Plants Dying! Help me figure out what's wrong.

[evster]

Hi everyone. I need help!

I have a 20G tank that's been established for about 8 months now. Up until recently plants have been growing fine (albeit slowly). A few weeks ago I added a new piece of driftwood and some java moss. I also added some vals.

I am not sure what has been happening since then, but over the past 2 or 3 weeks my java fern and my crypts have been disintegrating and dying away. My anubias is yellowing and even my anacharis has looked better in the past. Basically, all my plants are dying! The water has also turned a slight brownish color. Perhaps from the rotting java fern and other plants? I don't think its from the new driftwood because I boiled it for several hours before placing it in my tank.

In addition, I am developing a mild problem with hair algae. It has settled into my new java moss (see picture below).

All of my fish appear to be healthy, but something is definitely killing the plants.

I started a little DIY co2 about a week ago in hopes it would turn things around but it seems to be of little help thus far.

My latest readings were
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
pH: approx. 6.4
nitrate: approx. 20-30

Here are a couple of the things I was thinking:

1.) I noticed the filter pack in my HOB filter is pretty thin and has some holes in it. I'm probably not filtering the water as well as I should be.

2.) My 36W fluorescent bulb is about 7 months old. Maybe it is not lighting the tank properly and needs to be replaced. I keep the lights on for 9 hours a day.

3.) Most likely scenario...I probably have some type of nutrient imbalance that I don't have a test kit for. Maybe some of you guys out there can point me in the right direction on this. Any advice is much appreciated.

Here are a couple of pictures that may help out. My java fern was literally thriving less than a month ago and now its looking like it may not recover.

http://www.designedbyevan.com/java_fern.jpg

http://www.designedbyevan.com/hair_algae.jpg

http://www.designedbyevan.com/full_tank.jpg

[kjf91004]

Not so much a nutrient imbalance as a nutrient deficiency, What are you dosing?

Test kits for nutrient levels are rather inaccurate. Your best bet would be to just make sure you have enough of each nutrient available. Mr. Barr proved quite some time ago that it is not excess nutrients that cause algae. Google Estimative Index for more info.

You need to be dosing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and a micro mix in order to have them all covered.

[Aries]

Definately let us know what you are dosing.

Depending on quality of bulb, their actual life can range from 10 months to 18 months. I ususally change mine out every year. They may still give off light, but their peaks drops. I usually see new life when I change bulbs (same manufacturer same specs, usually bought many at same time).

Aries

[evster]

thanks for the help so far...

UPDATE:

Since taking the pictures I've done a 25% water change and the next day a 50% water change. I think the damage to the plants is beginning to stabilize. The water still seems just a tad opaque so I am going to do another 50% change today or tomorrow.

Still definitely having the problem with the hair algae. Its settling in mainly on my java moss. I removed most of it in the 2 water changes I did but its already growing back!

I am only dosing a small amount of Flourish. For everything else I am relying on the waste of my fish and snails and the tap water from my water changes.

[mellowvision]

do you have any algae eating fish in there? maybe a couple of otos would help?

[phanmc]

Looks like potassium deficiency, I'd increase the dosage of Flourish and then grab a bottle of potassium if it doesn't improve.

[evster]

I have 2 otos in there already but they don't seem that into the hair algae. Thanks for the tip on potassium. I will look into that.