Ludwigia turning yellow/brown

[stefanloeffler]

Hello Everyone,

I am glad to have found this forum! So much to read and learn. I have recently started my first "real"planted tank and thought I was doing well... not so much. Most plants are thriving, but I can not get the Ludwigia Repens from dropping leaves. They turn a yellow with some grey and then fall off.. leaving the stems bare. I trimmed them down yesterday in hopes it is a light thing. Funny thing is though that there are leaves that look the best the furthest down.

My tank (see photos)

20 gal fresh, Ph. 6.8 (water is run through a home made peat filter before adding to tank), Ammonia and Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10 - 15 PPm, temp 78 degrees. Running 2 aquaclear 30's with a Finnex 24/7 Planted+.

Currently have 2 adult male guppies and 20 fry (2 months old), 2 otos, 2 bristlenose plecos and 3 ghost shrimp.

I dose Aquarium ferts and Seachem Equilibrium as per Tom Barr low tech information:

1/4 tsp Equilibrium - weekly
1/8 KNO3 - weekly
1/32 tsp KH2PO4 - weekly
2.5 ml Seachem Flourish 2x week
seachem fert tabs also in tank for the past 6 weeks

any help is appreciated!!

thanks,

Stefan

 

[stefanloeffler]

additional photos

 

[Caliban07]

Those plants have everything except co2. Simply adding liquid carbon such as flourish excel should benefit every plant in there and you will notice a considerable difference in no time. Ludwigia repens is a fast grower when it has everything it needs. Giving it liquid co2 will stop leaf dropping too.

Alternatively, you could lower the light intensity of the 24/7 which would reduce the demand for co2. Ensure good flow around the tank by observing that all the plants sway gently.

Co2 is not always necessary but finding the balance can be difficult and I really don't see the point in beating around the bush when plants are clearly struggling.


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[stefanloeffler]

Thank you. I will start upong the dose from 2ml excell every 3 days to everyday. Hope that makes a change.

I will also raise the light a little bit. I thought i was not getting enough light and lowered it directly on the tank without its feet.

In a planted tank like mine... is a bubble wand/wall still beneficial or am.i doing more harm than good?

Thank you!!!

 

[Caliban07]

Thank you. I will start upong the dose from 2ml excell every 3 days to everyday. Hope that makes a change.

I will also raise the light a little bit. I thought i was not getting enough light and lowered it directly on the tank without its feet.

In a planted tank like mine... is a bubble wand/wall still beneficial or am.i doing more harm than good?

Thank you!!!

Good. You need to be dosing every day though and you may be able to work up to a higher dose the more your plants fill in. Adding carbon usually begins to show up other nutrient deficiencies but it seems like you have those under control. Just bare that in mind. If you start to see holes in leaves it's potassium/co2, green spot algae on leaves it's low phosphate etc.

Bubble wands allow oxygen to enter the water which is always a good thing but simply aiming the outlet of your filters at the surface and creating a gentle ripple will do the same if not a better job. If the plants are healthy during lights on then the will be giving out lots of oxygen.

Some people who inject co2 as a gas In to the aquarium try not to disrupt the surface too much as it will allow the co2 to escape faster before it has had a chance to dissolve but again heavy plant mass that is healthy during lights on will provide lots of oxygen.

You could have the bubble wand on a timer to come on at night to stop co2 building up as the plants release co2 when lights are off as well as all other organisms in the tank.

8 hours a day lighting is usually enough.


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[stefanloeffler]

Ok.. i have been dosing 2 ml of excel everyday. No change in dropping leaves yet. So if i see green spot algea i increase the kh2po4? And if i see holes i increase kno3?

Sorry but i am very new at this fertilizing stuff

Thank u

 

[Caliban07]

Ok.. i have been dosing 2 ml of excel everyday. No change in dropping leaves yet. So if i see green spot algea i increase the kh2po4? And if i see holes i increase kno3?



Sorry but i am very new at this fertilizing stuff



Thank u

Just give it time. You may need to add more. Any new growth on other plants?

Edit: normally green spot algae is phosphate related holes are potassium or co2 so potassium phosphate is find. Kno3 might be needed also. I depends on your light levels and the plant in question really.


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[stefanloeffler]

Not any noticable new growth on other plants yet and more leaves dropping. . I also placed the light back on its feet to reduce it a bit. I am.seeing some green spots.. lucky me.

What is the best way to increase phosphates. And potassium. I do have the complete ei package from greenleaf aquarium.

Thank u so much for ur help.

 

[Caliban07]

Not any noticable new growth on other plants yet and more leaves dropping. . I also placed the light back on its feet to reduce it a bit. I am.seeing some green spots.. lucky me.



What is the best way to increase phosphates. And potassium. I do have the complete ei package from greenleaf aquarium.



Thank u so much for ur help.

You mix the Macros potassium nitrate, potassium phosphate and magnesium sulphate in a 500ml of water (preferably distilled) did you get a guideline card? If not just follow this one.

 

[stefanloeffler]

Thank u so much.... seeing new growth on plants except my ludwigia... ill dose macros micros woth excell as u recommended... lets see what happens. I did notice one leaf of my other plants to syart to get tiny holes and one leaf seams to go see through...

 

[Caliban07]

Thank u so much.... seeing new growth on plants except my ludwigia... ill dose macros micros woth excell as u recommended... lets see what happens. I did notice one leaf of my other plants to syart to get tiny holes and one leaf seams to go see through...

You're welcome. Just keep the excel going in and things will improve.


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