My Plants Are Not Fairing Well

[Rynofasho]

So I just changed from gravel to sand substrate. I only had one plant prior, an anubias, and it was doing really well with 1WPG T5 lighting and nothing additional (it was rooted in the gravel with rhizome exposed).

I made the change from gravel to sand and I planted the tank this weekend, and added many more anubias, some java ferns, crypts, and pennywort. Almost all the plants are looking crappy, even my anubias I had for awhile which previously was actually growing new leaves and looking great. It, along with others, now have leaves that are starting to almost disintegrate and become see through.

As I said, I have 1WPG of T5 lighting in a 36 US gallon tank. I planted root tabs for the Vals and Crypts, and the Anubias now are all on bogwood. I also dosed some Flourish initially (Friday) and some Flourish Excel every other day. Why are even my Anubias crapping out on me? The one was tough as nails and now is not fairing well. The lighting has not changed, so it has to be something nutrient related, but before I didn't even dose the tank at all. I just had gravel that was too thick so plenty of nitrates, no matter how hard I vacuumed.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[RadaR]

Dosing Excel increases the plants demands for nutrients. If the plants dont recieve these nutrients then they do poorly.
Do what you did before. Add nothing. When the lights go off for today, do a 50% water change. Then just leave it alone.

I dont know how deep gravel equates to high nitrate however it's worth noting that nitrate test kits are pretty much useless bits of kit. They're notoriously innaccurate. A reading of 25ppm could easily be 0.25ppm.

 

[Rynofasho]

I was referring to deep gravel housing a lot of detritus that apparently worked just fine for my Anubias. I know the nitrates were high also because it affected my Corys.

If I have increased the plants needs for nutrients, and I have taken all substrate related nutrients away when I switched from gravel to sand, then how will doing nothing help my situation?

 

[RadaR]

I was referring to deep gravel housing a lot of detritus that apparently worked just fine for my Anubias. I know the nitrates were high also because it affected my Corys.

It was most likely the organic detritus that caused health problems, rather than the nitrate itself. Nitrate has been shown lots of times to not harm the fish we keep, atleast not to the extent that folks claim. Even sensetive species have been breeding in 60ppm.

If I have increased the plants needs for nutrients, and I have taken all substrate related nutrients away when I switched from gravel to sand, then how will doing nothing help my situation?

By doing nothing, I meant stop the Excel dosing. Stop that, and you decrease the demand. Therefore, should be no need to add anything else.

 

[Rynofasho]

Ok. Long term I think Im going to dose macronutrients too, but Ill hold off on the excel for now. Hopefully they can make it a few more days as they all look like chit now

 

[Joshwainwright]

It would be a shame if you lost them and had to buy new.

Good luck in bringing them back to life!