I need help - planted not going well.

rsanz

The Peacock Gudgeon Guy
Aug 22, 2006
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Hey everyone,

I started my planted tank about 2, maybe 3 months ago. Honestly, it looks the same as it did on day one when I first planted the plantlets.

The Java Ferns are just now starting to grow in a little bit. Well...one of the two is. The other one looks the same.

The Anacharis are not doing well at all. Browning, breaking at the stem and floating around the tank, etc.

The guppy grass is the worst off, again, browning all over and just breaking off and floating around/getting stuck on the filter intake.

Java moss seems to be growing, but is completely brown.

The anubias are actually doing the best out of everyone, with new leaves growing every couple of weeks. The leaves are covered in brown algae, but nothing a gentle rubbing can't dislodge. I may change these out for crypts...

My regimen for the plants is nothing special. New root tabs in the substrate at the beginning of every month (Eco-Complete substrate). I was dosing Seachem Excel every other day, but it didn't seem to do very much over a 4-week period, so I stopped because of possible harm to certain plants thinking the Excel was the culprit. Perhaps I was dosing incorrectly, though I was trying to follow the dosing instructions on the bottle. The lights are on a timer, 9 hours a day.

At any rate, I am frustrated. Can anyone offer any tips that I might try? Should I restart the Excel regimen? Should I try Flourish? Should I try Flourish Iron? The plants I chose were meant to be easy to grow for beginners even in plain gravel, but I spent the money on Eco-Complete to ensure success. Needless to say that I am disappointed and frustrated, and that my first forray into the planted aquarium is not going very well at all.

Thanks.
 
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Wattage is 1 WPG. All the plants I have, as far as I know, are low-light plants. You're saying I should leave the lights on for longer? I took the algae growing on the leaves of the anubias as a sign that the lighting time was fine.
 
I have not yet started keeping plants, but for whatever it's worth, I've read that most "low light" plants still need about 2 wpg (as that is what I'm aiming for when I start my planted tank). I think 1 wpg is too low, and that's the root of your problem. I don't think keeping the lights on longer will help compensate for the inadequate lighting, though you could keep them on for a couple hours longer if you wanted.
 
Strange. I made sure to pick plants that would do alright in 1 WPG, and I asked the forums here if 1 WPG would be sufficient for the plants I was going to procure, and sure enough I was told by some reputable users that 1 WPG should be fine.
 
Two corrections: Don't leave your lights on longer and you can grow plenty under 1 wpg, just slowly.

What size tank do you have? What is the temperature of your light, 6700k? If it's below 5500k that's your culprit. Plants require light in the appropriate spectrum. Test your water, with emphasis on pH, KH, GH, and NItrates.

It's easier to diagnose with that information.
 
Strange. I made sure to pick plants that would do alright in 1 WPG, and I asked the forums here if 1 WPG would be sufficient for the plants I was going to procure, and sure enough I was told by some reputable users that 1 WPG should be fine.


That poster is a little confused I think. Your 1 wpg should be fine, given it's in the right spectrum and depending on the size of your tank.
 
It's a 20g long tank, 20watt 6700K bulb.

pH = 7.8
Nitrates = 10-20

Not sure about KH and GH as I don't have those test kits...
 
I have my own problems with certain plants, but i do know that you can have all the lights and nutrients in the world but not having sufficient co2 will stop everything. its a 3 way balance really, if you are positive your plants are ok in 1 watt pg. and your not over/under fertilizing, then i would say try adding co2. also certain ph levels can cause a nutrient lockout (plants cant take up certain nutes) though this is more common on a micro nutrient lvl.
 
Your nitrates should be 0. Do a water change. 10-20 is an acceptable nitTRITE range not niTRATE. is your tank cycled or are you over fertalizing?
 
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