Help With My Plants And Tank Please

[CheniseMummy]

Ive posted before about algae and ive ordered the nutrafin c02 system, but i thought it would be helpfull to load my pics, ive a red leafed plant in the back which is turning black on the leaves from the stem, the pinkish leaf plant is growing well. after it had some die back and i removed it from the ring.

I also have some salvinia natan mother plants the roots are falling off and they are not producing the plants i saw in the pics when i ordered they are going brown.

 

[CheniseMummy]

Well ive pulled out the red leafed plant that was planted last week wed, it had turned black and when lifted out it fell apart, i also removed the salvina natans as it was also losing its roots very quickly.

I had high ammonia reading this morning and i suspect it was this causing it the plants rotting away.

I know have two large gaps that id like to fill with dark or red leafed plants that are bushy and full in appearance.

Also what floating plant would work best in my tank.

 

[ian]

the problem with DIY c02, is that the c02 is unstable, leaving yourself wide open to other types of algae. When i used the nutrafin system i struggled with BBA, i also dosed flourish excel and it did calm down. The thing is you need at least 2 ltrs for a tank your size and the nutrafin cannisters are only about 500ml. If i was you i'd be using flourish excel or easycarbo.

as for the red plants (they aren't bushy) but have you thought about a couple of tiger lotus's. These will add some nice colour to your tank and would also work as a floating plant when grown up.

 

[CheniseMummy]

I am currently using flora grow carbo which i same thing i think, im still having problems with large brown patches on my amazon swords.

Ive got one red lily a in pictures but wanted something stem plants with leaves.

 

[ian]

ammonia spike cause the brown algae (diatoms). Its also quite common in new tanks, the good thing about diotoms is that they do disapear on there own accord. You should be able to wipe the brown algae off with your thumb and finger. What kind of flow do you have in the tank??

oh sorry, missed the lily. As for red plants, i'd be tempted to look at the 'red' styled cpypts as they do get tall (it takes a while though) and are easy plants. Plants like Alternanthera reineckii and Hygrophila polysperma Rosanervig don't do well under 2 wpg and without pressurised c02. You can always try them, you never know.

 

[CheniseMummy]

The plants ive pulled one was rotala magenta i planted them in the back and they melted away thinking i didnt plant them properly to get the correct light to the bottom.

Ive got Hygrophila polysperma in my tank it did die off but now ive moved it it is growing well and getting the pink leaves.

Id like to try the rotala magenta again ant tips.

My amaxon leaves are going opaque and brown but have developed good root structure and are shooting up new growth from the middle. Only have few of them diatoms on my java fern and my bog wood. i cleaned alage off glass with my moss ball and rinsed it off in jug off tank water as i didnt have anything safe to use.

I have fluval 3+ and fluval mini which i use to put into a quarrantine tank when i get more fish. The fluval 3+ is set on its lowest setting for water flo coming out at my harlequins were getting blown around.

 

[ian]

I have never grown 'magenta', i know llj used to in her dutch scape. Sorry, can i ask what ferts you're dosing?

 

[CheniseMummy]

TN+ 4ml daily but have reduced to 2ml as instructions said to do if algae is forming.

I wanted to steer away from the liquid carbons as id like the twisted vallis again but it melted in my tank