I think I ruined my tank with plants

[fish4phil]

Maybe not ruined, but I need your opinion. I planted:

• 3 Anubias Nana
• Golden Nesaea Pedicallata
• Ludwiga Fladulosa
• Ground Cover: Marsilea Hirsuta
• Driftwood Tips: Weeping Moss

Scientific names aside, my tank doesn't look too good IMO, at this moment. I know things will grow in, it's only been a couple of days. The background plants will grow taller, and the carpeting will (eventually, month?) grow thicker.

Did I cluster too many stem plants together (10 of each or so)? What am I missing? All opinions welcome

 

[NanoJack]

Missing a photo.

 

[Rodeo one]

I copied this from the unhealthy fish section- answer all questions that apply to plants- in order to help, we need more info.......
'Answer these Qs to ensure we have as much information as possible about your ailing fish and its environment:





1~What type of fish is afflicted? In addition, please describe what is wrong with the fish to the best of your ability (i.e. cotton like growth, bloated, etc.).


2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values.


3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up?


4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known. 5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes? 6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time? 7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them? 8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.? 9~What kind of food have you been feeding your fish, have you changed their diet recently? '

 

[fish4phil]

I copied this from the unhealthy fish section- answer all questions that apply to plants- in order to help, we need more info.......
'Answer these Qs to ensure we have as much information as possible about your ailing fish and its environment:

2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)?

3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up?

4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known. 5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes? 8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.? [/QUOTE] 2. 0, 0 20. Temp 75. pH 7.2. kH 6. 3. 36 gallon community tank, setup for 4 months. 4. Penn Plax Cascade 700 Canister Filter, with a hydor koralia nano 240 circulation pump 5. Community tank with guppies, zebra danios, neon tetras, etc. 8. Substrate = Fine grade eco-complete. All plants shown in OP photo were planted a couple of days ago.

 

[Fresh2o]

I think the layout is fine. You would want some extra space in the back so that you can replant the stem plants after you trim them. You could always remove some of the older stems and replace them with the trimmed portions as well. If you start to see leaf drop in the lower sections of the stem plants then perhaps there is too much shading/crowding. At that point you could thin out the group to allow for more light penetration.

Keep posting pictures. Would like to follow the progress of this tank.

 

[Rodeo one]

The tank looks good!
What lights & ferts & carbon source are you using?

 

[Rivercats]

Patience is what you need! It takes time, sometimes a lot for plants to fill in. The Nesaea Golden is in it's emersed growth form and will take some time to change it's leaf growth into it's immersed form. Marsilea is slow growing so you have to be very patient while it slowly fills in.

What light fixture and bulbs are you using? Are you using CO2 or liquid carbons? What is your fertilizing regime? Many of these plants, especially the Nesaea needs some source of carbon and you need to be dosing dry ferts.

I use these ferts.... http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/micro-macro-fertilizers.html.


I also suggest 3 of these dosing bottles... http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/dispenser-32oz.html


Read this thread about dosing PPS-Pro but only read the opening post and not all the comment posts... http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/pps-analysis-feedback/39491-newbie-guide-pps-pro.html.


There are two things I do differently than the thread is that I split my macro nutrients up using one dosing bottle for nitrates, and one dosing bottle for phosphates and potassium. This allows me for better custom dosing to the needs of my tank. I shoot for 10-20ppm of nitrate and 1-5ppm phosphates. The thread also has MgSO4, magnesium sulfate in the macro mix. If your tanks Gh is 4 or over then your tap water has enough magnesium in it that supplementing it is not needed.

It helps to have a phosphate, gh, and kh test kit with a planted tank. What are your nitrate and phosphate readings? You want nitrates at 10-20ppm and phosphates from 1-3ppm.

 

[Rodeo one]

Also, it s common for plants to be a little dramatic & act like they re dying at first , look for new growth- that s your future.

 

[Hawkins409]

I think your layout is great! After the plants grow in, you can move things around if you see something looks out of place.

 

[fish4phil]

This morning I went in and trimmed off, the best I could, all the 4-leaf clover leaves off the Marsilea Hirsuta / Crenata. I also unclustered some of the Nasaea and the ludwigia glandulosa, and rotated the Anubia to show their leaves towards the front. Looks better already.

Rivercats you're right, need patience

Patience is what you need! It takes time, sometimes a lot for plants to fill in. The Nesaea Golden is in it's emersed growth form and will take some time to change it's leaf growth into it's immersed form. Marsilea is slow growing so you have to be very patient while it slowly fills in.

What light fixture and bulbs are you using? Are you using CO2 or liquid carbons? What is your fertilizing regime? Many of these plants, especially the Nesaea needs some source of carbon and you need to be dosing dry ferts.

I use these ferts.... http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/micro-macro-fertilizers.html.


I also suggest 3 of these dosing bottles... http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/dispenser-32oz.html


Read this thread about dosing PPS-Pro but only read the opening post and not all the comment posts... http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/pps-analysis-feedback/39491-newbie-guide-pps-pro.html.


There are two things I do differently than the thread is that I split my macro nutrients up using one dosing bottle for nitrates, and one dosing bottle for phosphates and potassium. This allows me for better custom dosing to the needs of my tank. I shoot for 10-20ppm of nitrate and 1-5ppm phosphates. The thread also has MgSO4, magnesium sulfate in the macro mix. If your tanks Gh is 4 or over then your tap water has enough magnesium in it that supplementing it is not needed.

It helps to have a phosphate, gh, and kh test kit with a planted tank. What are your nitrate and phosphate readings? You want nitrates at 10-20ppm and phosphates from 1-3ppm.

Wow, thanks for the detail reply Rivercats. I hope I'll hit everything you were asking for here:

Tank Size = 36G
Lighting = 10 hours/day: Dual Bulb T5HO AquaticLife Brand
CO2 = Pressurized with Drop Checker, about 1-2 BPS
Fertilizing = EI using KNO3, KH2PO4, K2SO4. Trace = Flourish
Ammonia, Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 30
GH = 9
KH = 6
Phosphate = 3

 

[Old Scales]

Phil your set up and parameters are great. Just remember plants love consistency. It's time for you to sit back and enjoy your hard work as your plants grow in. Congrats, looks good! Keep tabs on the 10 hr light period. If you start to see algae, back off to 8 hrs and see. OS.

 

[fish4phil]

Also, it s common for plants to be a little dramatic & act like they re dying at first , look for new growth- that s your future.

Yup, I'm definitely seeing this, especially with the Bacopa. Do I clip off all the leaves that are wilting? Some stems have all of their leaves wilting, which would then leave no leaves left..?

And, when should I start to see new growth?

Sent from my mobile aquarium device

 

[Rodeo one]

Sometimes I clip, or just wait for them to go away. I have a thin sponge over the end of my intake tubes, they usually end up there, then I just remove & clean the sponge & replace it. Shouldn t take more than a week for new growth, right now a lot of the plants energy is going toward the roots.

 

[Rodeo one]

here s a pic