Need help

[hywaydave]

I continue to struggle to grow Amazon Swords and Java Ferns successfully in my tank. Now granted I do purchase them in those tubes from Petco or PetSmart because I don't want snails. Anubias I can grow just fine. I know I didn't select the best substrate in the beginning but I'm not about to tear up the tank now to replace it. This is my 53 gallon tank. I have a Fluval AquaSky that runs for 8 hours a day, the tank does not get any sun light. I have a Fluval 307 canister for filtration and run the flow rate at 50%. My tank is not heavily stocked with fish, there are only 13 fish in here. I have probably a dozen live plants and a dozen fake plants. The two taller ferns you see were just put in last week.

I continue to battle algae, as you can see on the faux wood, the back glass, and plants. Every time I try Amazon Swords they dwindle down to nothing. I just started putting a root tab under each of them last week. My next question is around carbon and phosphate pads, I have them in my canister now but am wondering if they're taking nutrients out of the water column that the java ferns and anubias need, or perhaps they're not since algae is still thriving. Any help would be great on helping my existing ferns and swords thrive while managing algae. I know this isn't related but I'm sure it will be asked. Ammonia and Nitrites are 0ppm, Nitrates are 5ppm, PH is 8.0

Thanks in advance.

 

[jaylach]

First I would get rid of the carbon as it is in no way needed for a healthy tank unless used for removing tannin or left over meds.

You MAY do better not getting plants from chain stores. A contaminated plant killed everything in my tank a while back.

Putting a root tab under each plant is likely too much.

OK, so lets get to the Anubias and Java Ferns. These are both easy plants to grow but you need to know about their structure. Neither are a plant that you would normally plant in the substrate as they have a rhizome just above the root cluster. If this is planted under the substrate it will normally rot and kill the plant. Such plants as these do not even need to have roots in the substrate as they tend to get what they need straight from the water. Common way6s to 'plant' Anubias and/or Java Ferns is to tie with string or just use super glue to attach to rocks or wood.

As to the water fed plants such as Anubias and Java you may want to consider a liquid fertilizer that resides in the water such as Flourish Comprehensive but only do about half dosage.

Oh, as to the algae it is not always bad unless extreme.

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello. You need to get your plants from a good source. The chain stores generally don't provide the care that plants need in the beginning, so they're healthy. I have no idea what kind of plants those are in the plastic tubes. I get my plants from a company called "Buse". They're a bit pricey, but the plants are large and healthy and as long as you plant them correctly and provide good lighting, the plants grow very well.

10 Tanks (Now 11)

 

[Aqua67]

According to a master horticulturist whose videos I frequently watch and take notes from, with java fern, amazon and crypts he recommends longer periods of low light (10 to 12 hours). He also suggests to use an “all-in-one” fertilizer and suggests that Seachem’s product is too weak. Perhaps Aquarium Co-Op’s Easy Green would be a helpful fertilizer? With java fern specifically, he said those plants like potassium.

Amazons are heavy root feeders and I always put root tabs under them, one near each plant if the plants are spaced apart and if they’re closer together then I’ll stick a tab in between them.

With your AquaSky, you could dial down your blue light (down to 2% intensity) to reduce algae growth. Red/Orange lighting aids in flowering and fruiting, White and Green light encourages growth. So adjust your lights to get the outcome desired.

I’ve always found that a ramshorn snail or two will keep your tank completely spotless of algae. So will a nerite snail although you’ll end up with tiny egg cysts dispersed all over your hard scape. I never have to scrape algae as long as I’ve got some snails. You can always remove the snails by luring them to a piece of blanched veggie and then dropping them into a large jar of water. Then you can control the population in your aquarium and only use the snails in your aquarium when you need some algae removed again.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Everybody who does planted tanks has their own way and their favorite products. And like many things in this hobby, it is easy to find poor information. I have kept planted tanks now for over 20 years. I now have mostly lower light easy to keep tanks. I did have more demanding and varied tanks in the past including one with pressurized CO2 added and pretty intense lighting and fertilizing.

I became a fan of Tropica information and products very early on and have used their ferts since. Tropica was and likley still is the worlds largest producer of Aquatic plants for the hobby. I figured this strongly suggested they knew what they were doing and I should pay attention.

Tropica Aquarium Plants is a privately owned Danish company, based in Egå near Aarhus. The company was founded by Holger Windeløv in 1970. In 2004, the company was sold to JPS Clemens, due to a generational change and the new owners established a new nursery garden in 2007 as the base of a long-term strategy.
Tropica Aquarium Plants aims to increase the joy and experience of having having an aquarium as a hobby. The company develops, produces and sells aquarium plants, fertiliser and aquarium equipment. We deliver on a daily basis to retailers all over Europe, Asia and North America.

The have an excellent site where you cannot possibly spend too much time learning about how to succeed with plants in tanks. The site is availabe in 4 languages, this is the English version, enjoy: https://tropica.com/en/

BTW- the Java fern variety, Microsorum Windeløv, is named after Holger Windeløv.

