looking to return my aquarium light. what planted tank light is best?

[flchamp89]

Im seeing tip burn which would make me think there adjusting to the new par. I would back light down to 6 hrs and add seachem root tabs. I think others had it right. I think light is driving up nutrient needs. Plants fairly large. They need macro and micro.

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[Byron]

Now that I've seen the photos, the easiest answer here is to get some substrate fertilizer tabs for the swords. I use Seachem's Flourish Tabs; the API brand are by all accounts not as good. One tab close to the plant roots (push it down to bury it in the substrate), replaced every 2-3 months.

A comprehensive liquid fertilizer, like Flourish Comprehensive Supplement, will also help, but as you only have the substrate-rooted plants, the tabs will likely do more good.

Byron.

 

[Huntress]

hi, thanks for the tips. I use the flourish tabs but they probably need to be placed again. I also use Flourish Excel as a liquid twice weekly. I also will reduce the lights on time by 6 hours. thanks so much for all the tips! You guys are great

 

[Byron]

hi, thanks for the tips. I use the flourish tabs but they probably need to be placed again. I also use Flourish Excel as a liquid twice weekly. I also will reduce the lights on time by 6 hours. thanks so much for all the tips! You guys are great

I would stop using Excel. This is a so-called carbon supplement, but CO2 is naturally being produced in the aquarium and should be sufficient considering your fish and plant load. If other nutrients were being supplemented more, then supplementing carbon might be beneficial, but not here. It is just one more chemical getting inside the fish.

Byron.

 

[StevenF]

I use Flourish Excel twice weekly.

Flourish Excel is a hydro carbon that plants can use as an alternative the carbon they need. Normally they get he carbon from CO2 which is in the air. If you have a airstone in the tank you shouldn't be deficient in CO2. Excel or CO2 in my opinion should only be used if macro and trace fertilizers are bing used. Otherwise it could cause nutrient deficiency to develope.

The artificial chemical in Excel is also used as a sterilizing agent in industry. It will burn some sensitive plants shuch as Anacharis while most are OK with it. I would recommend you use a syringe to accurate measure the amount you are putting in the tank. I wouldn't use the bottle cap to measure the dose. I believe the instructions on the bottle bottle call for daily dosing with a larger dose after a water change. Given the harmful effect it can have on plants I would try going without it for now.

A comprehensive liquid fertilizer, like Flourish Comprehensive Supplement, will also help, but as you only have the substrate-rooted plants, the tabs will likely do more good.

I agree with this but I would use Seachem root tabs with Flourish comprehensive together to get the fastest possible recovery for your plants.

 

[flchamp89]

Flourish Excel is a hydro carbon that plants can use as an alternative the carbon they need. Normally they get he carbon from CO2 which is in the air. If you have a airstone in the tank you shouldn't be deficient in CO2. Excel or CO2 in my opinion should only be used if macro and trace fertilizers are bing used. Otherwise it could cause nutrient deficiency to develope.

The artificial chemical in Excel is also used as a sterilizing agent in industry. It will burn some sensitive plants shuch as Anacharis while most are OK with it. I would recommend you use a syringe to accurate measure the amount you are putting in the tank. I wouldn't use the bottle cap to measure the dose. I believe the instructions on the bottle bottle call for daily dosing with a larger dose after a water change. Given the harmful effect it can have on plants I would try going without it for now.



I agree with this but I would use Seachem root tabs with Flourish comprehensive together to get the fastest possible recovery for your plants.

Plus 1

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[maxhrbal]

^^good advice all around. I also use excel about twice a week. I don't think it's harmful and I do weekly water changes. I definitely don't think that your light is the problem, it should be plenty, if not too much light. Finnex is a top brand in the industry. I personally am in love with the current satellite plus pro....it's actually too much light and I ha e to keep it on 75% intensity...I assume the finnex is also adjustable? If not, get a sat plus pro fixture if you want...but again I doubt the issue is your light. Plants can take quite a bit of time to adjust.


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[flchamp89]

I have co2 but dose excel daily as an algaecide. Certain plants are sensitive. Imo its best to ease into the dose over a week or two. Follow label rates. You can go over label rates especially for spot treatments. This is when you increase the likelihood of flora and fauna damage.

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[StevenF]

I use Seachem's Flourish Tabs; the API brand are by all accounts not as good.

I wanted to expand on this but didn't get the chance earlier. There are 14 nutrients plants need to grow (excluding CO2, water and light). From my own experience if you are short on any one your plants won't grow. I looked up API root tabs and they only have nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous, and iron. That is only 4 of the 14. API leaf zone ( a liquid fertilizer only supplies, if I recall correctly, only supplies 3 of the 14. Many others are frequently short 1 or 2 nutrients. Sachem is one of the few fertilizer manufactures that includes all of the 14. For this reason both Byron and myself recommended Sachem products.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_nutrition

 

[Huntress]

Thanks, I meant to post earlier that its actually not Excel that I use, just the Seachem Flourish for my plants twice weekly. Going to clip off some of the dead or dying plants so the nutrients can go to the living plants. Also need to do that water change today. MG has been gettting in the way, thats ( Myasthenia Gravis) an autoimmune disease that I have. It causes weakness in my voluntary muscles. I don't have anyone else that can help with my tank though, there all scared of it. lol. Going to go actually do that water change. And perhaps the filter again since my nitrates were too high due to the overload of Molly babies a few weeks ago that I took to the petstore. Again, thanks sooo vary much for all the help. Its much needed advice!