Plant Problem, New Plants

[alysonpeaches]

I put plants in my tank a week ago. I took advice from my LFS about which ones to buy. I have Vallis, cryptocorin wendtii, sword plant and another which might be echinadoras (bad at remembering Latin names!). I planted them in gravel, as directed, put in fertiliser pellets given to me by LFS manager. They seemed OK for a day or two. Midweek I decided to experiment with moving my heater slightly as I was concerned about its proximity to the vallis, which line the back. I also did a part water change, and added an airstone weighted down with a few pebbles (special aquarium ones!).

In the last few days the plants went downhill. Started going brown, looking a bit rotten. I kept taking out the air stone/air line and repositioning it. I finally realised that that the excess 02 from the airstone was the problem. Ive taken it out and removed/cut off the dead bits of the plants. I have also added some Flora Boost.

What else can I do?

Photos:

Soon after planting:

Some of the problem plants:

 

[Tsi_User]

You are correct about the air stone, it can drive off the Co2 that's in you tank.

What are your lighting specs? how many watts per gallon?

Although it looks like you have a low-light setup, you might still want to look into dosing with Seachem Flourish and Flourish Excel (or something like them) to keep your plants happy.

Also, which plants seem to be struggling more? My vals showed minimal die back and discoloration for the first couple weeks I had them in the tank. You gotta remember that they are in a new environment, some die back will probably occur.

 

[alysonpeaches]

You are correct about the air stone, it can drive off the Co2 that's in you tank.

What are your lighting specs? how many watts per gallon?

Although it looks like you have a low-light setup, you might still want to look into dosing with Seachem Flourish and Flourish Excel (or something like them) to keep your plants happy.

Also, which plants seem to be struggling more? My vals showed minimal die back and discoloration for the first couple weeks I had them in the tank. You gotta remember that they are in a new environment, some die back will probably occur.

The lighting came with the tank (Juwel 96) and is one 18/20W tube. The tank is a 96 litre tank, not sure how many gallons that is. I have the lights on 12 hours a day approx.

I would say the vallis were the worst affected. Do they dislike movement? eg from the filter output?

 

[aaronnorth]

maybe the plants were grown emerged so they have to adat to submerged life, give it a month for it to fully recover, it is quite common with the plants you have.

 

[alysonpeaches]

maybe the plants were grown emerged so they have to adat to submerged life, give it a month for it to fully recover, it is quite common with the plants you have.

Also the guy at the LFS told me to take the plants from the pots and plant them without the pot and the sponge. Also, the vallis had lead bands on, he told me to remove them and separate the bundle of plants. I suppose they are recovering from this too.

 

[aaronnorth]

maybe, it depends how long they was like that before you bought them.

 

[alysonpeaches]

maybe, it depends how long they was like that before you bought them.

I feel really disheartened. Ive just read all about CO2 and lighting levels and I really dont want to go into all that. According to the guide in the pinned posts above I think I have low lighting levels. Im not changing it though, if the plants dont thrive after a month or so I will get artificial. I thought I was helping the fish by getting the plants, but the plants take more messing about with than the fish .

 

[aaronnorth]

once you get it up and running it is really simple. I fyou want plants that are almost impossible to kill go for:

elodea densa
anubias sp
java fern
hygrophillia polysperma
java moss

you should have no problems at all with them, if you do, then your cursed!

 

[alysonpeaches]

once you get it up and running it is really simple. I fyou want plants that are almost impossible to kill go for:

elodea densa
anubias sp
java fern
hygrophillia polysperma
java moss

you should have no problems at all with them, if you do, then your cursed!

I have some elodea densa in a small outdoor pond where frogs live (no fish, as its just an old belfast sink). I have hesitated using a cutting of this in my indoor tanks as I dont want to introduce any diseases or pollutants. The outdoor pond isnt maintained or cleaned, its just somewhere where frogs spawn. Would it be safe to use some or should I buy fresh?

I actually like the look of java fern and moss and wish I had bought that. I asked for beginner plants ....

 

[aaronnorth]

buy some from your LFS, almost every shop will have some for a cheap price.

 

[alysonpeaches]

Well the Vallis are still producing rotting leaves and Im getting sick of fishing these out of the tank. It disturbs the whole plant which then floats up and has to be replanted. I read in one of my fish books that I need to plant these with the crown out of the water. If I do this it just floats up though. I took the lead bands off. I dont know if to dump them or what. My nitrites are high today and Im sure the rotting plant material doesnt help, but each time I go to pull some up it disturbs the whole plant and gravel and the water starts to look murky.

I wish I hadnt followed the advice of my LFS and stocked with plants so early on. I wish I had got the tank cycled and used plastic plants for a while and replaced them gradually.

 

[aaronnorth]

the shop was right about planting early, it helps them get settled in, rotting plants give off ammonia and nutrients (usually the cause of an algae bloom from the ammonia), the nitrite will be from the cycling of the tank. All the shops advice about the right plants has been ok,

 

[bugsy66]

I have Vals in my tank which is more of a dim lit tank. When I first put them in there they did the same thing. Treat them like a new plant in the garden. Let them get established and settle in. I would not have fertilized them right away either, they need time to adjust. Mine are growing like crazy now, don't pull them out as they will send up new growth in the gravel bed. Just keep the dying ones trimmed.

I don't use CO2 or fertilize either, the fish do that part just fine for me and I am getting lots growing in my tank.