Feel like a failure

[avionics30]

Without your water parameters, everyone is just guessing. If you could, please post the following test results:

GH
KH
Nitrate
Ph
Phosphate

Your lighting should be fine with low light plants. By looking at your plants, it seems that there is an iron deficiency. Your tap water may not offer enough iron and the supplement that you are using doesn't either. Leaf Zone has more micro nutrients than macros and the micros are in low concentraions. Check out the iron content. It's likely .10% or less.

Get me those readings and I may be able to offer more suggestions.

Best wishes!

 

[avionics30]

yes, much lower, 3-4 ppm is a little too much ammonia, just 1 ppm should be fine.

These levels of ammonia are fine for cycling a tank with nothing in it, but not for a stocked cycle.

Best wishes!

 

[ib4walrus]

From the kits I have, I can only provide (just tested):
total hardness - 250 ppm
alkalinity - 80 ppm
pH - ~6.8
nitrate - ≥200ppm
nitrite - 0!!
ammonia - 0

 

[avionics30]

Your water seems fine. Something else that I have heard is that anubis will lose all it's leaves and then they will grow back.

 

[wesleydnunder]

Your water seems fine. Something else that I have heard is that anubis will lose all it's leaves and then they will grow back.

Since anubias can be grown emmersed, I've heard that many wholesale growers will produce it in this much cheaper way. I've had anubias which were grown in this manner shed their leaves and replace them with immersed leaves much like you described.

Mark

 

[ib4walrus]

I hope that's what my plants are doing, just losing leaves in order to adapt.

My nitrogen cycle will be nearly done in a day or two. Should I first find upgrades to my lighting? I've searched for upgrades and ones I have in mind is either the Coralife 20" 28 watts or the Current USA 20" 40 watt models. I know that my lfs has the Current USA for $69 and not sure if they have the Coralife which I think is around $44 (online). Should I just get the Current USA? Overkill?

I've been waiting since the end of January when I had first set the tank up and finally I might be able to stock my tank once I get past this plant obstacle.