Plants Dying Off..

[krismcewan]

Im looking for a little help with my tank.

Up untill the last few months i had a decent healthy tank with thriving fish and Plants.

Things started to go wrong a few months ago when my Large leafed plants started to die off. and now every plant seems to be dying off (fish are fine so dont panic)

Even my java moss is dying.


I have a sand substrate which i fertalise with Echinodorus tabs, Refresher tabs, and starter tabs now and then. I also have a C02 system (sugar and yeast) and i use Dennerele S7, s15 and s30 with the proper amounts and frequency.

My water readings are as follows

NO3 - 100 mg/l too high i know but cant reduce it naturally
NO2 0 ml/l
GH - 7d
KH - 6d
and PH - 6.4. - its a bit low


Lights are on 8 hours a day and there is some daylight but not alot reaches the tank.


I have a fluval 304 external filter with Clearmax, Charcoal, Foam and ceramic media. Its been half cleaned a few weeks ago after the plants started to die off.

Only thing laft is Limnophila sessiliflora and thats shedding fast.


Any help or advice would be helpfull

 

[snowflake311]

What is your lighting like. Watt per gallon? Many times the reason plants don't do well is because of not enough light. But your java moss is not doing well is weird.

My first guess is poor light but another person might have a better idea.

 

[tropic_john]

those results sound like they're off a test strip?

though I may be wrong

 

[Truck]

how bigs the tank? probably a light problem (too much)

 

[krismcewan]

those results sound like they're off a test strip?

though I may be wrong

yep sorry. my bad did a quick dip test to post. to impatinet to do the test tube tests.


its a 180 Ltr tank. new hood and 30W Daylight tubes about 7 months old. The hood greens up with sticky algae quite quickly but the water and tank its self is almost algae free


I have a smaller 30lt tank that has a gravel substrate and things grow no problems there.

Had considered doing a gravel/sand mix just incase it was a lack of nutrients in the sumstrate

 

[Mr Bliss]

Did the plants show any symptoms (color change? spots on the leaves? dysmorphic leaves?) before rotting away?

Given that the plants survived for a while, my guess would be a shortage of some micronutrient, and since you mention large leaved plants I'd put my money on iron. Sand is a poor substrate for root-feeding plants; you can push tons of nutrient tabs into a sand substrate only to find that the plants can't use any of it, and iron in particular can only be used by plants under specific conditions. What plants were they? How thick is the substrate?

 

[killudead]

I think i might have an iron issue as well. This sounds a little like the issue i am having.

 

[krismcewan]

Did the plants show any symptoms (color change? spots on the leaves? dysmorphic leaves?) before rotting away?

Given that the plants survived for a while, my guess would be a shortage of some micronutrient, and since you mention large leaved plants I'd put my money on iron. Sand is a poor substrate for root-feeding plants; you can push tons of nutrient tabs into a sand substrate only to find that the plants can't use any of it, and iron in particular can only be used by plants under specific conditions. What plants were they? How thick is the substrate?

plands all seem fine. Im also wondering if there is a fish chewing on the stalks as some plants are floatign as thye have been cut in half.



Would I be better putting in gravel/Sand mix?

 

[krismcewan]

aparently the temp of the tank was too high.

its now back at 27 celius. was up at 33


see how that goes