My Plants Look All Sad :(

[windhopper]

Hi all.
Im new to the whole planted aquariums thing, and recently planted up my juwel rekord 800 last week i think it was. First off my crypts went into the funny crypt melt that they do and now they have grown back, however my java moss and vallis are just melting away and turning brown. I checked my water stats an my nitrate is 0. As far as i know nitrate is what is needed for plants.
The substrate is eco-complete and fluorite sand. Im really worried and just want my plants healthy. I bought a CO2 system today for starting use tomorrow hopefully so that should help, but if there is no nitrate in the water will my plants grow at all?
Please help me,
thanks in advance,
Jorel

 

[Truck]

are you dosing with a fertiliser? such as tropica plant nutrition +?

 

[windhopper]

are you dosing with a fertiliser? such as tropica plant nutrition +?

No im not i was told it wasnt nessecary any ideas where i could get something like that my lfs dont stock any fertiliser.

 

[Truck]

the green machine

aqua essentials

google them

make sure you get TPN + the plus is important!

 

[windhopper]

the green machine

aqua essentials

google them

make sure you get TPN + the plus is important!

Can you recomend a good liquid co2 cos i hate the canister, but again lfs didnt have anything else.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

wats ur water stats amm,no2,ph. what lighting do u have?

 

[Truck]

the green machine

aqua essentials

google them

make sure you get TPN + the plus is important!

Can you recomend a good liquid co2 cos i hate the canister, but again lfs didnt have anything else.

easy life easy carbo, and your plants arent doing to well due to the lack of nutrients and medium light

 

[windhopper]

wats ur water stats amm,no2,ph. what lighting do u have?

ammo: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ph: 7.8

 

[Truck]

the lighting is 2*18watt T8's

 

[rocknurworld2006]

my nitrates are between 0-5 in all mytanks and my tanks are all flourishing with plants. i use standard homebase lighting tubes, no ferts, no substrates, just argos sand.

here is 2 of my tanks

 

[Truck]

yeh but what is your lighting like in watts? and are they T5's or T8's?

becuase the lower the light generally the less nutrients they take up

 

[rocknurworld2006]

yeh but what is your lighting like in watts? and are they T5's or T8's?

becuase the lower the light generally the less nutrients they take up

is this question for me or op?

 

[Truck]

you lol, it will explain your flourishing plants if you have low light <1 WPG

 

[rocknurworld2006]

you lol, it will explain your flourishing plants if you have low light <1 WPG

i use standard 2 foot hombase bulbs with the arcadia light units
so no high lighting etc, no ferts, low nitrates 0-5, no special substrate

never have dead plants

ive got anubias and java fern attached to mopani wood ive had for nearly a year

 

[Truck]

how big is the tank? and how many watts do the bulbs equate to?