Live plants

[TomSawyer]

Hi guys

first of all , i want to thxn you all for your advice and experience.

Last week, I purchased two live plants for my aquarium from the fish shop. unfortunately, I dont know their names. I noticed that slowly the leaves are turning yellow brown and decaying. Last I also tried to put live plants but they all died. Can anyone help me?

 

[bodyshop20]

I have kept fish for about 10 years now, And it sounds like you are just putting the plants into your gravel.
If im right, try using little pots that you put the plug plant into but before you put the plant in you use a tablet that feeds the plant in the pot under the plant.
Ask at aqurium shop on this they will or should know about it.
And if it is any concellation, I gave up with live plants as fish keep eating them anyway, So i use plastic no days.

 

[Dragonslair]

First of all and this seems a silly question to ask you, but, were the plants you bought from the shop healthy with plenty of roots? Were the plants in a mini pot or were they bound with lead weights? Were there any roots on the plants at all? Basically with any plant aquatic or terrestrial, no roots means no plant. In order for a plant to thrive, it must have roots. the more the merrier. Avoid any plants, no matter how nice they may look, if you can't see any roots. Then comes the next question. Leaves turning yellow before dying. Plants make their energy by a method known as photosynthesis. This you may have learnt in biology. In other words, light, natural or artificial. Planted aquariums usually benefit from around 5 hours of light a day. More if you have a heavily planted aquarium. However this is debatable amongst aquarists. Then there's the food aspect. many aquarists' think if the shove a plant into the gravel and leave it, the plant will get all the food it needs from the detritus. In a small way this is correct, however the roots which are so vital must be established first, so you will need to supplement with plant food until the plant can fend for itself which can take several weeks. I hope this has helped you. If you have any further questions regarding plants, go into the "how does your garden grow" section.

 

[elgecko]

Sounds like it might be a lighting problem. What kind of lighting do you have on your tank, and size of tank?
That is the same problem I had when I tried live plants over 15 years ago, lighting problem. I have a tank that has 2 watts of light per gallon, and can keep alot of different plants happy. I use Aquaglo lights.

My tank and fish info.

http/www.geocities.com/elgecko1989/fish.html

 

[Feline]

I'm having the same problem with my one plant (Microsorum pteropus) as well. It's not decaying, but some of the leaves (esp. on the tip) r growing brownish, with some black hairy dots growing on the underside of the leaves. It's hard and around 2-3mm. What r those?

However, the other two plants I have seem fine! (one just ordinary grass, another canadian pondweed)

The plants r planted with roots in a mini pot n I placed them inside the pea sized gravel. I didn't put plant food in. Should I start to now?

 

[cutechic]

if i were you, tom, i would reasearch the plants a bit more. i just bought a really informative book, Aquarium Plants Manual, by Barrons Books.

Planted aquariums usually benefit from around 5 hours of light a day

dragonslair, i have an averagely planted aquarium, and my lfs told me 12-14 hours of light per day. they said in a tank without any plants the fish should still get 10-12 hours of light per day.

 

[Jamnog]

i think an airstone is a good idea for plants and fish people dissagree let them i also think it looks nice many filters come with attatchments that have the outflow breaking the water or infusing bubbles they are just as good imo. the levals of oxigen and co2 are normally out of ballance.

 

[semper fi]

i moved this topic here since it seemed like it was more fitting for this section. left a link so if anyone does see it there and wants they can still post.

semper fi

 

[Dragonslair]

cutechic. Your lfs is probably right about the lighting, however light encourages algae. Algae, after at is a species of plant and all plants obtain their food by means of photosynthesis. So you need to balance out what is practical for your tank. Remember unless your tank is placed in a darkened cupboard during the day, it will be getting natural daylight. Plants photosynthesise in any light. Adding additional light just intensifies the situation. When advice on lighting is given, you must remember natural light counts as well.

 

[TomSawyer]

I see its a very debatable topic

Yes when I bought my plants, they were in a pot with cotton inside. my lfs said that it contain some sort of fertilizer for the plants. following your advice, I lighted up my tank for longer periods (about 6hrs/day) and I also change 1/4 water each week-end. Now the plants, i think is growing better. the older leaves are dead nut new one are coming out healthier. hope that this continues

 

[cutechic]

ok, well the lighting makes more sense. my tank also gets a fair bit of indirect sunlight, so i think i'll have my light on for 12 hours/ day, and then i can always have it on longer if my plants need it

 

[EddieW]

Feline - from Tropica's web site regarding Microsum Pteropus: "The black spots under the leaves are sporangia, not signs of disease as many believe. " and "Older leaves form sporangia on the underside of the leaf which resemble black spots. These are often taken to be signs of disease, but they are infact the normal reproductive organs of the fern plant."

HTH, Eddie

 

[TomSawyer]

It had a chit-chat with my lfs this afternoon. I was asking him some ques on abount my live plants turning brown and then did. He told me that I need some fertilizers. Since I do not have lots of them, he recommended a liquid solution, Leaf Zone (no advert being made)

Hope that this will them to grow healthier. I'll keep u update.

 

[CFC]

I use leaf zone,seems to work,good luck

 

[Tanked]

I use Leaf Zone as well and My plants have thanked me for it. co2 is next!!!