 

[Byron]

Some of what I will suggest has already been mentioned, but for me it is easier to offer the whole picture so nothing gets overlooked. I've had thriving swords of a few different species for 30 years. First issue is light, second nutrition. From the photos I would suggest that there are issues with the light and the nutrition (fertilization).

First on the light. According to the Fluval site, the colour spectrum (Kelvin) is 3000K to 25000K. First issue here is that this light will encourage algae. Plants grow best under 5000K to 6500K because this is closest to sunlight under which plants evolved. Light that is high in the red and blue (these two colours drive photosynthesis, red being the more critical of the two) and green (though not used for photosynthesis, it does significantly increase plant response). Kelvin is a measure of colour temperature, and the lower the K the warmer (more red, less blue) while the higher the K the less red and more blue. Marine tanks with corals for example need high blue light because that is what penetrates ocean water best, so a K around 11000K up is best. But this does not work well with freshwater plants.

I don't know this light, so a question or two. Can you adjust it in some way to "turn off" any blue LED diodes? The white is what you want, assuming it is high in red, blue and green; the additional red and blue diodes may not be useful. There is algae issues in the photos and this I will surmise is because of the spectrum. As for duration, this we can twig according to nutrient available, but 8 hours should not be bad, though it may have to come down. I worked my lighting out over a period of a couple years to 7 hours, which allowed my swords to thrive and I saw no more problem algae (black brush in my case) for the following 6-7 years. Eight is fine for now, if you can fiddle with the colours.

Second issue is nutrients. This is what we term low-tech or natural planted tank, as opposed to high-tech which needs much brighter light and diffused CO2 (@TwoTankAmin mentioned this). There will be plenty of nitrogen, phosphorus, and probably carbon [I'll come back to this] from the fish being fed. A comprehensive supplement is what you want. The Tropica should be OK, and there is also the Flourish Comprehensive Supplement and Brightwell Aquatics' FlorinMulti, both available in the USA. I've used the Flourish for more than a decade. Swords are heavy root feeders, so substrate tabs do make a huge difference, and the Flourish Tabs are one of the best.

Carbon...naturally produced primarily from the decomposition of organics in the substrate plus respiration of fish, plants and bacteria. I worked out that sufficient was being produced daily to support 7 hours of light.

The substrate here is not the best, but this should not much hamper the swords. The finer the grain size the better, which is why sand is ideal. In their habitats, all swords grow in a mix of sand and mud. This sort of substrate provides better rooting, and it also allows better bacterial action in the all-important "bed" of the aquarium.

You have plants needing less light (and thus less nutrients) because they are slow growing (ferns, mosses, Anubias), and you have plants requiring much more light and nutrients because they are fast growing (stem plants). Swords are in the middle. My light was what I would term moderate (some would probably say low) and these plants went wild. Photo below is the 5-foot Amazon tank; my camera skills are poor, but you get the idea. Substrate was fine gravel, then changed to sand, one 5000K and one 6500K T8 tube, one Flourish Tab next to each large sword, replaced every 3 months, and Flourish Comprehensive after the water change once a week.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I also think the lack of root tabs is what caused previous sword plants to fail. They're really greedy root feeders that will grow large, fast, when given enough nutrients and light. I think you'll see success with them now that you're adding root tabs. Swords and crypts benefit hugely from them.

Don't forget that if a plant like many swords is grown emersed, it takes some time for it to convert to its submerged form and produce the leaves needed for it to grow underwater. Normally the new leaves emerge from the crown (so make sure the crown isn't buried too deep in the substrate) and the old leaves just gradually die back. Don't mistake this for the plant dying, the old leaves just aren't needed anymore. As long as it's producing healthy new leaves, it's just going through the process of converting forms.

 

[hywaydave]

Hello. You need to get your plants from a good source. The chain stores generally don't provide the care that plants need in the beginning, so they're healthy. I have no idea what kind of plants those are in the plastic tubes. I get my plants from a company called "Buse". They're a bit pricey, but the plants are large and healthy and as long as you plant them correctly and provide good lighting, the plants grow very well.

10 Tanks (Now 11)

Thanks, are the plants from Buse snail free?

 

[hywaydave]

First I would get rid of the carbon as it is in no way needed for a healthy tank unless used for removing tannin or left over meds.

You MAY do better not getting plants from chain stores. A contaminated plant killed everything in my tank a while back.

Putting a root tab under each plant is likely too much.

OK, so lets get to the Anubias and Java Ferns. These are both easy plants to grow but you need to know about their structure. Neither are a plant that you would normally plant in the substrate as they have a rhizome just above the root cluster. If this is planted under the substrate it will normally rot and kill the plant. Such plants as these do not even need to have roots in the substrate as they tend to get what they need straight from the water. Common way6s to 'plant' Anubias and/or Java Ferns is to tie with string or just use super glue to attach to rocks or wood.

As to the water fed plants such as Anubias and Java you may want to consider a liquid fertilizer that resides in the water such as Flourish Comprehensive but only do about half dosage.

