Leaf Melting

[fishboytoo]

Hi,

I was wondering what are the possible causes of leaf melting on my crptocorynes. I also have some spotting on some leaves of my other plants.

I am assuming a lack of some nutrient is the culpret. I really should be adding more ferts than I do. Right now I only use Kent Grow and Micro. I read the article on EI dosing a little while ago and I was looking to get some dry ferts to mix up but havn't got around to it yet. I have 3 WPG and DIY co2 at about 15ppm.

Any advice is welcome.

Thanks
FB2

 

[kenneth_kpe]

Crypts usually melt if they are exposed to a new environement. If your other plants are doing ok give the crypt time, it should grow back

 

[fishboytoo]

Crypts usually melt if they are exposed to a new environement. If your other plants are doing ok give the crypt time, it should grow back

They are not new. They have been in the tank for months and have been doing great. One has produced three babies in the last two months. The melting I'm seeing is not bad, just a few leaves on each of them. I just don't want it to get worse.

 

[kenneth_kpe]

oh than thats totally diff... hmmm you didn't to a major change to the aquarium i suppose, maybe the leaf got torn up a bit my crupts melt when its gets injured near the stem

 

[fishboytoo]

I suppose it's possible that they were damaged, I did move the tank a couple weeks ago.

So you don't think it has anything to do with nutrients then?

 

[Discomafia]

If you just did some changes, then I don't think it's a fert problem. If I'm not mistaken, crypts are root feeders anyways. Crypt rot is common when the tank has been changed around (replanting the plants and whatnot...) so you've got nothing to worry about. What did you mean when you said you moved the tank around? Did any fiddling with the plants?

 

[kenneth_kpe]

disco if fishboytoo moved the entire tank !! that would be a different problem again hehe just kidding

 

[fishboytoo]

Actually I did move the entire tank! I drained the water down to a couple of inches and my buddy and I lifted the stand with the tank on it and carried it to the next room. No plants were uprooted or anything. Maybe they sloshed around a bit, but nothing came out of the substrate.

I also recently had the temp raised to 30'c while treating for ich. Could that have affected the crypts? I noticed one lily-type( not sure on name) plant lost a couple of leaves during this time. It was in contact with the heater though.
FB2

 

[Discomafia]

Actually I did move the entire tank! I drained the water down to a couple of inches and my buddy and I lifted the stand with the tank on it and carried it to the next room. No plants were uprooted or anything. Maybe they sloshed around a bit, but nothing came out of the substrate.

I also recently had the temp raised to 30'c while treating for ich. Could that have affected the crypts? I noticed one lily-type( not sure on name) plant lost a couple of leaves during this time. It was in contact with the heater though.
FB2

What kind of crypt is it first of all? Perhaps if you changed too much of the water, you'd have altered the pH? The main this is nothing came ouf the substrate, so it should be alright.

If I'm not mistaken, I think that crypts prefer colder waters, but I did a quick check on tropica's website (http/www.tropica.com/default.asp) and I see that most crypts can handle temperature up to 28C, with quite a few can do 30. Maybe if your crypt was too near the heater, then maybe it had something to do with it. How many days was the temp up to 30?

Oh yea, and how many gallons is your tank? Can't be more than 20 or 30G if you could just drain the water down to a couple of inches, and carry the stand to the next room. Or maybe I'm wrong...

 

[fishboytoo]

It's a 33 gallon tank. The pH has been pretty constant as I add buffer to lower it to 7.0. I use Seachem Acid Buffer-converts alkalinity into CO2.

The temp was raised for maybe two weeks or so. Come to think of it, it was about when I lowered the temp again that the melting started. The two crypts are on the side of the tank with the heater. One is a brown wendtii the other is a crispatula var.balansae. Maybe they just periodically lose a few leaves?

Also, there is a some isolated yellowing on a small echinodorus aquartica. My Ludwigia has some yellow spots but I think that may be due to some shading in the corner of the tank as the upper leaves are fine.

 

[fishboytoo]

The melting seems to be getting a bit worse. I'm finding bits of leaves floating around or stuck in the filter frequently. It starts with a spot on the leaf that expands across the width and then the mushy end falls off. What can I do to stop this?? The plants still have plenty of healthy leaves thankfully.

FB2

 

[Discomafia]

Are you using any ferts? Try some root tabs. Or just leave it alone, it'll be back to normal in a couple of months....They'll always come around...

 

[leafs]

I had the same problem with my crypts when I drained my tank. I did the same thing, drained it to to about 2" from the bottom. I guess they go into shock from the change. Mine eventually grew back nicely. I don't think ferts have anything to do with it. I would just trim all the leaves off because they're going to melt anyways and cause a mess.

 

[fishboytoo]

I had the same problem with my crypts when I drained my tank. I did the same thing, drained it to to about 2" from the bottom. I guess they go into shock from the change. Mine eventually grew back nicely. I don't think ferts have anything to do with it. I would just trim all the leaves off because they're going to melt anyways and cause a mess.

I should trim all the leaves back?? One of them is rather bushy and maybe 10 leaves have been affected. I'd hate to trim it to the ground and have a big empty space. Did all your leaves fall off or did some remain healthy and you just trim the affected ones?

As for the ferts, I have fluorite substrate so I thought that would be rich enough for them. Was I wrong, do I need to add root fertilizers also?

FB2

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Add root ferts for sure. Dose about every 3 months or so. You can use Jobes Spikes (Fern & Palm are best- Houseplant ones are next best). Cut them into smaller pieces and use long tweezer to get the fert under the plant- down to the bottom glass- do it in a way that minimizes damaging the roots.