plants losing leaves
- Thread starter LiveMermaid07
- Start date
the source water has 0 nitrates
the tank registers less than 20, but I figured the plants were using them? (I'd read that...)
the tank registers less than 20, but I figured the plants were using them? (I'd read that...)
Lighting, maybe. I don't have much experience with t12's but I do know that they can have a very low PAR if the bulbs are old or the reflectors are not good.
the bulbs themselves aren't old.
I'm not sure how good the reflectors are, I did the best I could (with what I had. I was so proud of myself, lol). Immediately behind the bulbs is bright white metal - that came with the kit, then I made some silver (aluminum) reflectors for the sides to help direct the rest of the light down.
If I turn off the overhead room light it still lights up the ceiling - from the light that's not hitting the tank.
Good news, I just got an email saying I'm getting a check from my lawyer (Yay!!!), so maybe I can get this fixture someone pointed me to on amazon.
Bad news: I can't get packages here, the landlord seriously freaks out when I get packages. So I've got to find some where else to send what I need to order (and I don't know anyone here so I can't send it to the neighbors.)
What's par?
I'm not sure how good the reflectors are, I did the best I could (with what I had. I was so proud of myself, lol). Immediately behind the bulbs is bright white metal - that came with the kit, then I made some silver (aluminum) reflectors for the sides to help direct the rest of the light down.
If I turn off the overhead room light it still lights up the ceiling - from the light that's not hitting the tank.
Good news, I just got an email saying I'm getting a check from my lawyer (Yay!!!), so maybe I can get this fixture someone pointed me to on amazon.
Bad news: I can't get packages here, the landlord seriously freaks out when I get packages. So I've got to find some where else to send what I need to order (and I don't know anyone here so I can't send it to the neighbors.)
What's par?
If too little lighting is the problem, how come they did just - great for the lily, fine for the amazon swords - for the first year and a half with just one T8?
They also had no co2 at that time, and the only addition was the occasional squirt of flourish.
They also had no co2 at that time, and the only addition was the occasional squirt of flourish.
The only thing I can relate to your issue is I had an aponogeton bulb that I sprouted and grew in my bowfront. No ferts to speak of, lighting is sub par, but it grew like wild for several months, then all of a sudden it quit growing. I chalked it up to that it maybe exhausted the nutrients in the water or whatever, but then I moved it to a heavily planted tank that was running co2 and regular ferts, everything growing like mad, and it never did. It stayed alive, but didn't do anything, so I blame that one on the plant itself. As far as that happening with multiple plants, I'd lean more towards a fert/light/water issue
I haven't seen anything in this post about macro nutrients. Do you dose them? Flourish is micro, root tabs feed the substrate, but you also need to dose NPK in the water column. Some plants use nutrients in the water colomn, some take up nutrients from the substrate, some both. Planted tanks need a balance of light, nutrients and co2. EI dosing or PPS Pro are the most common dosing regimes.
