Help Anubias And Java Fern Dying

[guppyrookie]

Ive had anubias and java fern for years and they recently started degrading. The java fern are starting to brown and grow holes. Just thinking about it makes me cringe. The anubias (idk what kind of anubias) are turning yellow then brown. A few facts about my tank; it's a 30 gallon, 18 watt zoo med ultra sun bulb, 6 tetras, aqueon 30 gallon filter. This started happening after my 5 inch pleco died, which led to 4 other 1" plecos dying, and I changed the original bulb to the zoomed 18watt. (The tetras were bought after the plecos died). The tank also has what appears to be black/ dust algae on the anubias leaves. HELP.

thanks

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Holes appearing on java fern isn't uncommon after you've had several plantlets sprout. The leaf they sprouted from will often die and either you prune it or it comes off.

Could it be your algae is blocking your anubias from getting light? Could be the new bulb is too bright and causing the algae growth.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Any pictures?

 

[guppyrookie]

how do I upload pictures directly?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Use a photo sharing site like Flickr, upload pics and click share, your looking for the code starting and ending in img, copy and paste it into a post and the picture will appear.

 

[guppyrookie]

http/www.flickr.com/photos/91767987@N05/

my pictures are on this flickr

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Looks like you may need to add some trace ferts, looks like iron deficiency on the fern. Tnc lite or aqua essentials neutro T will help.

 

[guppyrookie]

What do I do about the algae problem? Will adding more fish fish the iron deficiency?

Is it possible that the plants are suffering from ammonia poisoning?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

You need some ferts, how long has this tank been set up?

 

[guppyrookie]

It's been up for 2 months. I purchased leaf zone so maybe that would help.

 

[miksan]

The opening query says Plecos are dying. What are the pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate levels in your aquarium. Anubias And Java Fern do not do well in high pH (6.0-7.0 is the ideal pH range - so, although African, they do well in SA tanks - and die in rift tanks). Ammonia and Nitrite are toxic to plants and fish.

PS. You may also be experiencing a water crash in the two month old tank if the fish population has not been gradually introduced, or the fish population is too high, or feeding is too heavy. As a rule of thumb, a thirty gallon 'planted' tank should have much less than thirty inches of adult size fish (e.g. 10-12 2" adult size fish).

 

[SO19Firearms]

Ammonia and Nitrite are toxic to plants and fish.

 

[miksan]

My bad - Thanks!