Please tell me what I'm doing wrong

[Wrench]

Well it seemed like all of my plants were doing well but for the past couple weeks they've been deteriorating. My Cabombas have becoming more and more sparse and I'd guess that more than 60% of them are gone, from pruning, leaves falling of etc.. My dwarf sag are getting brown leaves now too. I'm dosing 1 capful of Flourish, 1 cap of Excel, and 1 of Flourish Iron every other day, 2x55w PC. Ammonia is at <.1 ppm, nitrates at 15 ppm, 6* kH, temp at 80*. My Bacopa is also browning and dropping leaves. I'm using no carbon in my fluval, just poly fiber, ammonia remover, and biomax. Please point me in the right direction!

 

[biogirl361]

i am by no stretch of the imagination a plant expert, but i think bacopa and cabomba need more than 2wpg. bacopa might also need softer water. no idea why the dwarf sag would be browning though.

 

[Wrench]

They were all growing like weeds for a while, then they just went kaput.

 

[Darkblade48]

What kind of substrate might you have?

 

[djlen]

You need to lose the ammonia pads from the filter. They are not necessary in a planted tank unless sparsely planted and heavy with fish.
What size tank are we talking about and how long established?
Also, how long have the plants been in the tank?
How many fish and type? How heavy is your plant mass?

Len

 

[Wrench]

It's all in my signature. I use the ammonia remover because of the heavy fish load. The tank is moderately planted, most of which have been in there since I started the tank about 3 months ago. It's a 55g tank. Pics of the tank to get an idea of how many plants I have are here: http://wetwebfotos.com/Home?actionRequest=userview&userID=5569 The second pic from the top gives you a better idea of what I have. Since that pic was taken I've lost most of my cabombas that are in the back corners. Also, the pic was before the Sag went in.

 

[Robert H]

Well despite what some people think, Cabomba is a very light demanding plant, and Flourish Excel is only marginaly effective. In order for Excel to really work you need to dose it daily at the recommended amount. Cabomba is also more of a cold water plant, and at temps of 80 and higher the plant growth slows.

I think if you provided actual C02, you would see a big difference.

Also your Brazil sword, also known as the Peace lily, is not a true aquatic. Wisteria, (with an "i" not a "y") is the street name for Hygrophila difformis and is also light demanding, and has much more erect stems with C02. Dwarf sag should be easy enough to grow, but does well with substrate fertilizer. C02 will give sag wider leaves with more height.

 

[geoffgarcia]

You need to lose the ammonia pads from the filter.

I agree...as long as your doing water changes I'd avoid these things.

 

[djlen]

You will need more than 2 wpg to grow Cabomba and also as Robert says, Excel is not going to get the job done for you as effectively as CO2 will.
You can probably push enough gas for your tank, at that wattage, with 2 - 2ltr. bottles daisy chained together to get better results, unless you have the cash for pressurized.
You should have little problem growing most of the others you mention(except the sword which is not an aquatic plant). I had decent, but not gang buster growth in 55's under that lighting, but low light plants, especially Crypts grew very nicely for me with CO2 added. I am growing the heck out of Corkscrew Val. under that lighting at that depth right now with Flourite and pressurized. Also had no problem with dwarf Sag. under that light without substrate ferts.
IMO, Excel is a waste of money in a tank that size if you are expecting really good results.
I suggest that you consider buying KNO3, Fleets Enema( for P ) and Epsom Salts if you have soft water for Mg, and dosing dry. Get some Flourish(Not Flourish 'Trace') for your micros and dose daily. No need IMO, to dose Fe if you dose traces daily.
Get some less light needy stems to replace the Cabomba and build your mass up.
Do this and inject gas and you will see better results. You definitely have enough light. You just need to put in plants to fit with the light you're supplying.

Len

 

[Wrench]

I suggest that you consider buying KNO3, Fleets Enema( for P ) and Epsom Salts if you have soft water for Mg, and dosing dry. Get some less light needy stems to replace the Cabomba and build your mass up.

Len

Thanks Len. I'm going to get on the DIY C02 today. Can you link me to a site that explains the KN03/Fleets/Epsom dosing or briefly explain it to me? What low light stem plants do you reccomend? Thx.