Plants Not Growing Like They Used To

Zdunmeister

AC Members
Apr 16, 2011
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Hi,

I've noticed that my plants have been growing rather strangely. Some are fantastic but others are growing with holes in them while others aren't growing at all. I've recently purchased HC to try out, and it's been dying off the past few days. But why? I have a 4 bulb T5 fixture. 2x54w 6700k and 2x54w Roseate bulbs. I'm running pressurized CO2 and dosing via the EI method. The 6700K bulbs turn on at 2, and are on 'til 10. I have the roseate bulbs on for a burst from 4-8. Should this be adjusted? What is your guys' take on this? Btw, I have a huge red tiger lotus growing in the background, could this thing be sucking up too many nutrients? Do I need to dose more ferts? Thanks a lot.
 
Have several questions only to help rule out things or make things that are possible be seen.

Would need to see pictures But it does sound like its some sort of deficiency issue or holes can mean other things. If you have some pictures of the issues it would help. You also didnt mention what size the tank is. Also are your lights suspended above the tank or sitting right on top? and how many inches from the bottom of the light to the top of the substrate? What is the substrate your using? What plants specifically are having issues? These things all can make a difference. You mention your dosing EI. Is that using Dry ferts? and how much ferts are you dosing? what days? Do you use a drop checker? Hows the Co2 rate?
 
55 Gallon tank, lights are sitting right on top. I'm having issues with all my plants in terms of growth rate. The only one I'm having success with is the Red Tiger Lotus surprisingly... my substrate is eco-complete. I'm using dry ferts: 3x a week Plantex CSM+B, and 3x a week 1/2 tsp. KNO3 + 1/8 tsp. KH2PO4 + occasionally 1/8tsp. K2SO4. Change 40% of my water every Saturday. My drop checker is showing greenish-brown which is right where it should be. I really have no idea what's wrong.
 
55 Gallon tank, lights are sitting right on top. I'm having issues with all my plants in terms of growth rate. The only one I'm having success with is the Red Tiger Lotus surprisingly... my substrate is eco-complete. I'm using dry ferts: 3x a week Plantex CSM+B, and 3x a week 1/2 tsp. KNO3 + 1/8 tsp. KH2PO4 + occasionally 1/8tsp. K2SO4. Change 40% of my water every Saturday. My drop checker is showing greenish-brown which is right where it should be. I really have no idea what's wrong.


Im pretty sure its a deficency issue. If your following the EI doing index (and it looks as though you are) You should be dosing

40-60 Gallons

1/2 tsp KNO3 3x a week
1/8 tsp KH2PO4 3x a week
1/8 tsp K2SO4 3x a week
1/8 tsp (10 ml) traces 3x a week

and a 50% water change every week. You may also need to dose Iron, at least once a week.

I also recommend some root tabs.

Also in regards to your Co2. Remember drop counters aren't an accurate way to tell how much Co2 you have. Think of it as a guide that the Co2 is in the water. Watch and use your fish and plants as a guide. Your fish should not be stressed or at the top of the water gasping. But at the end of the day if your plants are happy they should be pearling. I run my Co2 with my drop checker yellow in color. My fish are totally normal acting never stressed and never gasping. I could potentially turn it up till I start to see the first signs of stress. (be sure to do this in steps and slowly) Then I would back the Co2 down just below that amount. I always make sure that I do this when I can spend a whole day with the tank to observe. So not to nuke any fish. If your adjusting and you still find your fish are not stressed but you get pearling from the plants, that would also be a good stopping point. Remember...... Drop checker is not fully accurate.. So use the fish and the plants as a much better guide. The fish will show you issues long before the drop checker ever will.
 
Also What temps are you running? what type of water do you have? Hard ? soft? well? or city? If you have a Tiger lotus doing well.. Then I doubt its your lights.
 
The bulbs aren't even a year old yet. I'm going to try dosing 1/8 tsp. K2SO4 more often now and see if that helps. Does it matter exactly how even the 1/8 tsp. is I'm measuring out? Because I think I might be dosing more than that whenever I do 1/8.. but that wouldn't cause my plants to be growing slower but rather algae would be growing right? Anyway, algae isn't a problem except for the occasional green spot. I bumped my CO2 up about so we'll see if that helps also. I'll keep an eye out for my fish with the gasping. The only fish I see doing that daily are my pearl gouramis, but I believe that's normal for them to do that. My water is on the soft side, temps at 80 24/7. What about my light schedule. Do you think 8 hours of the 54w 6700ks and 3 hours of the roseates is OK?
 
Your bulbs are fine With the exception of the roseates. That particular bulb is better for reef's then plants. While you have wattage being consumed. Its just not in the happiest of spectrum for plants. I would recommend to get some 10,000K bulbs or even some more 6500K to 6700K bulbs. It would be more beneficial to the plants. Then I would also just run all the lights for 10 hours at least. Figure in a natural day worth of sunlight there is more then just 8 hours of daylight. I run my lights at 10 hours a day. Same with the Co2. Its all on timers to turn it on and off. You could even have the Co2 kick on 30 minutes before the lights to get a little head start on the plants/light then have it turn off 1/2 hour to an hour before the lights go off to try and consume it. For me. Ive had great luck with just running it to turn on with the lights and off with the lights.

Be Consistent with your ferts. If your just spot adding some of this here and some of this there its never going to be consistent. With using EI dosing your putting MORE into the water column then is probably needed. BUT it will be there if it is needed. You could spend a eternity trying to guess what your lacking or you can just give it what it needs and let it take care of the rest itself. The 50% or greater water change at the end of the week/dosing cycle is like a reset allowing things to get back to normal.

I Highly recommend this read.

http://www.barrreport.com/showthread...nd-other-myths

The first 6 key items are actually the reasoning behind Dosing a complete set of Macro and Micro. You can adjust it. As I do. I use a modified version. Still dosing both Macro and Micro but ive tweaked my amounts i dose to get the best out of it.

Here are the first 6 key points from the article

"1. It was never meant to be applied rigidly.
2. It is a simple concept, provide non limiting nutrients without having to test to do so.
3. Adding non limiting nutrients provides the plants with optimal nutrients so folks can rule out deficiencies
4. Precise plant nutrient Deficiencies are not known for most every aquatic plant. This requires a high level of testing and things like fish food, sediments and other potential confounding factors come into play.
5. If you have lower growth, lower light, then you can make safe assumptions like using less nutrients, again, refer to #1.
6. Algae are not nutrient limited in aquariums with fish and plants. Argue this all you want, but you need to research and see what types of nutrient levels will limit algae. They are extremely low and any fish waste and plant decay, leaching etc is more than enough to supply algae with all they need. "


Imo its lack of hours of the right light. Use all the lights for a full 10 hours. You can always back off or add more later but thats a starting point. Change out the roseates. Wrong spectrum. Do a complete fert dose program. Follow the program for a month and see what happens. Finally get your Co2 dialed in. If you read that link I posted it goes on further about Co2 as well. But if you dont have enough your not utilizing. Same as it would be with the lights.. I think if you do that you will find your tank will explode in growth. Personally im looking for quality growth, More bushy and fuller with better colors. Not just fast skinny growth..

Here is what ive managed to get with dosing EI for a 46 gallon tank. Same fert schedule I posted for yours, with the right amount of Co2 and 10 hours of light at 2 watts per gallon. But my PAR data is medium to high light tank. Im having to trim weekly on some stuff and bi-weekly on others. Nice colors and full and bushy and still tall..

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?259775-New-pics-of-my-46-gallon-Bowfront-%282-Viewing%29

 
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