help with a couple plants

[ajwetton]

Heres a picture of two of my plants the leaves of anubias have been browning and im not sure why. The 2nd pic is another plant with algae on it wondering if someone can tell me what typr of algae and how to treat it. Thanks in advance

 

[flitabout]

What are your tank stats. How much and how long are you running your lights? Do you use any fertilizers? The algae looks like staghorn because it looks like what is in my tank!

 

[ajwetton]

Its a reg 10g tank all my master kit levels are norm, I use root tabs for my crypts flourish and excel as directed on the bottle. Lighting is a finnex fugeray and I run it no more than 6hrs a day. Usually more like 5 due to my schedule

 

[BBradbury]

Hello aj...

I can suggest some natural ways of dealing with algae. Large, weekly water changes of half the tank's volume will remove extra nutrients from the water. Ramshorn snails will remove most algae. Keep fish and plant foods to a minimum. I feed a little just 2 times a week and rarely dose commercial fertilizers. Float some Anacharis plants in the tank. This plant looks good and gives off a natural chemical that slows the growth of most kinds of algae.

Small tanks are a challenge to maintain, because there's not much water to dilute chemical changes. But, the large, weekly water changes will help.

Just some things that have worked for my tanks.

B

 

[Rivercats]

You appear to have a macro nutrient deficiency either or both nitrates and phosphates and I see leaf yellowing which indicates iron deficiency. With the lighting you have you need to be using Excel or Glut at 1ml per every 2 gallons of water. Then you need to be using dry ferts to get all the macro and micro nutrients the plants need. Flourish is pretty much micro nutrients.

Do you know your nitrate and phosphate readings?

You appear to have both the start of BBA, black beard algae around the edges of the leaves and I see some GSA, green spot algae on the leaves as well. The GSA will usually go away and not return when phosphate levels are at least 3ppm. The BBA needs to be spot treated with Excel or Hydrogen Peroxide 3%. Turn off filters, pull up 1-3ppm of either Excel or Peroxide in a syringe, slowly squirt the algae, leave filters off 20 minutes. Usually within 24 hours the BBA will begin turning red, pink, or what which means it's dying.

But until you correct the problems causing the algae it will return. You have good lighting but not enough CO2/liquid carbon and definitely not enough of the right kind of ferts.

 

[flitabout]

Anacharis will melt since he is dosing excel. Also you might want to try spot treating the algae with excel. The anubia looks like it has some sort of deficiency.

 

[Rivercats]

Anacharis will melt since he is dosing excel. Also you might want to try spot treating the algae with excel. The anubia looks like it has some sort of deficiency.

He didn't say he had anacharis and he already uses excel.

 

[flitabout]

BBradbury suggested floating it in the tank that's why I mentioned it

 

[ajwetton]

Thanks river I was hoping you'd chime in your advoce has helped in the past. Gonna try that and see of it helps also is there a test I can buy to check my phosphate levels?

 

[Rivercats]

I use the API Phosphate test kit.

 

[ajwetton]

Ok ill have to head to my lfs and pick one up, any dry fert recommendations?

 

[Rivercats]

Ok ill have to head to my lfs and pick one up, any dry fert recommendations?

As for dry fert this $15 package is all you need and will last a couple years... http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/micro-macro-fertilizers.html.



You need 3 dosing bottles found at the bottom of this page... http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizer.html.



This is a good thread about dosing PPS-Pro. Only read the opening post not all the comments after it.... http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/pps-analysis-feedback/39491-newbie-guide-pps-pro.html.



There are two things I do different from the article. First I use 3 dosing bottles as I split the macro nutrients for better custom dosing to the needs of the tank. Nitrates in one bottle, phosphates and potassium in one bottle, and micro's in the 3rd bottle. The other thing you'll notice the recipe calls for using MgSO4, magnesium sulfate, which you don't need if your Gh is 4 or above.