Oh, as to the algae it is not always bad unless extreme.

My Anubias and Ferns are attached to rocks and faux wood. Only the swords are in the substrate but the crown is not.

 

[hywaydave]

Some of what I will suggest has already been mentioned, but for me it is easier to offer the whole picture so nothing gets overlooked. I've had thriving swords of a few different species for 30 years. First issue is light, second nutrition. From the photos I would suggest that there are issues with the light and the nutrition (fertilization).

First on the light. According to the Fluval site, the colour spectrum (Kelvin) is 3000K to 25000K. First issue here is that this light will encourage algae. Plants grow best under 5000K to 6500K because this is closest to sunlight under which plants evolved. Light that is high in the red and blue (these two colours drive photosynthesis, red being the more critical of the two) and green (though not used for photosynthesis, it does significantly increase plant response). Kelvin is a measure of colour temperature, and the lower the K the warmer (more red, less blue) while the higher the K the less red and more blue. Marine tanks with corals for example need high blue light because that is what penetrates ocean water best, so a K around 11000K up is best. But this does not work well with freshwater plants.

I don't know this light, so a question or two. Can you adjust it in some way to "turn off" any blue LED diodes? The white is what you want, assuming it is high in red, blue and green; the additional red and blue diodes may not be useful. There is algae issues in the photos and this I will surmise is because of the spectrum. As for duration, this we can twig according to nutrient available, but 8 hours should not be bad, though it may have to come down. I worked my lighting out over a period of a couple years to 7 hours, which allowed my swords to thrive and I saw no more problem algae (black brush in my case) for the following 6-7 years. Eight is fine for now, if you can fiddle with the colours.

Second issue is nutrients. This is what we term low-tech or natural planted tank, as opposed to high-tech which needs much brighter light and diffused CO2 (@TwoTankAmin mentioned this). There will be plenty of nitrogen, phosphorus, and probably carbon [I'll come back to this] from the fish being fed. A comprehensive supplement is what you want. The Tropica should be OK, and there is also the Flourish Comprehensive Supplement and Brightwell Aquatics' FlorinMulti, both available in the USA. I've used the Flourish for more than a decade. Swords are heavy root feeders, so substrate tabs do make a huge difference, and the Flourish Tabs are one of the best.

Carbon...naturally produced primarily from the decomposition of organics in the substrate plus respiration of fish, plants and bacteria. I worked out that sufficient was being produced daily to support 7 hours of light.

The substrate here is not the best, but this should not much hamper the swords. The finer the grain size the better, which is why sand is ideal. In their habitats, all swords grow in a mix of sand and mud. This sort of substrate provides better rooting, and it also allows better bacterial action in the all-important "bed" of the aquarium.

You have plants needing less light (and thus less nutrients) because they are slow growing (ferns, mosses, Anubias), and you have plants requiring much more light and nutrients because they are fast growing (stem plants). Swords are in the middle. My light was what I would term moderate (some would probably say low) and these plants went wild. Photo below is the 5-foot Amazon tank; my camera skills are poor, but you get the idea. Substrate was fine gravel, then changed to sand, one 5000K and one 6500K T8 tube, one Flourish Tab next to each large sword, replaced every 3 months, and Flourish Comprehensive after the water change once a week.

Thanks for all of that information and your time. I am able to adjust the colors to whatever percentage I want. Sounds like I should dial down the red and blues to 0 and increase white and green to 100, thoughts? I am using flourish tabs for the two swords. My ferns probably aren't looking too good right now because they were bought in those tubes just weeks ago and still adjusting. I will also remove the carbon from my canister. No one commented on the phosphate pads on the canister, should I remove that as well? Thank you everyone.

 

[jaylach]

Thanks for all of that information and your time. I am able to adjust the colors to whatever percentage I want. Sounds like I should dial down the red and blues to 0 and increase white and green to 100, thoughts? I am using flourish tabs for the two swords. My ferns probably aren't looking too good right now because they were bought in those tubes just weeks ago and still adjusting. I will also remove the carbon from my canister. No one commented on the phosphate pads on the canister, should I remove that as well? Thank you everyone.

I may get corrected on this but I'd say to get rid of the phosphate.

 

[Byron]

I agree. Phosphorus is a nutrient, but there is more than enough in fish food to provide for plants (in this low-tech type tank), and it is present in the tabs which do not dissolve in the water column. What I'm getting at is, no real concern over phosphate removers. If your source water was heavily loaded with phosphate, that would be different, but it is unlikely.

On the light, the white diodes are the most important. I would certainly scale back the blue. And probably the red. The green not so critical but if it creates an odd greenish hue I would reduce it too.

 

[Colin_T]

Put the anubias and java fern in a more shaded spot.
Put the sword plants in the brightest part of the tank.

Have equal parts red and blue light. add some green and white so the water looks clear and the light looks white.

Add an aquarium plant fertiliser for the swords. You can use a liquid and a tablet for their roots.