plant problems

[arj]

Our tank has been running for about 2 weeks now, and we bought the plants and fish together about 5 days ago.

most of the plants are showing some signs of unhealthiness, i.e one of the plants' lower leaves look deteriorated and a little bit brown, another is looking brown at the tips of its long leaves etc..

is there any particular reason for this other than that the tank is new and not fully stable?

thanks.

 

[endparenthesis]

Unless you bought lighting specifically with plants in mind, or bought plants with low-lighting in mind, you probably don't have nearly enough light. The typical hood doesn't (and usually shouldn't since it's just asking for algae problems in non-planted tanks).

 

[Da_Oz]

Most plants die back will you transplant them. If the leaves are dieing and turning brown be sure to cut them off. Decaying plants can kill the plant and the fish.

If you could add more about your tank like size type and power of lights and type of plants that would really help.

IF these plants was any color but green when you got them, it is very unlikley they will grow in a tank with the lights provided.

 

[arj]

tank: 36 inches X 15 inches

volume: roughly 145 litres

'glo' aquarium light - AQUA-GLO on for a bit less than 10 hours a day (i've just read a leaflet now and found out i should be on between 10 and 12 hours a day...oops)

heater - around 26-27 celcius (72-74 fahren)

filter - fluval 3 plus - regular pads, put in polyester pad for a week to get rid of the dirt

fish - 3 male guppies
2 cory catfish, 1 albino, 1 bronze (i know they are used to communities, i'm getting more very soon)

 

[arj]

... if anyone could help me that would be great..

 

[luxum]

Just one bulb on a 36"x15" tank? That's very low lighting. You'll either have to upgrade your lighting (you''ll need 2 watts per gallon for medium light plants, 3 watts per gallon for high light plants), or pick plants that are tolerant of low light such as anubias species, the common crypt species, java fern, java moss, etc.

 

[arj]

it's not really a 'bulb', its a florescent tube, and it is 25Watts.

the plants that i know the names of are:

Microsorium pteropus
Echinodorus bleheri
Cryptocoryne bullosa

not that that means very much to me.........

 

[Sanj]

Arj,

Crypts will often die back at first when intoriduced to an aquarium and regenerate in a few weeks.

your lighting is a bit low, it would be better to have at leat two flourescent tubes fitted with reflectors to optimise the output.

IMO co2 is a valuable addition to planted aquariums and make a big difference in the success of plant growing not to mention fertilizer ofcourse.


The thing is if you want to keep lower light levels co2 is not advisable. With one flourescent tube you are very limited in the plants that will grow. Vallis (straight) may adapt, crypts (becketti and wendtii plus others) could be ok. Java fern is another awell as Java moss.

10 hours a day is ok. Just a point, you cannot make up for lack of light intensity by keeping lights on longer. keep it to 10 hours its fine.

 

[arj]

ok, thanks for the help.