New To The Hobby Help

[Ozzy Ozborne]

I have been running my new tank for 6 weeks now-fish in cycle and water tests are now perfect / ideal using the Tetra liquid tests.
The problem I have is now with the plants I have in,and would like some help please.I put this question in the plant forum but only got one reply so thought I could try here?
I have a sand substrate in a 180 litre Juwell tank,and feed Vitakraft Flora-Sin -e as directed on the bottle.
The plants I have are:

1 green cabona which is growing ok at the top but keeps rotting at the base.it keeps throwing off a lot of roots.

1 red / green alternanthera reineckki which looks like it is rotting away

1 amazon swordplant that is growing a brown colour on its leaves

1 anubias barteri -same problem as the swordplant

i have also a couple of small front plants -not sure of their names,but the leaves look like they are being covered in a soot black mould colour.Its growing new green leaves but after a while they also turn black?

If any body can help give me advice it would be great.

I have 2x25 watt lights with reflectors by the way which are on 12 hours per day.

Thanks

 

[Amunet]

Carter answered your question pretty well in the planted section
Is your substrate just regular sand? Did you add any kind of root tablets for the rooted plants? Would def get some if you don't plan on changing the substrate any time soon
Are you using any kind of liquid fert in the tank? I've personally had great results adding Flourish Potassium along with regular flourish. Not sure if that's the problem you're having but doesn't hurt to get some

 

[Colin_T]

The Cabomba is being damaged at the base, which is causing it to rot. Be very careful when planting it to prevent damaging it. You can leave it to float around the surface and when you have a bit more, you can try planting it again.

Alteranthera is a marsh plant that doesn’t do well underwater. Sometimes it makes it to the surface of the tank and it will be fine. But normally it dies before getting there.

The brown on the sword and Anubias is algae. Bristlenose catfish or some other small peaceful algae eater will get rid of it.

The soot black mould could be blue green algae but without a pic it is hard to say.