Java fern (and anubias) issues - too little light? BBA? Something else?

[nobo]

My java fern (and to a lesser extent) anubias seem unhappy (see pics - some yellowing and discolouration / BBA?), and I've a fair bit of algae on my driftwood (but none elsewhere) where it's not sheltered from direct light by floating frogbit on the surface.

Could this be caused by insufficient light? I'd dropped the lighting duration in the hope of reducing the algae growth on the driftwood (no joy); but the light intensity is down due to the frogbit (perhaps 50-65% surface coverage - perhaps too much?).

Many thanks in advance for advice.

5 hours full light (florescent T5s in Juwel Rio), plus an hour of dim orange LED light). No direct sunlight.
25'C. DH14. pH c. 7.6.
2.5ml of Seachem Flourish in 125 litre tank once or twice a week. No CO2.
40% water change weekly. 0 amonia / 0 nitrite / low (<20) nitrate.
Fairly well stocked (12 glowlight tetras, 3 pearl gourami, 8 corys, 1 bristlenose plec, 4 amano shrimp)

 

[Byron]

Anubias and Java Fern are slow-growing plants, and that means they need less light and fewer nutrients in balance. Algae problems on these species is almost always caused by the light being too intense (bright). Under a cover of floating plants both will be very happy, so far as light is concerned. T5 is intense lighting though, but keep the JF and Anubias in shade.

Flourish Comprehensive Supplement, assuming that is the "Flourish" being used, is fine, but once a week is more than sufficient for these two plants. However, your floating plants need good nutrition, so if they are doing well now I would perhaps reduce the Flourish Comp and monitor the floating plants. If fertilizers are being added beyond what the plants in total can use, they will inevitably cause problem algae.

Algae on driftwood is not a problem, unless it spreads to the plants and increases on the plant leaves; then it must be dealt wiith, as above.

The light spectrum is also important. Plants need red and blue light to drive photosynthesis. Adding green does improve plant growth. Do you know the spectrum (Kelvin number) of the T5 lighting? And what is the "orange LED" light? This could well encourage algae.

 

[nobo]

Many thanks Byron for the comprehensive and detailed reply.

Yes, Flourish Comprehensive Supplement.

The frog bit is thriving. I could let it grow to cover the whole surface - that'd be the only practical way of shielding all the java fern. Is that a good idea? It's the java fern that's most exposed the light that has the most dark bits (pic 1). The stuff in pic 3 is under full frog bit cover.

I'm afraid I don't know the spec of the T5, as the tank is secondhand. The LED light is a generic waterproof multicolour LED from ebay, which I have set to dim orange (though could set to other colours, that was just visually the most appealing). Doesn't need to be used at all - the idea was simply to have some light in the aquarium without subjecting it to the full blast of the T5s - but maybe that would be better....?

Not too fussed about the algae on the driftwood. It started off looking like hair algae, but now it looks like my marimo moss balls have spread...! (Perhaps a possibility...)

 

[seangee]

I agree the T5s may be too bright. It may also be worth changing the tubes.
FWIW those slow growers will grow and be healthy in very dim conditions. The Anubias in my signature pic is in near total darkness as the frogbit on that side of the tank is really thick - I had to use a filter when I took the photo to enhance the dark side, otherwise it would just look black if I exposed the camera for the light side.

 

[Retired Viking]

I changed my lights to t8 plant lights and also have floating plants so my ferns seem to be doing good.

 

[nobo]

Thanks all.
I mean, I *think* they're T5s - they're fluoroscent lights that fit in the lid of a Juwel Rio 125. Beyond that, I don't know.
I'd be inclined to let the frog bit take over (even) more to provide more shelter, but I need to leave a bit of a hole to feed the fish! I guess I can take that as far as I can, but there's not much further to go (I've having to throw away handfulls of frog bit every week - it's going crazy!).

 

[Byron]

If the light is fluorescent tube, at one end of the tube there will be data, let us know all of it.

Yes you can let the Frogbit increase across the surface. Your fish will appreciate this (they do not like overhead lighting that is at all bright) and the lower plants may improve.

Still not sure on that LED, wiith the T% it is certainly not needed nor advisable. I thought maybe thisw was some sort of "dawn/dusk" idea.

 

[nobo]

Thanks Bryon. Unfortunately the writing on the tube isn't legible any more. Will try a bit harder to see if I can decipher it though!

Yes, the LED was a dawn/dusk idea - it's on for about 5 mins before the Tx (then off whilst Tx is on), then another hour after (the thinking was to get to enjoy seeing the aquarium for a bit longer, given that the Tx is only on for 5 hours). It's on it's lowest dim setting - very, very dim compared to the Tx. Perhaps 5 or 10 mins each side would be sufficient for the transition (if anything). Would be nice to be able to up the Tx light to compensate (to 6 hours) if possible, but the fish and plants welfare comes first.

 

[Byron]

Thanks Bryon. Unfortunately the writing on the tube isn't legible any more. Will try a bit harder to see if I can decipher it though!

Yes, the LED was a dawn/dusk idea - it's on for about 5 mins before the Tx (then off whilst Tx is on), then another hour after (the thinking was to get to enjoy seeing the aquarium for a bit longer, given that the Tx is only on for 5 hours). It's on it's lowest dim setting - very, very dim compared to the Tx. Perhaps 5 or 10 mins each side would be sufficient for the transition (if anything). Would be nice to be able to up the Tx light to compensate (to 6 hours) if possible, but the fish and plants welfare comes first.

I would tend to keep this minimum. Low light is not sufficient for plants, but some algae can use it.

 

[nobo]

Thanks. My plan is to get a feeding ring, and let the frogbit cover the rest of the surface. That way I should be able to up the light time with the Tx (perhaps 6 hours or maybe longer), have maybe 5 mins on each side the the LED for a sunrise/sunset effect (to smooth the transition for the fish).

I'm guessing there isn't anything else I should sensible do for the affected leaves.

 

[Byron]

Thanks. My plan is to get a feeding ring, and let the frogbit cover the rest of the surface. That way I should be able to up the light time with the Tx (perhaps 6 hours or maybe longer), have maybe 5 mins on each side the the LED for a sunrise/sunset effect (to smooth the transition for the fish).

I'm guessing there isn't anything else I should sensible do for the affected leaves.

A feeding ring may not be necessary. All of my tanks have full surface coverage by floating plants, Frogbit in one, Water Lettuce in another, Water Sprite in another. Most fish are naturally inclined to hunt for food among floating vegetation, this is where most of their insect and insect larvae occur. Smallish fish like pencilfish, tetras, rasboras, etc will readily feed among floating plants. It also usually means they eat slower, which is better for them, than gobbling down a bunch of flakes.