What to do with plants

[Ravenes]

My tip of the leaves of my live plants are turning brown. Was wondering should I give it some fertilizer?

 

[Ravenes]

I forgot to add that I had my water changed 25% two days ago

 

[Crunchycrouton]

I forgot to add that I had my water changed 25% two days ago

Do you know what kind of plants they are? Usually browning plants are a sign of poor water quality.

What's the Nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and PH? Do you use Co2 for the plants?

 

[Ravenes]

Do you know what kind of plants they are? Usually browning plants are a sign of poor water quality.

What's the Nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and PH? Do you use Co2 for the plants?

Co2 like the stuff that comes out of the bottle?

 

[Crunchycrouton]

Co2 like the stuff that comes out of the bottle?

If your not talking about your fertilizer, then yes. Co2 can come in a bottle which is usually called "bio available carbon" or in a gas form.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Photos of the plants? Do you use any ferts at all, like root tabs or anything? Any liquids?

 

[Ravenes]

Photos of the plants? Do you use any ferts at all, like root tabs or anything? Any liquids?

I use seachem prime but I didn’t use it last time I changed water.

 

[Ravenes]

 

[Crunchycrouton]

View attachment 132038

That brown looks like Diatoms. Rub the leaves and see if it comes off.

 

[Ravenes]

What’s diatoms?

 

[Crunchycrouton]

What’s diatoms?

It's algae. Harmless, but not good looking.

 

[StevenF]

First of get a GH KH test kit. Plants need calcium and magnesium to grow. The GH test will detect these nutrients. California tap water is very seasonal. When it rains tap water can ba very soft. in the dry summer utilities tend to switch from surface to well water. So in the summer it can be hard wile in the winter it can be very soft.

The fresno water quality report shows the GH can very from 11ppm (very soft) to 400ppm (very hard)with an average of 123ppm. So you may want to check your GH and then if necessary adjust it using a GH booster such as seachem equilibrium. The goal being to maintain a stable GH. The dead leaf tip could be caused by low calcium but it could also be due to any 1 of the 14 nutrients plant need to grow (excluding CO2 and light). So you should try a fertilizer. but keep in mind that most fertilizer don't have calcium or if they do they don't have enough. Moster fertilizers on the market assume your tap water supplies all or moat of the calcium and magnesium your plants need.

Also check your nitrate level. Plants need nitrogen so you don't want zero nitrate. I keep my tank between 5 and 10ppm NO3.

for healthygrowth plants need nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, sulfur, chloride, iron, manganese,, boron, zinc, copper, molybdenum. Most plant problems are related to these nutrients. CO2 is frequently discussed and focused on but in my experience it is seldom the cause of plant growth problems.

 

[Ravenes]

Ok thx guys. I’ll see if it’s diatoms. But I was wondering how long does a plant last and does it reproduce?

 

[Ravenes]

I do have seachem flourish btw does that have calcium?

 

[Crunchycrouton]

Ok thx guys. I’ll see if it’s diatoms. But I was wondering how long does a plant last and does it reproduce?

It depends on what kind of plant. I'm not sure with this one, I've never kept it. But here's some examples on how plants reproduce/ or how to propagate: For Stem plants, you trim them, then replant the cuttings. For anubias and such you cut the rhizome in 2 or more parts. Amazon Sword will shoot runners, that turn into new plants. (I feel like that's what would happen with yours.) And for Java fern, I usually wait till they sprout new plants on their leaves. Again, I'm not sure how to propagate your plant as I don't know what it is, but hopefully someone can tell you for sure.