Hornwort browning + algae growing???

[Botanica]

I again! I'm hoping someone might recognize what might be off balance in my 240g community tank.
Today's readings:
Ammonia=0
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=20+ ( not red enough to be 40, but a bit darker than 20)
pH=8.2 (usually always 8.0)

We just did a routine weekly 20% pwc on Monday and the pH has been up since the morning after the pwc. The nitrate climbed a bit each day after but seems to have stopped climbing....today is the same reading as yesterday. I am worried about the hornwort browning for a few reasons...first being how messy it is when it isn't happy! Mainly I'm concerned because in my short time tending this aquarium, I've learned that the plants can tell you something is off before the fish sometimes. The browning plant together with the strange bright algae growing on the coral make me nervous. I would like to catch what's wrong before the fish are effected. Thanks in advance for your help!

Algae growth-










Hornwort-





















Weird "stuff" on moss balls...?

 

[nosebleed]

I'm not sure why its browning but I have the same thing happening to me to.

 

[Botanica]

Are you seeing the algae also?

 

[rkilling1]

We are going to need more information.

What lighting?

What ferts?

How much CO2?

And you said the substrate was coral?

 

[Botanica]

We are going to need more information.

What lighting?

What ferts?

How much CO2?

And you said the substrate was coral?

Yes...substrate is coral...no CO2 or ferts...that was going to be the next thread...do I need CO2 and what ferts are best...but one thing at a time I think...unless they are related. As far as lighting goes...that is one thing needing to be replaced on this tank. As of right now, we have 2 36" fixtures with 2 T5 fluorescent bulbs in each...but they are not marked with wattage...so I'm sure that's not much help. The fixtures hold 4 bulbs each, however, right now the other two bulbs are blue fluorescents and we do not use them. (I was told they feed the algae). I can get whatever bulbs are recommended. Please let me know if I forgot anything...or if you need any further information. Thanks again!

 

[aqua_chem]

It looks like some sort of deficiency in the hornwort. Nitrogen would be my best guess, but not based on your nitrate test. You might start dosing some micro mix like Flourish (although on a tank that size, this might be impractical).

 

[Alkane]

In my experience Hornwort does not do as well in higher temperatures. I had it in a high light/fert/co2 tank and it browned, but kept growing. Eventually got rid of it as I added more plants. My temperature stays around 80 degrees F. The hornwort stayed green in other tanks with lower temps.

I'm not saying you don't have another issue, just something else to consider.

 

[Botanica]

Do you think that could happen at only 78?

 

[Alkane]

Do you think that could happen at only 78?

It should be fine at 78 degrees. I had it in low 80s and low 70s and you could tell it liked the lower temp. It kept growing rapidly at 80 degrees, just browned at the tips. It could have been a reaction to the high lighting.

Like aqua_chem said it's more likely a nutrient deficiency.

Edit: Just did some research and your temperature is not the problem, sorry. It should be fine in water up to 90 degrees F.

 

[Botanica]

Thanks...I do appreciate all your effort. I'm more worried about the algae growing than the hornwort dying...lol. Anyhow...the tank is unheated...so there wouldn't be much I could do about it if it was the temp. I'm prob just being paranoid...

 

[Daxhua]

I don't want to feed your paranoia but anyone else besides me think it looks a little bit like cyanobacteria aka blue green algae. I use to have hornwort floating in my tank at 80 degrees and it grew like crazy looked just like in the pics only way more of it (also browned a little but only on the ends). That algae that's on your substrate and I think on your hornwort looks like the BGA I use to have in my tank. I'm pretty sure I caused it by having my t5 lights on for too long and overfeeding. By the way I read that one of the ways BGA is caused is because of poor water circulation which I think is bull cause I had my hornwort plants right next to my filter outlets and it was only growing on the hornwort plants.