10G Planted Picture Journal

[Fishperson]

Yeah I started off with two steams and once the reached the top I had cut them and replanted those two. And I could keep doing it but I don't care to have my whole tank planted with wisteria. And I had also gave it room from the walls of the tank.

Okay, so it wasn't planted near the back like mine?

Yeah, from the video it looks crammed between the cabomba, the filter, and the glass, but actually it has quite a bit of room between it and the filter and it and the wall, but the wisteria and cabomba are probably way too close together.

 

[Printerhands]

Okay, so it wasn't planted near the back like mine?

Yeah, from the video it looks crammed between the cabomba, the filter, and the glass, but actually it has quite a bit of room between it and the filter and it and the wall, but the wisteria and cabomba are probably way too close together.

No I but mine in the back. It just has grown that much. And it has only been 5 months.

This is when I first planted.

What video are you talking about?

 

[Fishperson]

No I but mine in the back. It just has grown that much. And it has only been 5 months.

This is when I first planted.

What video are you talking about?

The earlier video, in the post where I said "here is a video of the tank"

 

[Fishperson]

Okay, so I just got my hygrophila sp bold in, and planted it. The rest of my plants aren't doing too well. The ludwigia keeps falling out when the current get too strong (the water evaporates quickly, so I have to top it off every 3 days to keep the ludwigia in) or whenever I wave my hand in the water near it. The cabomba has mostly darker grayish green leaves, except for the very top, which are normal. And the wisteria has the same as the cabomba. The only things I could think of are:
Too much excel (the initial dose was what is should be for a 12 gallon tank, but I didn't think to do less with so few plants in there.
Too many root tabs (originally I put in 3 under each group of stems, but took 1 or 2 out for each group).

But that's all I can think of. Help would be great!

 

[Rivercats]

The excel wouldn't do that nor would the root tabs. Usually when your having lower stem problems it can be from too little light reaching the lower levels or not enough water flow through the lower leaves/stems which means not as much nutrients get to them. In my 220g my plants are all grow against each other and from the sheer size and depth of the tank the plants in the back don't have leaves on the lower stems, which you don't see because of all the plants in front of them. If the plants are getting ferts and nutrients they need and plently of liquid carbon or CO2 then lighting or usually lack of it is the problem. I forgot what you said your lighting was. I would recommend cutting the bad lower stems off and replanting being sure to space them properly. Also if the ludwigia isn't staying planted then you need to push the stems down deeper in the substrate. The shouldn't come unplanted from water flow/current unless your really blasting them.

 

[Fishperson]

The excel wouldn't do that nor would the root tabs. Usually when your having lower stem problems it can be from too little light reaching the lower levels or not enough water flow through the lower leaves/stems which means not as much nutrients get to them. In my 220g my plants are all grow against each other and from the sheer size and depth of the tank the plants in the back don't have leaves on the lower stems, which you don't see because of all the plants in front of them. If the plants are getting ferts and nutrients they need and plently of liquid carbon or CO2 then lighting or usually lack of it is the problem. I forgot what you said your lighting was. I would recommend cutting the bad lower stems off and replanting being sure to space them properly. Also if the ludwigia isn't staying planted then you need to push the stems down deeper in the substrate. The shouldn't come unplanted from water flow/current unless your really blasting them.

Okay, so I don't think it's a case of light because I have a finnex fugeray 20" on for 8 hours a day, and most of those plants can do well in low light. Soooooo that means I need to up the water flow? I guess I'll do that, and then just move some eco over near the ludwigia so it has more substrate to push deeper in. Because they are already pretty deep down. And by cutting, do you mean just cut the whole bottom stem part off? Because only the top inch of cabomba and wisteria has leaves now.

 

[Rivercats]

Yes, cut almost all the leafless stems off before replanting as they won't regrow leaves.

 

[Fishperson]

The plants are dying. I haven't had any time to spend on them except to dose ferts during the week, and now I have a green algae outbreak. But I'll have all weekend to work on the tank, so I'll start. I'll need all the help I can get, anything is appreciated. So, here's an update:

I haven't had the DIY CO2 on at all so far, as the airstone fell off so I had to re-attach it. I add the yeast mix today

I have been dosing 1 ml of seachem flourish per week, 3 ml of leaf zone a week, and 1 ml of excel every two days.

I have a finnex fugeray going for 8 hours a day.

Any suggestions will help, and updates will follow.

 

[Rivercats]

What kind of algae? Can you post a picture?

Cut lights down to 6 hours for starters. Then start using your liquid carbon daily at a rate of 1ml per every 5 gallons of water. Depending on the type of algae you may be able to spot treat it.

 

[Fishperson]

What kind of algae? Can you post a picture?

Cut lights down to 6 hours for starters. Then start using your liquid carbon daily at a rate of 1ml per every 5 gallons of water. Depending on the type of algae you may be able to spot treat it.

Thanks for the quick response. You're like the planted tank paramedic.

It is probably green spot algae in one case, and in another section it's either beard algae (green) or short hair algae.

I'll post pics later.

 

[Rivercats]

If you have a phosphate test kit see what level your phosphates is at. GSA is often caused by low phosphate levels. Usually if you can get phosphates up to at least 3ppm the GSA will go away.

 

[Fishperson]

Hmmm...

I don't have a phosphate test kit but I guess I can get one. Does flourish have phosphate in it?

 

[nereksnad]

yes it does. phosphates also comes from fishfood.

 

[Rivercats]

Neither Flourish or fish foods have enough phosphates in them to make a real difference. Unless you grossly overfeed... lol! Most liquid ferts are mainly micro nutrient rich. Some may have a touch of macro nutrients (nitrates, phosphates, potassium, calcium, magnesium) but not enough to make a big difference.

 

[Fishperson]

Alright. So how would I increase my phosphates, because simply testing won't fix the problem.

 

[Rivercats]

Since you use liquid ferts, Seachem Flourish Phosphate is what you would need.

 

[Fishperson]

Since you use liquid ferts, Seachem Flourish Phosphate is what you would need.

Alright, I'll look for that. My town's water averages .75 ppm orthophosphate, and .25 ppm of phosphorus. Either way not enough. Okay.

So far, I have lowered my photoperiod down to 6 hours, turned on the DIY CO2, and started dosing excel 2 ml 3 out of 4 days.

The CO2 looks great, I haven't put the CO2 bell in yet, but once I do I'll show you all my recipe and all that.

The algae got a bit worse, but not much. I'm not too worried as long as it doesn't harm the plants. I can put an oto in there if I need to.