My plants are dying off and i cant stop it!

[imissmytruck]

Anything I plant dies. My broad leaf plants and grasses appear to dry out and crack. Anything "whispy" just turns brown. My peacock moss is not spreading and my Java moss just sits there.

I have a flourite substrate. I use the Flourite cubes. I use Flourish Excel. And Aqueon "plant food". My tap water is a bit acidic, so I use an acid buffer by seachem that says it is safe for planted tanks. No I do not use a co2 diffuser. I want to but cant afford the set up yet.

My water changes are very frequent. All chem levels are great with the minor exception of my Nitrate level. I cant seem to get it below 5ppm. And that is using the seachem Purigen AND a Nitra-zorb.

My lighting is odd. Bulbs are expensive, so on half the tank I have a coralife twin bulb. Using the colormax and a 6700k. The other half has just a standard fixture with a floramax bulb. Now these are almost six months old. So I do need new ones.

I have not tested the hardness of the water. Is that an issue?

Can any one help?

 

[aqua_chem]

What plants do you have? Sounds like you're buying non-aquatic plants, such as peacock fern.

Also, what kind of lights do you have?

 

[imissmytruck]

The truth is I don't know the names. I Got them all from the same pet store. The Peacock MOSS (not fern) came from one their trophy tanks. The rest came from their plant stock tank. I'll get photos up as soon as I can. All I know is two of them are a tall long grass. One looks like a large anubis...but isn't.

 

[Batt4Christ]

Hate to say it, but just because a pet shop/LFS has plants in a "plant tank" does not guarantee the plants are true aquatic plants. Some well-known chains are particularly bad about it, but a lot of mom and pop shops are no better.

But let's say the plants you have ARE true aquatics, there are a lot of possible issues. One I noticed- you are trying to get nitrates below 5ppm.... WHY? Plants need nitrates, and that produced naturally is better than nitrogen in a bottle. Planted tanks do well (with zero harm to fish or other inhabitants) at 10-20ppm. Levels as high as 40ppm are generally safe. Over that, and you encourage algae.

What all plants are you attempting to grow? Also, what critters might there be that may damage leaves?

 

[boadams87]

Hate to say it, but just because a pet shop/LFS has plants in a "plant tank" does not guarantee the plants are true aquatic plants. Some well-known chains are particularly bad about it, but a lot of mom and pop shops are no better.

But let's say the plants you have ARE true aquatics, there are a lot of possible issues. One I noticed- you are trying to get nitrates below 5ppm.... WHY? Plants need nitrates, and that produced naturally is better than nitrogen in a bottle. Planted tanks do well (with zero harm to fish or other inhabitants) at 10-20ppm. Levels as high as 40ppm are generally safe. Over that, and you encourage algae.

What all plants are you attempting to grow? Also, what critters might there be that may damage leaves?

I was going to say the same about the nitrates. Sounds like your adding to many chemicals.

 

[imissmytruck]

Hmmm...I thought the nitrate level at 40ppm was dangerous. So 20 should be safe? I have tried so hard to keep them at 5 because I was under the imression anything higher was unsafe for fish....

I have nothing but a few small snails that could be eating them.

The place I shop is extremely reputable about their plants. All truly aquatic. As for chemicals...I don't believe I am adding alot. you tell me...Exel, Aqueon plant food, seachem acid buffer.

In my filter I run three satges of bio max a polishing pad. I use AllGone, and I have been using nitra-zorb and a water softener pillow.

The lights are on standard fixture with a floramax bulb. The a dual light with a 67k and a colormax bulb. Thats it.

Thanks for all your help. I will try not to stress out on my Nitrate levels.

Trying to get pics up now.

 

[imissmytruck]

The first pic is a cracked leaf on one of the plants I cant name.

The next is the same I cant name
Next is Peacock moss which I cant grow same with the next which is Java moss with the same problem. But I see now that my nitrates are too low.....on with the fight.

I am not a super plant man...I don't need to know the latin names. Just regular names would be great.

 

[imissmytruck]

ooops. the last pic is my new water sprite. I just got it so I don't know if I will succeed with it.

 

[imissmytruck]

In these two pics...they are the same type of grass. The one has Java moss in front of it. None of which has grown. The blades of grass have turned brown in spots on the ends and in their middles and have withered. I know some of it has been eaten by the little snails, no big there, but why wont they grow.

I guess I just was not meant to have plants. My fish are happy though!

 

[boadams87]

The sword looks yellow, which is an iron deficiency.

 

[rkilling1]

IMO, I would stop adding anything that isn't necessary.

Stop trying to remove the NO3's. I have had them over 100 for many months without any issues.

Stop trying to buffer your water.

Just keep adding ferts when required and doing PWC's. Growing plants is really not that hard, but you are going overboard trying to get to the 'perfect' levels and it is only hurting you.

 

[Batt4Christ]

Hmmm...I thought the nitrate level at 40ppm was dangerous. So 20 should be safe? I have tried so hard to keep them at 5 because I was under the imression anything higher was unsafe for fish....

I have nothing but a few small snails that could be eating them.

The place I shop is extremely reputable about their plants. All truly aquatic. As for chemicals...I don't believe I am adding alot. you tell me...Exel, Aqueon plant food, seachem acid buffer.

In my filter I run three satges of bio max a polishing pad. I use AllGone, and I have been using nitra-zorb and a water softener pillow.

The lights are on standard fixture with a floramax bulb. The a dual light with a 67k and a colormax bulb. Thats it.

Thanks for all your help. I will try not to stress out on my Nitrate levels.

Trying to get pics up now.

I have read that some of the most delicate fish get stressed at 40ppm. But I haven't seen any issues at all with 20 ppm.

 

[Batt4Christ]

Peacock fern? It is NOT a true aquatic. It will eventually die when planted fully submerged.

 

[imissmytruck]

Peacock fern? It is NOT a true aquatic. It will eventually die when planted fully submerged.

Peacock moss. It's actually a variety of Christmas Moss. It's so beautiful when it's growing properly.

 

[imissmytruck]

Thank you for your help everybody. You are absolutley right...I am killing myself trying to get the perfect levels. I am going to back off alot of different items when Saturdays filter cleaning comes. I really am looking forward to minimizing what I add. I have started using Iron and Potassium. Keeping with the Excel. And In the filter I am going to reduce down to only the Purigen and my biomax.