MrFantastic74
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2015
- Messages
- 37
I have floating plants (S. natans) in my tank, and no other live plants. For the first few weeks, the plants were doing well and quickly multiplied to coat the top and I had to cull some of it. But lately the plants don't seem to be doing so great. The leaves are paler now, and some are getting slightly brown, and I haven't had to cull any plants in a long time, so they aren't multiplying at the same rate any longer.
For lighting, I'm using the Current USA Satellite Pro LED 18". I have the red lights and blue lights both at 100%, and the white lights at 35%. The red and blue help bring out the colors in my fish that are the same colors, and the dimmer white lights help keep the fish calm while also enhancing their shine (I have neon tetras and a betta). I read that plants only need lights in the red and blue spectrum to thrive. I have the LEDs on from 4pm to 11pm, and there is some indirect sunlight during the daytime as well. My understanding is that S. natans is not super demanding regarding light.
I'm not sure if lighting is the problem, so now I'm wondering if the plants are getting enough nutrients from the water. I don't fertilize. Should I be? If so, what should I use? Will it harm the fish? Note that I am also getting pygmy corys sometime soon, and I don't know if they are sensitive.
The tank is 11 gallons. I do weekly 40% water changes and check parameters often (they are fine).
If the plants end up dying, I plan to replace them with soft silk leaves of some kind that won't tear my betta's fins. I can't seem to find anything that works though.
For lighting, I'm using the Current USA Satellite Pro LED 18". I have the red lights and blue lights both at 100%, and the white lights at 35%. The red and blue help bring out the colors in my fish that are the same colors, and the dimmer white lights help keep the fish calm while also enhancing their shine (I have neon tetras and a betta). I read that plants only need lights in the red and blue spectrum to thrive. I have the LEDs on from 4pm to 11pm, and there is some indirect sunlight during the daytime as well. My understanding is that S. natans is not super demanding regarding light.
I'm not sure if lighting is the problem, so now I'm wondering if the plants are getting enough nutrients from the water. I don't fertilize. Should I be? If so, what should I use? Will it harm the fish? Note that I am also getting pygmy corys sometime soon, and I don't know if they are sensitive.
The tank is 11 gallons. I do weekly 40% water changes and check parameters often (they are fine).
If the plants end up dying, I plan to replace them with soft silk leaves of some kind that won't tear my betta's fins. I can't seem to find anything that works though.