Plants look Not So Good

[sampnik]

I have a new tank that is in the midst of it's cycling process. I am on the downside as my ammonia is near zero. Just waiting for my nitrate/nitrites to work themselves out.

See....I did some research :clap:

I am, however, having trouble with my live plants. Towards their roots they have a filmy material growing on them, I'm not sure if it is them rotting or something else. Some of the leaves are curling and I have a big yellow spot on one of my big plants leaves. I bought a special plant light thinking that may help but the filmy stuff seems to be getting worse. These are potted plants that i just plopped in my gravel.

Also...I am getting reddish algae. Is this good? Am I supposed to control it? It is on my big piece of drift wood an on the plant leaves. I have taken it off the glass but haven't touched it anywhere else. I don't want to mess my cycle up....I've tried so hard to finally get everything going.

Thanks
Karen

 

[Hurley]

Welcome to the forum!

What kind of lights are you using and how many watts do you have? Also, have you taken the plants out of thier pots and out of the rockwool? Algae is a sign of an imbalance in the tank. Can you take a picture and post it? That may help us figure out what is going on. Also, what are your test results (ammonia, nitrite, nirate, pH etc.)

 

[sampnik]

Hmmm. I took them out of the pots yes. Not sure about the rockwool thing.
I just tested an my ammonia is finally down to just a hint over zero, nitrites are at 5 , nitrates are at 20.

I have a 46 gallon tank and bought some plant light. 30 watts.
Maybe I just need to move to fake plants.

I've been looking online, do you think it is mold?

 

[Ms.Bubbles]

30 watts over a 46 gallon tank is not much light. You need 46 watts of light just to get to 1 watt-per-gallon, which is the minimum that low-light plants require. You may even have high light plants, but since you didn't state plant species, it's really hard to say. I can say for sure that you really don't have enough light for growing plants at this point.

Also--plants are really not recommended in a cycling tank because they absorb ammonia and can throw your cycle off. Also, having tank lights on for 10-12 hours a day (which plants require) along with high levels of ammonia (which cycling requires) is a recipe for algae problems, which it looks like you are experiencing.

 

[Hurley]

I agree with Ms. Bubbles. If you want to keep plants you will need to upgrade your lighting or buy plants such as anubias, java moss, or java ferns which are low light plants. If you really want to get into planted tanks you will have to start fertilizing your plants as well as adding CO2 and a better substrate.

The filmy material on your roots could be from the roots rotting because they are not getting enough lights and nutrients.

If you don't want to upgrade your lights or fertilize your tank I would recommend doing some research into low-light plants. I think you will find them much easier and appropriate for you tank as it is now.

 

[Ms.Bubbles]

If you don't want to upgrade your lights or fertilize your tank I would recommend doing some research into low-light plants. I think you will find them much easier and appropriate for you tank as it is now.

I still don't think low-light plants will do very well in this set-up as it is now. It not even 1 watt-per-gallon, which is the recommended minimum.