tabs. I use root tabs once every two months, and dose liquid fertilizer once a month for the ones that feed from the water column.

 

[eatyourpeas]

Also, sometimes plants melt and the new growth comes out better while they acclimatize to the tank. They may need a little time. It may explain the snails eating the dead leaves.

 

[Halawrence]

The big plant is not a Java fern.. It's and amazon sword, Echinodorus, and it is potted. Into the substrate. The other plant is Bolbitis heteroclite and it is not in the subtrate but on a ring that is weighed down with a rock. I have one that was rescued from an old tank of a neighbors but is one strand and I am not sure what it is. I am trying to grow it out. I also recently planted some dwarf hair grass, when I redid the substrate. This was quite recently as well.

 

[eatyourpeas]

Thanks for sending the pictures.

I noticed that your light is a bit more of a spot and may not be reaching all the plants in the tank. If the new leaves are looking good, perhaps giving them a bit of time and better lighting may do it. The marimo balls like a little bit of water movement, but if do not have enough of it, roll them around during water changes so they don't become flat and misshapen.

Your water changes may be large enough that the nutrients are not quite staying to feed the plants. Try the root tabs, they make fertilizing much easier and are quite effective. Also, my plants started doing better once I added an air stone.

 

[Halawrence]

Ok! I am looking into getting a longer light strip. I will also look into getting an air stone. I will do 25% water changes in the next few weeks as well. Thank you for your help. I will try and keep you updated on the progress.