Do I Need A Co2 Injector - Why Are My Plants Bleaching?

[tlagden]

Okay so i put all my plants in the tank they started growing great - the one nearest the heater started going a little brown at the bottom and now it's shed the leaves that were going brown and there is new leaves budding at the top (shown below):

Is that plant okay whys it going brown and do u think it will survive?

This ones my main worry it has started to go pale at the top after a huge growth spurt!

Whats going on do i need a CO2 diffuser?

 

[tlagden]

anybody? - any advise comments would help

 

[tlagden]

please somebody reply anybody who knows about aquatic plants/and or the science behind it!

 

[kamel_007]

you've a lack of potassium... and IRON too

you need to use the NPK method for getting the best plant's growth..

and of course you need CO2

get the nutrafin kit .. it's cheap.

 

[nath1]

hello!
i,ve been using the nutrafin kit for a while now and it works really well. also when the first packets of yeast and stablizer run out you can buy hovis bread making yeast and it does the same thing for about one tenth of the price.
good luck i,m sure this will help your plant colour and overall health.
nath1

 

[mantis147]

I would back the nutrafin units as they are cheap and work well. i also used to add Seachem flourish which kept them healthy.

 

[tlagden]

Thanks

 

[nry]

Ang on a bit.......

What lighting and fertilising do you currently use/have? No point suggesting CO2 etc etc until we know a bit more about your current setup Plants new to a tank often go through a 'oh no they look like they are dieing' stage, before setting in. The one near the heater may have suffered from a bit too much heat, not sure on that one though. The newer growth on some plants is also lighter in colour than the older growth, may not always be something to worry about.

I think I also spot an airstone in the tank too? These are not a good idea if you decide to start using CO2 as the surface agitation of the water will make the CO2 dissipate almost as soon as it enters the water. Even without CO2 they can help reduce 'natural' CO2 levels to nothing, worth turning it off unless you really need it.

 

[tlagden]

Ang on a bit.......

What lighting and fertilising do you currently use/have? No point suggesting CO2 etc etc until we know a bit more about your current setup Plants new to a tank often go through a 'oh no they look like they are dieing' stage, before setting in. The one near the heater may have suffered from a bit too much heat, not sure on that one though. The newer growth on some plants is also lighter in colour than the older growth, may not always be something to worry about.

I think I also spot an airstone in the tank too? These are not a good idea if you decide to start using CO2 as the surface agitation of the water will make the CO2 dissipate almost as soon as it enters the water. Even without CO2 they can help reduce 'natural' CO2 levels to nothing, worth turning it off unless you really need it.

I have a Sun-Glo floruesence light - 18" i am not using any fertiliser has just planted the plants straight into the gravel - they seem to be rooting okay though.

I think the one near the heater looks okay now though!

I don't use CO2 do i really need to will the plants definetaly die if i don't?

I thought the airstone and air curtain i had in there would be a good thing for oxygenating?

 

[nry]

Unless your tank is overstocked, airstones etc are not needed, the water movement from your filter will be enough. Whilst they do help oxygenate the water for fish, they also help CO2 escape from the water, which is bad for the plants. CO2 and oxygen levels in water are not related, you can have high levels of both.

I'm guessing you have somewhere near 1wpg/watt per gallon for lighting. CO2 is not essential at this level, you would be better offinitially considering a liquid plant fertiliser, this has nothing to do with whether a plant roots well or not, as 'normal' water has little in the way of nutrients for plants to use. CO2 would not be a bad thing, it can help all planted tanks, but it is not essential on your low light tank.

 

[Underwurlde]

Hello again MrT,

Bog-side reading material:
http/www.barrreport.com/estimative-index...-test-kits.html
http/www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57706
http/www.barrreport.com/articles/41-diy-...-co2-users.html

I'm sure I mentioned something about your airstone etc in another thread you had. Looks like others are backing up what I said back then?

Andy

 

[tlagden]

Hello again MrT,

I'm sure I mentioned something about your airstone etc in another thread you had. Looks like others are backing up what I said back then?

Andy

But i like the air stone lol

 

[Underwurlde]

Plants or Airstone (which does nothing apart from look good).
Plants or Airstone (which does nothing apart form look good).

The choice is yours!

 

[newfishaddict]

Do it yourself co2 via a 2 litre soda pop bottle. It is cheep. You plants will grow much better and look better with co2. There is an adhesive called "goop" use that, it works the best for sealing the tube in the bottle...you can find instrucions in the net everywhere. you can inject it with a powerhead or the nutrafin ladders are not bad.

cheers

 

[InaneCathode]

Do it yourself co2 via a 2 litre soda pop bottle. It is cheep. You plants will grow much better and look better with co2. There is an adhesive called "goop" use that, it works the best for sealing the tube in the bottle...you can find instrucions in the net everywhere. you can inject it with a powerhead or the nutrafin ladders are not bad.

cheers

Make sure you have a check valve in line somewhere though, if you somehow develop a negetive pressure in your reactor chamber you could end up starting a syphon and draining your tank