Noobs Ltlb 10

[Biulu]

Your lighting is not affecting the yellowing of the leaves it is a deficiency of a certain nutrient necessary for growth. I suggested you to buy API leafzone because of the iron in it.
Have a look at the diagram in this link: http/www.aquatic-eden.com/2009/06/common-aquatic-plant-deficiency-diagram.html

It allows you to determine quickly what kind of deficiency your plants have.

 

[Steve H.]

So, leafzone is doing well for my tank. Everything is starting to root, and color is starting to come back to the sag.

But, I might be a bit out of control. I went back to the lfs that I just discovered, and he had a used Marineland 46gl bowfront for $25! No scratches no leaks....just absolutely filthy. Liked nobody loved it for awhile.

Broke my wrist reaching for my wallet so quickly!!

Now I have the brand new 37gl Aqueon and a 46gl Marineland bowfront to fill!

Wifey's going to kill me.....I may need to seek some help.

 

[FishFanatic04]

Yup that's how I ended up with 6 tanks in the house. It's so hard to stop.

 

[Biulu]

Help for what? The broken wrist or the beginning symptoms of MTS?

That is a very good price for that 46 gallon! I don't think I would have been able to let that one go either... Now you have some very nice options for set-ups; you can make 2 completely different ones.

 

[Steve H.]

Lol! Yep....Ive got a really full plate now. The tanks are going to have to wait though.

I kind of inherited a koi pond. My mom wants it set up by 4/14. Unfortunately, I didn't shut it down properly last fall. The clean up and maintenance is going to be insane with all the leaves that have been deteriorating in there. Hope the koi made it with just an air stone. But it was a pretty mild winter this year weather won't kill them, but fouled water might.
80 degrees in Chicago in March!! Unheard of!

So, my day off tomorrow and I will be starting that.

 

[Biulu]

Well, you know, planning and dreaming about a new tank is at least half of the fun! I love to think about new tanks and slowly getting everything you want. Once there is nothing to do anymore, it kind of gets boring.

 

[Steve H.]

I hear you...love dreaming about new tank projects, and I only really started this 4 months ago.
Malaysian 10gl, SA chichlid-Discus, reef tank...just to name a few. And, the more I learn the more they evolve!

 

[Steve H.]

I have been wrapped up in a koi pond project, but I have still been able to give this tank some attention.

I am going to have to figure out what type of problem I am having.

I believe my plants have finally rooted, but all of them don't look very happy. Not one species thriving.
I have supplemented with some ferts in hopes that would take care of any deficiencies. However, they continue to appear weaker everyday.

I am starting to think my water is the problem. It has very large alkelinity. I thought this would be a good thing for the vegetation as it would provide minerals, but perhaps I am wrong.

 

[Biulu]

I am sorry to hear that Steve1 Do you have the stats for your water? Like pH, Gh, Dh? Normally your local waterboard should be able to tell you.

 

[Steve H.]

GH=6
KH=16
pH=8.0

I have a couple of other theories as to why my plants might be struggling, and that is lighting and co2.

Lighting- I am going to try changing my photo period. Currently I have my timer set on a 5-2-5 schedule. I read somewhere that a photo period that includes a siesta promotes growth.
That may just be for a high lighting set up. Today I changed that to a straight 8 hour period.

co2- This is just a thought about my co2 level in the tank. When I was first setting up the tank, and reading about the importance of water flow I decided to leave the airstone in the opposite corner of the filter intake. The thinking was that this would help provide flow to every corner of the tank.
Now, I have used the airstone in the past to "drive off" co2 in my tap water in order to get an accurate pH reading. So, I wonder if this may be having the same impact on co2 level within the tank?
I am going to turn that off as well, and see if that has any positive impact...it is only a 10gal tank. I'm pretty confident the flow from the filter is more than adequate.

 

[Biulu]

Yeah, see if it has an effect. Sags are doing very well in my tanks in Mexico where the water is similar to yours. I am not dosing anything there, just have some nutrients under the capping substrate. I do not know what it could be.

 

[Steve H.]

Yeah, see if it has an effect. Sags are doing very well in my tanks in Mexico where the water is similar to yours. I am not dosing anything there, just have some nutrients under the capping substrate. I do not know what it could be.

Thanks Biulu.
I started the new regime. I don't get it either. Time to start narrowing it down.
Who knows? I may have trimmed the roots too much, but the Hygrophilia Difformis isn't looking well either.
I don't think its nutrients anymore...so hopefully I find out an answer before the all waste away.
It's a learning process.

 

[Steve H.]

The one bright spot is this little patch of HC. It has great color and has grown in size.

The rest of the HC is hanging on for dear life....just like the rest of the tank.

 

[Steve H.]

While I play the waiting game hoping some of my sag will eventually come around I noticed something interesting today.
I don't know if my camera is good enough to show this

The Hygrophilia instead of growing upwards to the surface is making a left turn...almost 90d
The positive is that there is some great colorful new growth

While I am excited something in my tank has decided to grow I am now concerned about my lighting. The tank never receives any direct sunlight, but does receive some indirect light the entire day. And, the Difformis is liking the indirect over the lighting I have in the tank.
I am at 1.4 watts per gallon. Not high, but not terribly low either.

 

[Biulu]

Steve, I have the same situation and my plants are also growing somewhat in the direction of the natural light. However, after the fluorescent lights have been on for some hours they are almost straight again. My light is also 1.4 WpG. Do you have your lights on during the day, or afternoon/night?