Plants doing poorly

[Alien Anna]

Hi, has anyone any ideas how to help my plants do a little better?

In the tank concerned I'm a little low on light (30 watt bulb with a light-doubling reflector). It's a 30 gal tank. In it are about 6 giant vallis plants, a couple of dwarf anubias (of which one is doing well but the other is stunted), some Java fern (which is not growing well at all) and a couple of crypts which I've had a couple of weeks. The crypts are growing but new growth is rather yellow.

I've clipped back the giant vallis to make sure it doesn't obscure the light and I've added a little bit of Floraboost liquid fertiliser (I haven't seen root tabs anywhere). I'm at rather a loss at what else to do. Nitrates and phosphates are really high and I need the plants to grow to get it down - my tank is being taken over by algae.

The tank is currently populated by four mollies, 8 guppies and an SAE. I have two filters running most of the time: a Fluval 3 and a Fluval 2 as a back-up. Ammonia and nitrite zero, nitrate ~50ppm, pH 8.2, GH 21, KH 14. I put one teaspoon of salt per 4 gallons. The substrate is fine pea gravel (<2mm). The anubias and Java ferns are tied or weighted on rocks and slate.

 

[fish&chips]

alien anna hello maybe now i can help yo in return for what youve done for me

did you no CHLORAMINE IS VERY GOOD FOR PLANTS
to help them grow can you take cuttings maybe of your plants place them in some water with chloramine

this may be no help atall anna if not im sorry for waisting your time

mr v
First, water plants use chloramine, because studies have shown that simply chlorine-gas could form compounds that causes cancer. So they don't want to use chlorine, and they use chloramine.

 

[Lateral Line]

I think you need more light in there. Some Anubias sp. will almost grow in the dark so it's no suprise that is doing okay. Several Crypts also can tolerate low light, (they are naturally from shaded forest locations), but if the growth is yellow and "leggy" it sounds like they need more. pH is also a bit high for some plants, but I guess you want that for your livebearers. Salt is also not tolerated well by some plants.

Rambling here. First thing I'd do is whack another tube in there.

fishchips:

Chemicals should always be the last resort - not the first.

 

[Alien Anna]

I think you need more light in there. Some Anubias sp. will almost grow in the dark so it's no suprise that is doing okay. Several Crypts also can tolerate low light, (they are naturally from shaded forest locations), but if the growth is yellow and "leggy" it sounds like they need more. pH is also a bit high for some plants, but I guess you want that for your livebearers. Salt is also not tolerated well by some plants.

Rambling here. First thing I'd do is whack another tube in there.

Can't be done, I'm afraid. I spent half of today on the Web and on the phone and the conclusion is that Juwel Rekord 120s cannot have more than one 25 watt tube with reflector. The guys at Juwel seemed rather surprised that I considered this a problem and said that the tank I had was an "entry level tank" (presumably newbies aren't allowed to have live plants).

I was planning to use the tank for dwarf cichlids before the mollies got my attention, so I suppose it's my own fault. As the tank is non-standard, I suppose I've now got to design and build my own hood and condensation tray, which is a task somewhat beyond my abilities. Anyone fancy explaining to me how its done?

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> Anyone fancy explaining to me how its done?

I looked up your tank on the web and it seems to be rectangular, good start. So buy a "moulding". This is a length of wood typically 1.8 or 2.4 metres long. Choose one which is about 10mm thick and at least 100mm wide. The actual profiles on the decorative side is up to you. Get one that has a "recessed lap", i.e. like this...

 ____
  |  |
  |  |__
  |     |
  |     |
  .     .
  .     .
  "     "

... at the top. Cut into 4 pieces, 2 the length of the tank 2 the width, important the cut should be at 45 degrees, and the measured length should be the inner, (i.e. shortest), side of the trapezoid...

 |\
  |  \
  |    \
  |     | <----
  .    .         |
  "    "        length
  .     .        |
  |     | <----
  |    /
  |   /
  | /
  |/

 

[Lateral Line]

... what you are aiming for is a rectangular shape that will just fit, (3-4mm clearance), over the top of the tank, (i.e. it will slide up and down the tank). Get a short piece of 25mm x 25mm and cut four lengths. The lengths sholud be calculated to be from the bottom lip of the "recessed lap" and extend down equally on all 4 corners, the actual length depends on how far down the tank you want the lid to cover. (If you do not understand this, (it's difficult without lots of drawings!), ask further). Glue these into the corners and allow to dry - use a good woodworking glue, not a contact adhesive or similar.

