Help! Looong post.

[ace]

So I've been focusing on getting my tank stable again after it's last crash a couple of months ago. Not adding any livestock except for a few Amano shrimp to assist my SAE in my beard algea eradication. Just trying to get the water permitters right and cultivate the plant growth since My amazon swords look like they're surviving but the leaves barley grow out before melting away.

Everything was going well my water permitters have been great and steady the last few weeks and I've had no fish or plant deaths. I added a couple of plants a few weeks ago and they seemed to be doing very well. But then last week I added a Echinodorus cordifolius plantlet, and some Rotala Macrandra 'green'. Friday before leaving for the weekend I also added a wendolov fern and a bush of water sprite. I came home sunday and all the plants I added during the week are barley clinging to life.

Echinodorus cordifolius plantlet - Leaves melting away
Rotala Macrandra - all but melted away
wendolov fern - browning and looking very sick
water sprite - The bush is reduced to a few sickly and brown stems.
Amazon swords - leaves barely sprouting before decaying but green

Here is my tank info; 46G bow, Fluorite substrate at bottom with about 1 1/2 - 2 inches of gravel on top, water temp is 80, Two tubes of light one aqua-glo the other flora glo but tubes are at least 1 to 2 years old. DIY co2. Livestock includes 1 rummynose, 1 pencil fish, 3 SEA, 1 panda cory, 1 Common Pleco, and 4 Amano shrimp.

Any thoughts on what's wrong?

 

[rich311k]

First thing I would do is change the bulbs. NO only put out good light for a year. What are you test results? How many watts are the bulbs?

 

[ace]

My water peramitters are
PH 8 a little high but has been steady here for over two weeks
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 20ppm

and the bulbs are 20W each. I leave them on for about 12 hours a day.

 

[rich311k]

You have less than 1 watt per gallon and your bulbs are old. I think your major problem is you do not have enough light. I would change bulbs and upgrade or addd another fixture. Most of your plants need well more than 1 wpg to grow.

 

[ace]

Cool. I'll try that. I was actually going to get a new bulb today after work anyway. Any suggestions on a brand or type?

 

[pwrflpills]

Importance being that you get MORE light, not just new bulbs. It does sound like you're way low on light wattage-wise. It would be nice if you could get higher wattage bulbs to fit what you have, but it may not be that easy. You may need to purchase new fixtures. Also, I'm not a plant expert, but I do know that many "melt" when they have been moved. Then they come right back. But you'll need more light for that to happen.

 

[ace]

I bought two new tubes yesterday one Aqua-glo 30W, and Life-glo 30W. So I'm at 60W for my 46G about 1.3WpG. I hope this does the trick 'cause I really like how the my tank looks with these new lights.