Declining Plant Health

Madcrawdad

Madcrawdad

The ONLY AC Mafia
Dec 29, 2006
409
3
18
Chicagoland
For several years I maintained a wonderfully planted tank. After a couple of years, though, things went downhill. Amazon swords that once stood 20+ inches tall now stand 10 inches or so. Anacharis, that wound its way all around the tank, now withers and dies. Anubis leaves are now yellow and decaying. The only plant that seems to be thriving is Red Cryptocoryne...what started out as two small red plants now grows like weeds all over the tank.

From what I've read, the stunted growth and yellowing leaves may be an iron deficiency issue. When our kids were born a couple years ago, tank maintenance time (including regular water changes) declined dramatically. Now that the kids are a little older, and showing interest in the tank, I'm trying to revive the plants.

For the past few weeks I've been using a liquid fertilizer "Leaf Zone" from API (I used to stuff "Root Tabs plus Iron" from API into the gravel). To be honest I haven't seen a lot of improvement. The yellow anubis leave are now covered with a thin layer of algae. The algae doesn't bother me as much as the fact that the leaves are still yellowing. Can I expect the yellow leaves to become green again, or should I just expect any new leaves to grow in green and hopefully stay green?

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
I would tend to think the stunted growth has more to do with CO2 and the yellowing leaves more with potassium. You are on the right track adding fertilizers but the algae is sucking them out of the water because the plants 1. Need more time to recover and 2. Need a source of carbon to recover on.
Or something like that.

I have grown crypts without adding anything for years. They are hardy little devils.

And keep an eye out for over feeding kids are very good at that.
 
as far as lighting...2 48" flourescent tubes ; 40 watts each (Aqua Rays Fresh & Saltwater by GE). Substrate is just regular aquarium gravel (pea-sized). Plants thrived successfully for a couple of years using each of these.
 
I wonder if some plants simply have seasons. Do they rest in the winter and put on new growth in spring, even if they're all inside living under controlled conditions? For example, in my Eclipse 6 (gallon) (which comes with 8watts of light and at the time no ferts added at all except fish & snail poop), my anarchis and water sprite, once strong for months, dwindled down to next to nothing in a month or so... while green cript wendtii(sp?) has doubled in size. In my 10 gallon, under better light but the same no added ferts, the anarchis and water sprite also suffered though not so much, while the small swords and java fern (both bought in tubes from Petco), have done well. I've replaced the anarchis and the water sprite has bounced back in the 10, and other, new plants are doing okay.

It makes me wonder then is it a matter of me somehow killing easy-to-grow plants (except the java fern, which is busy having babies)... or do some plants wax and wane as the seasons pass?

BTW, I do use some Kent Freshwater Plant formula now, adding a bit with my every-three-days-or-so water changes.
 
not sure about the seasonality issue. if so, its been a long drought here. I am happy to say that even with its yellow leaves, though, my anubis is currently flowering, which it doesn't do all that often.

Today I ordered Flourish and Flourish Excel from bigalsonline.com which I hope may help. I think that the LeafZone that I was adding was feeding the algae as well.

Thanks.
 
A few thoughts...

If you haven't changed your light bulbs, do so now. The lifespan is typically 12-18 months on a fluorescent bulb.

You really need to be dosing both micro and macro fertilizers in order to keep plants growingw well and algae at bay.
 
Pull your Amazon and check under the roots. If there is an acorn growing, it should be cut off as close to the base of the plant without breaking up the entire plant. Amazons do have a dormant period. Don't know the cycle.
 
When was the last time you replaced the light bulbs?

And be careful with just adding Flourish and Flourish Excel without any of the macro nutrients (nitrate, phosphate, potassium). The Excel/carbon is going to push the plants harder to grow, and if the macros aren't there, the plants will suffer more.
 
I replaced both flourescent tubes a month or so ago (I usually change them every 12 mos. ).

With regard to dosing with macro and micro nutrients, do I just follow the directions on each of the bottles (micro & macro) or do I need to change dosing as I'll be using both now?
 
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