What you want to end up now with is a "sleeve" that slips over the top of the tank and sits at the desired height - make sure when chossing the "desired height" you leave enough room for the lights, the drip trays and so forth.

Next cut a piece of thin plywood that will just fill the "recessed lap" you left before, don't glue it in yet. Also, cut two strips of the plywood about 25mm wide and long enough to fit insidethe "recessed lap".

 

[jumpman]

I have a hood withe just space for one bulb. It is one of the clearseal ones, 3ft, with a sloping hood. Instead of making a new hood (although I will at some point!) I attached another bulb to the one fitted in there with some tough waterproof tape. Seems to work ok so far.....although a bit too much algae at the mo!!!!

 

[Lateral Line]

Take the top sheet, and cut it in to two pieces long ways so that one piece is about 2/3 the width the other 1/3. Glue the 2 thin strips you have made to either side of the cut, (i.e. so that at the join between the 2 pieces, the plywood is twice as thick - thick enough for some really small screws). Now go to Wickes, or Homebase and buy a "piano hinge", that is long enough to suit, and a number of small screws to attach it with - ideally, try to get brass hinges/screws. Whilst in Wickes, buy a can of "yacht varnish". You might want a knob or something as well - up to you.

Put a couple of coats of varnish over the 2 pieces that will be the top making sure you don't varnish right up to the edges where the top attaches to the sides, (the glue won't work properly), and assemble the top with the piano hinge and the small screws. Now glue the back of the top into the "recessed lap" and let it dry.

 

[Lateral Line]

Varnish the whole thing with several coats of good quality "yacht varnish", (cheap varnish will not take the damp atmosphere).

Get some "tube clips" that are the right size for the tubes you want to use and bolt them to the fixed portion of the top - again, try to use non ferrous bolts - they don't need to be strong.

I usually line the inside of the lid with tinfoil attached with aquarium silicone.

I'll leave the rest to your imagination.

Ask if anything is not clear.

This business of only being able to post short messages is a real pain!

 

[Rose]

As for the yellowing leaves they need iron. Find a iron supplement and you should be back in buisness.

Rose

 

[Alien Anna]

As for the yellowing leaves they need iron. Find a iron supplement and you should be back in buisness.

Rose

Thanks - got some iron fertiliser on order.

 

[aquamanis]

Hi Anna, I agree with Lateral, I don,t think your light intensity is enough. If fitting another tube is a problem an alternative could be to go to the Hydroponic store and get some Mylar (highly reflective film) and roll it down the front of your tank when the light is on. I use mirrors in my grow room and it makes 400 watts seem like 600watts. I,m thinking of doing this myself, the fish might need sunnies though.

 

[allnatural]

What Chloramine is GOOD for plants! I would like to hear more about that. It is added to drinking water to kill bacteria. Won't that also kill the beneficial bacteria in your tank? The fish? The snails? I am a plant advocate, but not to the expense of other life in the tank.

Where did you get your data? Do you not dechlorinate your tap water? Very interesting....

--Tim

 

[AquaNut]

What Chloramine is GOOD for plants! I would like to hear more about that. It is added to drinking water to kill bacteria. Won't that also kill the beneficial bacteria in your tank? The fish? The snails? I am a plant advocate, but not to the expense of other life in the tank.

Where did you get your data? Do you not dechlorinate your tap water? Very interesting....

--Tim

Uhhh no. lol With all due respect to fish&chips, he misunderstood MrV's post regarding chloramine. When MrV said water plants use chloramine, he meant treatment plants, not little green lifeforms that we grow in our aquaria.