Brown Spots and lines?

[PsiPro]

So I planted my tank about a week ago, the two plants which are not gasses are looking a little odd. Both were sold to me as Amazon Sword, one of them may be, but the other deffinatly is not.

The one that *may* be has developed brown viegns, the leaves are curling (ruffling) and the top of one leaf is yellow.

On the other, the newer growth (already there when i bought it) has turned yellow and fallen off, and the mature leaves have brown spots on them.

My most recent tests (today) are:
ph: 7.4
nitrite: ~0-0.25ppm (scale of color card dosn't permit for more specific measurements)
Ammonia ~0 - 0.5mg/L (Same as above, much much closer to 0)
No nitrate test.
GH: 9
KH: 12

I have DIY CO2 hooked up. I have only Fe fertilizer, which I do not have much of at all in the aquarium. Lighting in the aquarium is 21w, aquarium size is approx 15gal tall.

 

[squealor]

I had a similar experience with my "amazon sword". (I don't think that's what it is either.) Afer researching and asking around, I was told that most of the sword plants are not grown completely submerged in water and that when submerged, the leaves will "change shape". Basically, it's taken me about two months, but now my sword is doing MUCH better. There are new leaves growing from the center of the plant which are completely different shaped (and healthy) and the old leaves are all brown spotted and look like they are dying. I'm pruning them a bit at a time and it's looking like a whole new plant. It looks great!
Being a newbie, I'm not sure if this is the answer to your problem, but I hope it helps!!!

 

[PsiPro]

I heard that too, and I'm blaming the curling leaves, and mabey the yellow on that, but the brown on the other plant (which is deffinatly not sword) concern me becasue they are on the other plant as well.

Thanks for your responce!

 

[Jchillin]

It could be a nitrate deficency as well. One of the reasons testing for nitrates is an absolute neccessity in a planted tank. You should get the test and see if you are lacking. You need at least 10ppm.

 

[PsiPro]

It could be a nitrate deficency as well. One of the reasons testing for nitrates is an absolute neccessity in a planted tank. You should get the test and see if you are lacking. You need at least 10ppm.

Hmmm thanks, I'll get the tester tomrrow.

 

[malkore]

That's not really enough light to keep an amazon sword happy...and the sword will outgrow that tank eventually, FYI.

 

[PsiPro]

Amazon Sword gets to be 1' 8" (to my understanding) this aquarium is 18" so i'm short 2in but I have bigger and better for it when the time comes.

I will be getting another light tomrrow as well Try for one light to bring it up a bit.

 

[malkore]

As long as you know you'll wanna move it after 6-8 months, or plan to prune it back to make it fit

 

[PsiPro]

Yep yep.

OK Nitrates are betwene 5-10, looks like about 7. So thats low for a planted tank?

 

[PsiPro]

Also added another 15w bulb

 

[Jchillin]

Yeah...nitrates are low. You can dose with Flourish nitrate. The additional light is great.

 

[PsiPro]

The only thing they had at my local hardware store were "plant lights for aquariums" it was the only thing under 60wats :/ Dosn't look likes its doing much but i guess we will see. I really need to get all these lights into one fixture.

 

[PsiPro]

OK So last night I changed my lighting arrangment becasue I saw online that it *could* be brown alge. I have never seen brown alge that looks like this before, and only on the plany leaves. Well in short I added one light and now the brown spots are receeding on all the plants quickly....