Newbie

[LeFondre]

I'm starting to worry I have done this so wrong. 
 
I have a 64L aquarium with standard gravel that is maybe an inch deep at most. 
 
I have a variety of plants buried in these, and even got some King British Plant Feeder which i've used a couple of times. 
 
I am starting to wish I had researched this a bit more before planting the tank, and the option of changing the substrate seems a lot of effort!
 
Here is my tank 

 
On the New Aquarium forum someone did kindly identify my plants as the following; "the plant on the bogwood is Java Fern [Microsorum Pteropus], the plant behind is Green Cabomba [Cabomba Aquatica] and the blant over the other side is a Vallisneria species."
 
 
So the Java Fern on the bogwood and the Green Cabomba are growing amazing. The camboda is kind of crazy in fact. I've had other plants that have just died, several. Funnily enough the plants on the left side have died mainly... is this because the blue light is on less, and doesn't benefit the plants as much ?
 
Can I maybe get some recommendations of what you would do in my situation - alternative plants. Do I desperately need new subtrate, and is my plant feeder a good idea?
 
Hope this isn't too much of a rant, just very confused right now and getting kind of frustrated!!  
 

 

[This Old Spouse]

Is the blue light the only light you have?

 

[r.w.girard]

Plant death can be caused by any number of things, although it should be pretty rare.  Are you sure it is not just a question of plants "melting" when you put them in water?  Because many aquatic plants are grown out of water, i.e. emersed, so that they grow more quickly and without algae.  Once immersed, however, the plants leaves tend to "melt" but should then grow back.  If it is actually that plants are dying outright and not growing back the following week, it may be due to a lack of usable light [there is a word for this but I am forgetting it, sorry] from your blue bulb.  And then there are notoriously difficult plants that need "high-tech" setups with high light and pressurized carbon dioxide injection and a rigorous fertilizing regime, without which the plants just simply die off.  Cryptocorynes tend to grow well in low light tanks and are really quite beautiful plants, although they tend to melt.  But slightly deeper gravel would help with root growth and if you don't want to replace it all, you can just put in some fertilizer sticks.  Welcome to planted, by the way.

 

[David J]

I think that tank comes with a blue light on the left and a white light on the right. They can be used independently or together like in the picture.