So New Light = Algae Problems. Who Would Have Guessed? Also Plant Questions.

[Kit]

I get the algae problem, had it in varying forms for years and I have tried various chemical treatments with varies success. What I have found however is that the addition of live plants starts to reduce the algae dramatically, in fact, the more plants I add the more the algae disappears. And they don't have to be fancy plants either, bog-standard Amazon Sword seems to do the trick. I prefer the plants to the chemicals and the more I add the less the algae appears. But it takes time and if you have a new tank it will be trial and error until you find the good plants for your set up. Don't be put off, I've spent years trying to sort algea out and it still is an ongoing situation.

 

[Kyle E.]

They've been in there for like 2 months now...

 

[Kyle E.]

This is what I mean.

 

[eatyourpeas]

Floating plants tend to need more iron, which is why I dose API Leaf Zone every now and then. That yellowing looks like iron deficiency.

 

[Sgooosh]

idk if this is old already but the new leaves on the frogbit push back the old leaves into the water, and when the top touches water they die

 

[Kyle E.]

!!!!!!!!!

This is mind blowing news!

I have never heard this before but this kind of makes sense. Thank you! Do they just keep growing new leaves and pushing the old ones out, or does this stop eventually and they just stay happy with the leaves they have?

 

[Sgooosh]

!!!!!!!!!

This is mind blowing news!

I have never heard this before but this kind of makes sense. Thank you! Do they just keep growing new leaves and pushing the old ones out, or does this stop eventually and they just stay happy with the leaves they have?

they neve stay happy. but they do grow bigger, and then they split like cells. most of the time they grow big and then do an infinite cyckle of "die old leaves! welcome new leaves!" thats what happened to my water lettuce. if you imagine it imagine cabbage or lettuce the leaves keep on growing and then the older leaves get pushed back, but they dont die as often in cabbage. but things like floaters cannot touch water. they are fine

 

[Kyle E.]

That is very good to know! Thank you! I was so worried my frogbit was defective lol.

 

[Sgooosh]

That is very good to know! Thank you! I was so worried my frogbit was defective lol.

lol onec they get big they dont grow anymore and just keep on killinig the old leaves and splitting

 

[Essjay]

Mine don't push the old leaves under the water, the new leaves grow up out of the water.

My frogbit doesn't look like the photo in post #48. There are masses of roots on each plant, and I have to give the long ones a haircut on a regular basis or they'd trail on the bottom of the tank. Even the small tank with only shrimps and a snail has roots reaching the bottom if I don't trim them.

I don't know enough about plants to say what's wrong with the frogbit in that photo.

 

[Sgooosh]

Mine don't push the old leaves under the water, the new leaves grow up out of the water.

My frogbit doesn't look like the photo in post #48. There are masses of roots on each plant, and I have to give the long ones a haircut on a regular basis or they'd trail on the bottom of the tank. Even the small tank with only shrimps and a snail has roots reaching the bottom if I don't trim them.

I don't know enough about plants to say what's wrong with the frogbit in that photo.

i think as long as the plant keeps on growing new leaves it dosent matter if the old pnes die.

 

[Kyle E.]

Yes, the above water leaves are super green and fine.

@Essjay I just started fertilizing a week and a half ago so they are still in the process of growing big masses of roots. The leaves have gone from yellow to perfectly green and healthy in that time though so they are doing great, it just takes time.

 

[Sgooosh]

Yes, the above water leaves are super green and fine.

@Essjay I just started fertilizing a week and a half ago so they are still in the process of growing big masses of roots. The leaves have gone from yellow to perfectly green and healthy in that time though so they are doing great, it just takes time.

ik this is off topic, do you know if stem plants that can use liquid ferts?

 

[Essjay]

I think any plant with leaves can take up fertiliser from the water, though some prefer to take it up through the roots. But if any plant expert says otherwise, believe them not me

 

[Kyle E.]

Yes that is correct. Some stem plants actually prefer to take it through their leaves such as my Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus.